Canyonlands shock mount problems, tech help needed!

Help needed guys! We have 1 bar of service at Dollhouse 1 campsite in Canyonlands park. Just able to get this out.

Just noticed underneath our 2012 Tacoma DCSB that the rear driver shock mount nut (at the bottom of the shock) has disappeared on the trail. The bolt is still in, keeping the shock foot in place. No noise indicated this driving on the trail, and we took no undercarriage damage getting here.

This shock was installed (by a shop) a week ago, so it's possible this was not trail damaged, perhaps just a hand tightened bolt that was never torqued down.

The bolt head seems to be 17mm. What we really need is another nut from somewhere else on the vehicle - or a 2012 DCLB or an 01 Land Cruiser, our two other vehicles - that will thread on to that bolt to keep the shock foot in place on the mount point.

I assume the nut would be M17 if the bolt head is.

If we can't find a nut, we'll have to pull the bolt and replace it with another nut and bolt altogether, maybe scavenged from a hilift.

Thanks guys - I'll check back on this thread in an hour. Will try to follow this post with a photo, but the pic might not make it with 1 bar.

 

It will ride like shit but you could essentially take off the shock and baby it until you can get into civilization or just take the nut out and run into town in one of the other trucks and buy a nut. Not sure what the nut is at the top of the hi lift may be too big to fit.

 

I would just take off the shock.

 

Do you have/need tow hitch. I thing those bolts and nuts (holding to frame) are m17

 

Agreed, take off the shock. It will be bouncy as hell but you won't hurt anything as long as you don't rally the thing. Once on smooth pavement you can drive at speed. Just be cautious.

 

You guys sure he can remove shock, since he is camping I am assuming he has fully loaded bed.

 

A 17 mm nut will be a 10 mm thread usually. There is not much side stress on the shock wrap tape or string till you get it some where you can find a nut tie it off to the shock mount at the base.

 

Better would be some wire.

 

Just pull the shock. No harm in doing it at all.

 

Remember, all a shock does is stops movement. It has no load bearing properties. You can pull a shock from a truck without even lifting the truck off the ground. The Dashing Ham, you will have no issues removing that shock and driving home. You will cause more of a headache trying to pull a nut from somewhere else on the truck than just removing the shock. As long as you're not hitting some crazy trail or washboarded out road, you will have a bouncy ride tonight and a trip to the dealership for a new bolt/nut in the morning.

 

Okay. Thanks guys; never driven around with no shock before. Call this one solved then, that's what we'll try. Thanks for the quick replies.

 

If you disconnect the shock it will ride like shit and will effect the handeling and possible damage the spring but have at it.

 

How will no shock affect the spring at all? The spring isn't gonna be put under anymore stress because of one missing shock.

 

I guess the answer is why do you have shocks in the first place? You don't think it might make the loading on the spring a little funky bouncing up and down while the other side is riding fine? I'm happy for your 8 shocks try removing two on one wheel and go for a ride it can not do the truck any good and will produce a dangerous a handling situation on the road. The Tacoma rear springs are all ready prone to breaking Toyota has admitted as much.

 

Wire it up is the best thing to do since you have no idea how long the nut has been missing. The shop could have even forgot to put it on in the first place.

 

I gave up on this thread once the OP was satisfied. I think all we can do now is just walk away haha.