Suspension problem, many new OEM parts + video link

I had posted recently about overhauling my front suspension since the truck has 204k miles.
Now something or things are not installed correctly or there is a problem with the truck that hasn't been identified yet. The suspension is extremely soft as though the shocks are not providing any dampening at all. When you push down on the bumper it feels like the shocks are blown, there is very little resistance. One thing that I remembered one of the mechanics say yesterday was that he had to lift the the LCA up to install the assembled strut. That doesn't make sense to me. I would think that the LCA would have to be held down with a pry bar to install the lower strut bolt. Did he reinstall the LCA's in the wrong position and now there is too much distance between the upper mount and the lower bolt? I have never done any work on control arms before. Couple other data points, they took the OEM shocks and springs off and put in some quick struts to just see if that would make a difference. One side was closer to normal and the other side was still terrible. They told me the quick struts were a bit longer than the OEM setup. When they put the OEM setback back on I had them switch right and left to see if the springs perhaps were installed on the wrong side. This seems to have made it worse.

Here are a couple short video links
Front View: https://youtu.be/og1luBV2LNU
Side View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d8OlSAB8Dg


This is a list of what I had a mechanic replace for me. All parts are OEM from one of my local Toyota dealers near Philadelphia. The truck is a 2003 with TRD package. Dealer Verified all parts are correct using my VIN. I triple checked many of them and didn't see any issues.

Upper control Arms (complete arms with new bushings) (48630-35030 and 35050)
Lower control Arm bushings (48061-35040 and 35050)
Springs ( 48131 AD010 and AD040)
Shocks (48510-A9050)
Upper strut supports (48609-35010)
Upper Ball Joints (

$48 43310-39016 Toyota Ball Joint - 43310-39016

43310-39016)
Lower Ball Joints (43310-39016 and

$206 43330-39556 Toyota Ball Joint - 43330-39556

43330-39556)
Sway bar links (48820-35040 and 48810-35020)
Sway bar bushings (48815-35090)
Gear assembly insulator (45517-35010)
All new Cam bolts (4840935050 and 4845235020)
New mount bolts (9008011283)
New upper control arm Bolts and nuts (90105-14105 and 90179-14062)
New passenger side CV Boot kit (

$53 04438-04021 Toyota D/Shaft Boot Kit - 04438-04021

04438-04021)

 

if you push down and let go, how many times does it rebound before it stops.

 

It bounces more that it should. It should settle quickly with all brand new parts.

 

What are the specs for your truck? Model year? Cab type? Regular, extra or double cab? TRD package? v6 or 4 cylinder?

And what was the old suspension? Any aftermarket pieces?

 

I just took out the drivers side strut, and measured the distance between the upper mounting points and the bolt on the LCA and got approx 19". I measured the OEM strut from the center of the lower bolt and and upper mount and got approx 19". It lines up almost perfectly. I might need to push the LCA down 1/8 or 1/4 inch to reinstall. Hopefully someone can comment. This doesn't seem right to me.

 

2003 TRD, extended cab, V6, manual trans

 

Does it make any sense to loosen the UCA bolt, jack up the LCA, then retighten the UCA bolt and try to close that distance or will it still just droop to the same spot?

 

I don't think this a lower control arm issue. The 'soft' ride is either from the new coil springs or the shocks themselves. In your video I can hear the shocks working, they make a slight hissing noise, though one side was a little louder than the other.

I am wondering about the coil springs that were used. They could be to light for the truck's front end weight.

When I put the part numbers you listed into the OEM parts house I use, they say they are not the correct ones for my truck which is an '02 extra cab v6 4x4 TRD.

 

As for the distance between the upper coil bucket mount and the lower shock bolt mount, 19" is reasonable. Especially with new OEM, rubber lower control arm bushings installed. You might find that will increase a little with more mileage on them.

I asked this earlier, but you may have missed it. What was the old suspension? Any aftermarket pieces?

 

can you post a link to what you see for those parts?

Supposedly the LCA bolts weren't tightened all the way until the truck was on the ground, but maybe they didn't leave them loose enough to make a difference when the truck was on the ground. But then again the truck was aligned after this, so wouldn't they adjust those LCA bolts unless the truck needed no adjusting. I wouldn't bet the truck was aligned perfectly after all that work.

 

The old suspension was some napa quick struts. They were put on as a temp solution and ended up being on there for nearly 30k.

 

To identify the correct part numbers for my truck I use https://partsouq.com or https://www.toyodiy.com/parts/

Both of these places have a place to enter your vin# and will then only offer the correct part #s for your truck.

Today I used https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/. Keep in mind that I have entered my vin# there also so they can tell me if a given part number fits my truck.

Try this with your vin# to see what you get.

 

using your second website, my part numbers for the springs and shocks appear to be correct. all of those parts are labeled "off road package" which I believe to be the "Trd package" which my truck has.

https://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_200009_TOYOTA_TACOMA_VZN170L-CRMDKAB_4803.html?hl=48132

 

It is very interesting that your vin says your truck was built in Sept 2000. Is it really an '03 model? You sure it's not an '01?

For reference, here's my toyodiy page. As you can see, different part #s from yours. Makes me wonder what the difference is. Are you a 4x4 or a prerunner? I don't see how the transmission type would make a difference but maybe that is it.

https://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_200111_TOYOTA_TACOMA_VZN170L-CRPDKAB_4803.html

 

Here is my page with my VIN. i was searching under part number before. yes my truck is a 2003. The part numbers I have seem to be correct. I mean the dealer when through this with my VIN a few times. If I have the wrong parts they really screwed up.

https://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_200302_TOYOTA_TACOMA_VZN170L-CRMDKAB_4803.html

I loosened the control arm bolts a bit and put it back on the ground and tightened them up to see if that would make a difference and it did not.

 

This is like a kristi with a K thread- you're basing all this off the ol' push the bumper down test? Soft is the only symptom?

 

when it is that soft with me just pushing on it, imagine hitting a bump at 60-70 mph. It doesn't ride right on the road. I've been driving for for 32 years. I'm not 16 years old.

 

Have you gotten it aligned properly? Not just a toe’n go? Also, what behavior/ performance exactly are you looking for?

 

yes it was aligned properly at a reputable shop that only does alignments.

 

I replaced the new OEM springs and shocks, with Bilstein 6112's. Very noticeable difference. I still can't explain why the oem parts were so bad. Maybe they don't make them like they made them 20 yrs ago.