Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

I'd replace them. Even if you put them back on you can always replace them later. Check the other side too.
May as well to both sides. Good winter project.

Just my $.02

 

wondering if hand tight is good enough though since it looks like it must have moved around to oval-out the bolt. I’ll dig out one of those wrenches to get it snugged up. Might extend it with another wrench to get more torque on them.

Fun fact: the 4xinnovation plates not only protect the frame tab mounts, but they also work as a limit strap! (See bottom left of pic..lca touches plate).



Unfortunately, Im trying to take out the shocks through the top, and I cant lower the lca enough to get the shock out.


Oh well. I think shes going back together for now without the spacer

 

Assuming they were all tightened under load, maybe you just forgot one or didn't get that good angle on one?
I mean hell, my tire shop forgot to tighten driver side uca and 1 lca bolt.

 

Have to add I've noticed around TW that people, in general, tiptoe around torque specs. SYOA perhaps.
The manual gets tossed out there but not many will give a specific number. Can't blame them.
I often say as I do don't do as I say.
I'm known to do bonehead stuff.

 

The top bolts on front coilovers will vary depending on which shocks you have, most notably anything OEM versus aftermarket. Dobinsons appear to use factory nuts, if 4Runners have same specs as 2nd gen Tacos it should be 47 ft-lb. I have Fox shocks that use different bolts and take much less torque, so if I used 47 ft-lb it would result in a very bad and likely expensive day. German spec of "Gutentight" should usually work. A ratcheting wrench is worth it's weight in gold for this job alone.

Lower shock bolt on the other hand should be 61 ft-lb if memory serves correctly. 2nd gen tacos have something of a known flaw in that the through bolt is stepped/collared which can prematurely wear out the lower shock bearing on aftermarket units. Some people swap to a 4Runner bolt or even a grade 8 or stronger bolt without the neck-down instead.

Dang that sucks. Good coverage on the skid, but if the LCA won't rotate down far enough you'll never get it out the top without removing the skid. Extra work but at least you don't have to do it very often. Good luck man.

 

Thanks! It’s all learning. Next time the skids come off for this type of work.

In the meantime, I gotten to see how clean these bolts stay when you cap them off with a coating of woolwax after installation. It just seals everything off perfect.

I never greased my LCA cam bolts, but maybe the woolwax cap will keep them from corroding until I get to them.

 

I have the entire manual printed in my shop for the second gen torque specs. Do it every time and for every bolt. In fact I just got my 1987 Snapon 1/4 drive torque wrench recalibrated last week-cost me $95, but worth another 40 years or so...

Edit: okay, thats not quite true. I never torque anything inside the cab...

 

Never seen anyone try to remove the shock thru the top unless the 4r is different than the 2nd gen,
on a 2nd gen you pull the 2 bolts holding the lower ball-joint on, loosen the lower control bolts to swing the lower down to pull the shock out.

 

I take mine out every time from the top. Removing the lower ball joint mount is more work and often unnecessary.

 

Yup. Undo the sway bar on both sides and undo the upper ball joint, swing the spindle and sway bar out of the way, push the UCA up and it comes right out.

 

Freedom Munitions has flat rate shipping now through Halloween...prices have come down nicely (though not where they were pre-covid)...retirement is going to allow for more range time...may be time to buy some extra rounds?

 

You're right, 1k rounds should last me a few trips, right?

 

That’s a bit young.

 

Normally, yes, but he burned the candle from both ends for a bunch of years. Damned shame.

edit: I read that he had been sober for several years.

 

For a while the neighborhood negotiated a volume discount, but the price doubled recently. I may end up paying the new price eventually. Idk.

 

Sounds like a way to pay for a winch...