Can someone tell me what the F happend here??

Good morning,

So im driving to work today and i hear a clunking noise over some bumpy road.
I get to work and inspect my rear suspension on both sides to find this disaster.
One pic is of passenger side that looks fine obviously. Second pic is what i found on drivers side.

What the hell happened?

I obviously need a new rear 5100 but is this a bilstein warranty issue perhaps? looks like the piston rod blew right through the top. Or is the threaded part of the shock somehow attached to the piston rod?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I have to drive this vehicle and cant be without really.

 

By the looks of the hardware (or maybe its the salt)
Its time for some new billies in the rear.
Good thing 5100s are inexpensive.

 

they are only 1.5 yrs old...
There is no thread on top of this rod. Is it possible that it broke off?

 

Judging by how rusty your other one is, it looks like the threads got all rusty and just snapped off.

 

It is very possible to snap off. Sadly, the 2nd gen Tacoma rear 5100s don't use an Allen or Torx key like some other models of 5100 do. They are pressed at the top with flat sides, like stock shocks.

I broke both my stock shocks' studs when swapping them. A monkey wrench solved that problem.

Good luck man

 

Billy's have had some major failures like this in the 4runner forum. They won't warranty them for these guys because they are tundra shocks installed on a 4runner. Hopefully they help you out.

 

If that was the case with you, they must have changed it. Both the 5100s on my 2015 and 2005 had an Allen key up top to keep the shaft from spinning.

 

Yea, mine were just pressed flat. Like you could use a 8mm or crescent wrench on them.
I got them from a Tacoma parts page on FB, they were brand new, but could've been NOS too. Part number is same though, which I found a lil odd.

Is what it is. I really hope the OP can remedy this quickly. Hope it doesn't put a hole in the bed!

 

im going to send them an inquiry.
I bought them from Down south motorsports but im sure they would send me to bilstein anyhow.

 

In the future it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some fluid film and spray it under your truck. At the very least on suspension related components.

 

Funny you say that, i was just second guessing whether i did or not when i sprayed the new frame.

 

now im debating that toytec 3" lift kit with AAL if im going to replace the rear shocks now...

 

DO ITTTT

 

if you are going to replace, why not do better -- thats always my thinking.

 

So you say the passenger side looks "fine obviously"? Is it normal for your shock, boot I guess you call it?, to be bent like that?

 

i just think the shock boots are too long or whoever installed them did not attach them properly. . I thought that was weird also initially.

agreed. I just wish timing was better since im deep in a home improvement project. might need to just sweep this one under the rug from the wifey.

 

That happens to them. The shock will extend and the boot will slip off the body, and then when the shock compresses it gets all bunched up at the top.

 

ah ok, never had that experience or known anyone local to me to have that so I was curious.

 

It's happened on both trucks I've owned with 5100s. My solution is to put the boot at the top of the shock body and get a big ass zip tie and really tighten it down. That solves the issue.

 

My shock boots are like that too. Tried about 3 times with zip ties to fix. Doesn't work if the suspension sees any more flex than a speed bump