Broken shock (OME Nitrocharger)

Hey all, this just happened tonight driving around town. Question for the group. I currently have OME Nitrochargers on my 3rd gen with approx. 45k miles on the shocks all around. Do I replace this individual shock and call it a day, or should I replace all 4? I was hoping to get closer to the 80-100k mark with these, but am tempted just to reset the clock with new ones all around.

 

Whoa that’s not good

 

Typically, I would suggest replacing the rear in a set. The front should be fine.

I would think that it broke from being over torqued. Any pictures of the end of the shock where it broke?

 

Buy one and see how long it takes. If you're two weeks in and ain't shit happened, order em all.

 

I can definitely go grab a pic. And agreed that over-torquing could potentially be the issue, but these have been this way for 45k miles. I think if they were over-torqued they would have failed a long time ago.

It honestly looks like the shocks have taken some weathering as I look at the other one that's still intact. I'll take a pic and post

 

Buy both new pair for the rear and call it a day.

 

IME, over torquing makes the fastener fail just below the nut. Idk shit about fuck, but that's imo.

 

Honestly I'm wondering if the shock actually became loose and had enough play in it that it snapped right at the base. Either way, $$$ is coming out of my pocket

 

I don't see any beach marks on the break. Looks like it snapped off... it is tough to see clearly. Either way you should be fine with just replacing the rear.

 

Judging by how smushed the rubber bushings is that top nut looks WAY overtorqued. I’m sure that’s what lead to your early failure. Properly torqued bolts don’t just snap off.

I just pulled my rear nitro chargers with 80k miles for a shock relocation and they still have life in them.

 

Seems like the RH shock is sitting "lower" than it should, as in the rubber bushing below the mounting hole has slack while the bushing above the hole is squished.

 

I have had the same problem one Broke under warranty The other one was out of warranty But come to find out I did not follow the torque Specifications Read the bag that the bushings and nut comes in Don't quote me but but it's like tighten to snug and then three revolutions. From how much the rubber looks compressed It looks like it was overtightened . And it's fine just a replace one As long as you don't see any oil leaking from the other you're fine. And you might want to see if you can get new bushes for the other one And make sure they are tightened properly Cause you have compromised the rubber bushing By overtightening it

 

Over tightening the nut will not crush the bushing more. Bushing crush is set by the smooth section of the mounting shaft. (green arrow of picture) Over tightening the nut will cause the base of the threads to stretch and the break would occur there. Since this break happened at the base of the bushing portion, this is most likely broken from a shock load, like a sudden suspension drop out. This is a very common break point on Commercial vehicles with air bags.

Edit: The bushing preload that I referenced in this post is not the same method for the OME rear shock. I have posted a video below that describes the correct procedure.

 

You are wrong on that 1 That's not how ome shock look they are threads most of the way down the shaft no smooth coller

 

This is a picture of an OME 60091, the rear shock for a Tacoma. I know the picture isn't super clear. But there is definitely a smooth potion to the stud at the top of the shock. If this is incorrect maybe you have a photo to prove otherwise. I have only ever seen 2 styles of setting bushing preload with this style of mount, pre-machined as pictured or a sleeve that the bushing slide on. I would be interested in knowing if there is another style.

 

I'm just saying if you bottom out the threads like I did the 1st time I had them break on me at 35000 miles and 45000 miles. I now have 70000 miles on my new ones with no problem follow the torque directions Which don't bottom out the threds . So overtightening them will compress the bushings. I know from experience. As my dad always says some people's education costs more than others. Mine cast the price of 2 pairs of shocks

 

Thank you for the new information. In trying to understand this, I found this video. First time I have seen a manufacturer torque this way. I have only ever seen an actual torque value.

https://youtu.be/spGpKnBejUI

 

I believe this is the install video that I used when installing the lift several years ago. Like you mention, I was expecting a torque value, but saw that I needed to torque down to where the bushing was about the same diameter as the washer above it. I remember in my head going "this seems way too tight", but followed the instruction.

Lesson learned I guess. I did install the other rear shock in the same way, so I think I'll buy two new rears and call it done. I need this thing back on the road again.

 

Yep. 10:12 man. Exactly what I did.

I'm wondering if the bushing material changed over the years, because the bushing in their video compresses much easier than mine did.

I did a Nitrocharger lift on a 4Runner recently, and that bushing was hard as a rock. Rather than compressing all the way down to a diameter equal to the washer, we looked around for factory torque numbers and went with those