Bought a lifted Tacoma - Reverting to stock height, need help!

Hi everyone, recently picked up a Tacoma Gen 1 and diagnosing a currently very harsh ride quality. Part 1 of that is removing the lift kit which consist of a large preload spacer on front coils and extended leaf shackles at the rear.

Regarding the leaf shackles.. I have acquired some new, stock, shackles but from what I cant tell.. it will not be a simple swap out.

1. The bolt size on the fitted, extended shackles are M18 (18mm thick, I’m British) but on the new replacement shackles the bolts are M14’s. So surely there is going to be ‘slop’ in when I fit them. Do I need new bushings?

2. The bushings on the replacement have an outer shoulder diameter of 35mm but the existing bushings shoulders are 40mm. Can they still be used? Will the 35mm shoulders be ‘drawn into’ the mounting cylinder? Or does that have a narrower neck on it?

3. Are the currently fitted bolts larger because they are greasable? Do I need a stock size shackle with thicker, greasable bolts for 1-for-1 swap?

Cant find any photos or videos of shackle replacements to get an idea.

Here are some images to illustrate the difference.

Thanks!!

 

Found this thread..
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/just-greasable-shackle-bolts.285239/

Sounds like when fitting the greasable bolts you remove a sleeve in the spring eye? To accommodate the thicker bolt?

So I assume I need those ?

Not sure about the top bolt and the discrepancy in bushing thickness though.

 

I’m thinking I just need these bushings and sleeves. I assume the sleeves were removed to fit the 18mm grease bolts.

I assume I have stock leafs, any way to tell?

 

Once the shackles are sorted be sure to check the rear shock length. If they wedged something longer in there for the lift it may bottom out when you go back to stock ride height.

 

Appreciate the tip, they’re Bilstein 4600’s by the look of it (blue and yellow) do they have extended options for those? Or can I safely assume they’re stock length? Thanks

 

I have a new set on order anyway which I’ll be replacing at the same time.

 

4600's would be stock replacements. They don't make them for lifted applications. Are they not the factory Toyota/Bilstiens?

 

Never safe to assume when dealing with someone elses work, lol.

But seems unlikely since as gen1 pointed out the 4600s are stock replacements.

But the new shocks will certainly eliminate all doubt

 

You must not be familiar with Bilstein shocks. Yes, there is a chance that someone used a 4600 intended for a completely different vehicle, one that uses a longer shock, but the 4600 is a stock replacement shock. Their 5100 series are for lifted applications. In Bilsteins own words about their 4600 series,
"Stock Height Replacement with a Bilstein Tune"

Longer shackles don't mean a longer shock can be used without bottoming out, it would still have the same up travel limitations. In other words, whatever shocks are on there now, if they don't bottom out with the extended shackle, they won't bottom out with a shorter shackle.