Front & Rear Shocks Shot

Yea yoda u did bro .. i have a trd v6 just gonna level the front look. Where do i set my billis at 1.75 ? Looking for a smoothly ride not like a cadi but no like a tank

 

Clips to the Middle setting

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

FWIW: Being, let's say 'stingy with my money', I got set of KYB Excel G shocks for the rear of my '09 for about $35 with shipping from Rock Auto on some closeout sale. They seem as solid and smooth as I could want for mostly highway stability and comfort. Worked out well. I just got to installing a set of Monroe Quick Struts on the front. I know a few people don't like these but they are working out well. Just riding in the truck, my wife commented the ride is so solid now, I can't even talk about getting a new truck for at least 5 years. The Quick struts are obviously easy with no spring work needed. Good price and a $40 rebate.

Couple of things I noticed: the Monroe units are a fair amount heavier than they original Bilstein on my TRD. I should have put them on a scale. There are 2 or 3 more coils on the Monroe compared to the originals.

I had read a couple of posts that an alignment would be necessary. Not in my case and I do not understand why you would need it without having not disconnected the A frames. Truck tracks as good as I would expect.

How hard to do the job? I think I could change both sides in a few hours, now. On the passenger side I was able to sort of screw the spring across the steering link. Its a lot easier to just disconnect it, as I did on the driver side. Made sense anyway as the cotter pin was essentially totally corroded away. And I wasn't going to drop the pan in the front but I figured it needed some paint so with that out of the way, the stabilizer bar mounts are a lot easier to get at.

And it took me a few minutes to find the hex openings in the ends of the stabilizer bar links. But with the heavy corrosion getting a good fit is tough.

As a couple of posts noted, lots of rust and corrosion. As I pretty much always do, I chased every thread: nut and bolt, before reassembly with a good gob of never seize.

I don't know if its worth noting but I will anyway. Many decades ago, an old time mechanic I worked with told me any bolt that moves, you should be able to get out. Only with lots of rust never, ever, ever, go more than a half turn or so without reversing back and flooding the nut -bolt with some kind of lube. I use a combination, switching back and forth with PB Blaster and motor oil. Slow, slow, slow, but what the old guy told me, its a hell of a lot easier to spend 15 minutes getting a bolt out compared to drilling, tapping, etc once you snap it. I keep telling myself that when I want to give the bolt one more 'out' turn without screwing it back in. Doesn't always work, but most of the time, its the way to go.

One other observation. I did the job alone. Probably could save half the time with a helper. When I went to slip the bottom of the shock into its lower control arm mount, especially alone, I figured out that prying between the top arm (forcing it down) and levering against the spring (forcing it up) made that part simple. With a helper, I think there are a lot of options but going it alone, the method I described made it easy.

My '09 with 84K miles now rides like new. Recalled springs replaced in the rear with KYB Excel G shocks and Monroe Quick Struts in the front. We'll see how they hold up.

 

The Bilstein 5100's do not fit the rear without a 2" lift. My son tried and tried and finally found that tidbit on the Bilstein site after an offroad store said they fit. I think you said you want no lift.

We got some Monroes from Advance Auto. There's a good Tacoma World Coupon if you google. The rears are about $45 each and the fronts are "Quickstruts" which have the coil already mounted for about $110 each. The rears are extremely easy to install. The Quickstruts are designed for anyone to install without spring compressors. http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/monroe-quick-strut-complete-strut-assembly-171352r/10005513-P

 

Any other recommendations comparable to the stock shocks? I'd like to keep the truck at the default height. Nothing crazy expensive. I just need a smooth ride.

 

How about the actual OEM shocks? Are they expensive? They seem to have a good ride, etc. Especially when new.

 

I just recently put a set of 5100's on for a customer. He wanted them over the 4600's due to he may eventually want to lift the truck. I set the fronts at zero, and they were just slightly taller than the OEM shocks. This gave him a level ride over what he originally had. They also firmed his suspension up enough that the squishy Cadillac ride was improved. If you do want a lift, I suggest at least an add a leaf (AAL) in the rear. Wheelers seemed to have the best pricing over anyone else. I also advised him to get the two spring isolators and front shock bushing kit to replace all rubber bushings for the shocks. It's a good idea, especially if you're already in there. I also marked the position and lubricated the control arm bolts, as they are a failure point for corrosion. I suggest that to everyone. I put a lift on a 2016 this past Saturday, and the control arm bolts already had corrosion in them.

 

I have monroe installed. No problem so far 10000miles

 

"If you do want a lift, I suggest at least an add a leaf (AAL) in the rear..."

OP has said a couple of times he does not want a lift.

I came back to mention that it's October 25 and I noticed that Advance has a "Shocktober" promotion. Buy three and get one free. It'll run out at the end of the month. Also I noticed for another vehicle we have that Quickstruts are quite a bit cheaper from Amazon. You'll have to do your own math to see what the best deal is.

 

So the Monroe Quick-Struts are a good alternative to the Bilsteins? I have no prior experience with swapping out suspensions, I've only really changed brake pads.

 

There's a video on YouTube. Kind of easy . But you will need tools to do it.

 

Of course. As for the other thing, the Monroe Quick-Struts would be a good replacement? I don't know much about suspension. I'm just going off what you guys recommend.

 

There have been some comments that Monroe 'struts' have early noise problems? Do not have enough experience with my newly installed units to comment. I can say this, QuickStruts from Rockauto, good price, with a Monroe $40 rebate in the mail. Rock auto KYB excel G shocks on close -out with shipping for $35, good deal.

I don't really remember when the truck was new 8 years ago, but I know I was impressed with the ride and stability, had Bilstein shocks. In the past couple of months I had the spring recall completed, installed the rear shocks and the front Quick Struts (no alignment was needed without disconnecting the CA's). The ride now is, to me, impressive. Solid, smooth, not truck like (used to have a 3/4 ton Chevy). Even my wife says it feels really good when she rides in the truck. Easy on bumps, solid on the highway.

I think what happens is over time the ride degrades every so slowly, you don't know how crappy it has become. Then, with new parts installed, bingo, like new again. I had over 80k on the truck, probably way too long to change out the shocks.

That's my recent experience. FWIW, with the new rear springs, and new front springs, the truck seemed to lift an inch or two. I think it 'settled' back in a few days. Maybe just my imagination???

 

Is this complete kit (Monroe Quick-Struts) a good replacement? Does this kit have everything I need for a full suspension replacement? Do I need to purchase anything else on top of this kit?

The only off roading I'll ever do is I accidentally drive into a ditch on a rainy day. Again, I just need suspension that beats the OEM and gives me a smooth ride.

 

Quick struts will be fine. If you can change brake pads you can change the struts out.

 

Are the Monroes any good? I would get the Bilsteins but I don't exactly need a lift. Is there any noticeable difference?

 

5100s will give a more car like ride. Not necessarily harsher but firmer because of the way theyre valved. Most people (including me) prefer them over stock.

The oem reps (Monroe,kyb, etc...) ride pretty much the same imo. I had brand new kyb gas adjust shocks on mine before swapping out for 5100s.

 

Roadeater: Having just changed out the front 'struts" (watch out, there will be a rash of concerns about calling the coil overs struts) here's what I learned: This was for Quick Struts not messing with the springs

1) Wheels off (duh?) When you reinstall them, anti seize on the mating surfaces with the hubs
2) lots of PB blaster or your favorite rust breaker on stability bar connections on the king pins, nut on the steering arm link, 4 bolts on the stab bar to the frame, 3 nuts on top of each 'strut', my 09 has a pan under the radiator, so those 4 nuts need some anti rust oil (do all this a day or two before)
3) drop the pan
3a) forgot, disconnect the brake line bracket
4) nuts off the stabilizer bar link nuts on the king pins ( there is a hex in the end nearest the nut, likely full of rust and crud: I grabbed the exposed part on the side near the grease boot with skinny locking pliers when the hex spun, maybe its a star? the stud will spin otherwise and you can't get the nut off)
5) nuts off the steering arm link ( I had to drill out the very rusted cotter pins): leave the nut on and loose, protect the male threads and give the stud a pop or two with a hammer, it will pop loose
6) Drop the bolts on the stab bar mounts. Might be able to work with it loose but I think it was easier to drop it and get it out of the way. One issue, go slow with the bolts. I am not sure what you do if you snap them off.... slowly in and out , lots of oil. Be careful the ends of the stab bar do not squish the rubber brake lines near the hubs
7) remove Big bottom nut on the strut
8) 3 nuts off the top of each strut (leave one on but loose)
9) use a drift/punch to tap out the bottom bolt (grease or oil it to help it slide out)
10) *****during all this, might want a jack judiciously positioned under the lower control arm. Work the lift to what works for your
strut length. Then when all bolts out, remove the jack. I think the strut will always be 'too long', pushing down on the lower control arm so the jack will control the 'push' until its time to remove the assembly Easier out than going back in if working alone.

Do not mess with the big shock nut on the top!

11) once the bottom bolt is out, my best bet was to pry against the upper control arm and the spring to get the pressure off the lower control arm so you can get the strut assembly out of the lower control arm mounting area( once you are there, you'll see what I mean)
12) that's it, clean everything up and reverse the process
13) I think if you can find a helper who will climb under the car with you and use their muscles, the job will go a lot easier, especially when replacing the big bottom bolt

One other thing I did was to wire brush/sand and paint the pan under the radiator when it was off.

What I recall: 14 mm wrench, 17mm, 19mm ( 7/8's? or 15/16ths works?) pry bar(s), sockets etc I chased all the female threads, never seize on every reassembled part, rusty metal primer and black paint for the pan

Not over difficult, but some work. I had no need for alignment. Nothing here ought to effect alignment

Good luck!

 

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