Rear shock top bolt -- spinning..help

Installed cross thread?

 

Terrible design??
Maybe somebody over there doesn’t know the score…

Special Tool 8-A:

 

Once you get it to the top, as far as it will go, you can hold the flats with smaller pliers, or you can grab the shock with your hand, or you can put the vice grips on anything below if you are not reusing the shocks.

 

Good one

 

Maybe cut off the top bushing and clamp the vice grip there...below the nut.

 

I'm saving the shock. I though about a thin pillar that can go between the two openings but couldn't find something that small. May be there is some kind of tools.

 

That's my next best measure

 

Did you check the picture? This won't work

 

The only thing is the special tool that @Hobbs posted above.


If the shaft or body is exposed, you could wrap it with something protective and then use vice grips on it?

 

That will hold it until there is nothing left to hold. By then, there would only be a turn or two left on the nut. Some strong needle nose pliers held vertically could do similar.

 

If thats true, you need needle nose pliers (preferably vice grips) to hold the shaft either from above or below the nut. Then continue backing the nut off those last few threads.

Alternatively get one of those rubber-strap pipe wrenches to hold the shock body still. I feel your pain, but this really isnt as big of a deal as its being made out to be haha.

 

Once the nut covered up the flat spots I had to have at it with an air ratchet. That was the only thing would spin the nut off faster than the shaft would spin I suppose.

 

Yes vertically is the key. Like pliers pointing down at the top of the shock...

 

that is literally the tool designed to hold these.

 

Seriously. Try a 1st Gen Sequoia or my 100 series Land Cruiser. Way way more difficult to deal with. Tacoma is a breeze.

 

I'm confused. So you have held the flat spot and can get the nut to run up until it hits the vicegrips? In the pic theres plenty to still hold on to.

Have you tried an impact?

 

Are you removing the top bolt with the truck jacked up? If you are then you are putting pressure on the threads (pulling down) and that cause it to bind.

Make sure the truck is on the ground and do it, once you get past the tension of the bushing, the bolt will spin off by hand.

 

Wheels on the ground, on of mind has resistance until the very last thread. I used vice grips on the top of the shock body to hold it. It was a minor PITA because the plastic sleeve was attached there also. Still, I was able to get it apart without too much trouble.

 

Once you get the nut up to the last bit of threads, use this to reach down and hold that flat spot, to run it off the rest of the way... you'll need a tiny pair.

 

I only say that because if he cant get it off the normal way with such clean threads already, then he needs all the help he can get.