Problem with front Bilstein shocks...HELP

Hey!

I bought my Tacoma about 3 months ago, second hand. It's a 2006 with 225000kms on it, and I am slowly working my way around it fixing all the little issues it has.

I noticed a knocking from the front passenger side over bumps, and felt like the suspension wasn't right. Today I had the wheels off and was checking all the bushes etc with a pry bar, and then noticed an issue with the strut. Here is the driver side strut:



And here is the passenger side:



The top of the damper shaft is not connected to the top of the strut, so the spring has no damping and the shaft can move about inside the top of the strut.

Has anyone seen this before? How could it have happened? And most importantly, can I fix it? The shock seems in good condition, obviously I can't tell without taking it off the truck and cycling it through it's travel.

If I need a new top shock mount, would this do? http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/moog-k160266

Thanks all, I love this forum!

 

Your lower bushing is either gone or the washer is missing/damaged. How long have they been installed for? I'm assuming for years by the looks of them. Bushing is probably toast.

 

By the looks of it, for years. The winters up here are savage for salt on the roads so cars always look horrible underneath

By lower bushing, I don't understand what part you mean, this is the part that connects the damper shaft to the shock mount?

Thanks

 

There is another rubber bushing below that hat just like the top one. There is a washer below that bushing. If either one is missing or damaged you will get what you're experiencing. Only way to tell is to remove it and take it apart.

 

cool, thanks.

I assume I'll need spring compressors for that?

 

Honestly man, your best bet is to just buy someone's stock suspension off here and replace your old stuff. You could get a set of assembled coilovers with less than 30k miles for under $200.

EDIT: here's a set for $140 shipped. These are off a third gen so they'll even lift the front 1"

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2017-sport-take-offs.460151/

 

Yeah or you can do the method some people use when they don't have compressors. Personally, I prefer to borrow them for free from auto parts stores and have never had an issue.

 

The truck has a lift on it, using these Bilstein shocks. If I can get this fixed easily and cheaply I'll run it until next year when I'm gonna replace the suspension and wheels/tires..

 

Are you sure? Those don't look like 5100s. The shock body looks black on those and 5100s are silver.

 

That's what I was thinking, but they're dirty as hell and I think they still have the dust covers on them?

 

Well the shaft dust cover is black, but I've never seen a cover for the lower portion as well. At least not on low end suspension. That looks like SR/SR5 suspension.

 

Just super crazy dirty or it's not actually lifted?

 

My guess is it's not actually lifted.

 

That passengers side shock looks shot, going by your picture and should look like the drivers side shock. The passengers side shock looks stuck in the compressed state and your shocks don't look like Bilsteins, but OEM Tokico like I have installed in my Tacoma. I don't know if that is a lift, but the passengers side bushings look misplaced with 2 on the top and the drivers side looks correct.

 

Ii had the same issue. He lower bushing got pressed over the seat. I added a washer and problem fixed!

 

Haha they are just very dirty! The winters/salt up here are horrible..this truck as had 10 of them! They are Bilstein 5100s. In the passenger picture, the black plastic guard has fallen down, covering the shock body. Here's a picture i took for proof to find the part number...

So I'm hoping I can dissassemble the strut and put it back together the correct way. Is there a nut at the top and bottom of the threaded portion that holds the shaft in the correct place in the top mount?

 

One nut on top, but that's the only thing compressing the coil so it requires compressing the coil.

 

This is the order of assembly:

(The top hat has an integrated bushing on the bottom side of it.)

If it were me, I would use this opportunity to just replace/upgrade that whole setup. It looks like it has some years/miles on it. The coils are definitely original. That top hat may be toast as well with that shaft wiggling around in it for who knows how long.

 

Thanks. I think I will get a new kit for it. The rear has add a leafs and it rebounds really quickly, so guessing those dampers are past their best too.

Anybody have an idea of the place to get a new set of 5100s in Canada? I'd be after front springs and top mounts too..

Thanks for all the help, Ben

 

Hey Ben, I got my 5100s from Bilstein Canada (they're called Essex Distributors?) http://www.bilsteincanada.com/

For the coils I got OME 885s from Cochrane Toyota in Alberta, they shipped to me in Ontario. (also bought the LR upper control arms at the same time from them) this gives some lift so you dont have to preload the 5100s to get lift

unfortunately Bilstein Canada doesnt sell any coils for us I don't think, only the shocks. Hope that helps