Why can't I find the right strut shocks for my truck?

Time to do shocks and struts. I'm having trouble finding the proper strut shocks for the front of my 2010 Tacoma ex. cab TRD off road 4.0L 2wd though, I absolutely do not want it to sit any lower than it already does. The stock Bilsteins i just pulled out of it measure 24 1/2" fully extended and have the p/n 48510-AD061, i've been told that that p/n no longer exists and is superseded by p/n 48510-09U61 but nobody, including the dealership, can give me the extended length measurement of it. As i said i do not want to lower this truck at all, wouldn't even mind raising it an inch or two but certainy don't want it any lower. Does anyone know the extended length measurement of the bilstein 48510-09U61 or know of a suitable replacement with a extended measurement of at least 24 1/2"?

 

I’ll assume it’s a 6 lug. Just put a set of 5100s on in the front at the zero setting. 5100s for the rear and call it a day. Remember the 5100s are digressively valves so they’ll feel a little firmer.

 

The shock won’t make it sit higher or lower.
The spring does that……

Extended length applies to the down travel, not the ride height.

I also 2nd the 5100’s.
Great shock for the money. Set it where you want it.

 

Yes, it's a 6 lug. Extended length refers to the overall length of the shock when it is removed from the vehicle and allowed to relax completely, piston fully extended, measuring from the tip of the piston rod (or center of the eye for the ones have bolt eyes at each end) to the center of the mounting eye. and while the shock itself does not entirely determine ride height (it does have a slight hand in that) If the full extended length of the shock i buy is 2 inches shorter than what i took out of it that means i have to compress the coil even farther to get it installed, thus lowering the ride height and stiffening the ride. In addition to not wanting it lower i also don't want it stiffer, which is one reason i'm not replacing the coils, that and there's nothing wrong with them and i'm not made of money and there's too much waste in this world already. All i want is a shock with the fully extended (relaxed) length of 24 1/2 inches.

 

If the dealer told you the part number has been superseded, then buy the part. You are way over thinking this. You should be able to look online at any Toyota parts dealer and see the superseding of the part numbers.

Get the part from the dealer and before you pay measure the part. If it’s not right don’t pay.

 

"If you somehow manage to find a shock that's 2" shorter, that's just simply the wrong part for your truck.

You're overthinking this. Get the superseded part. It's the same thing".........

every shock listed for a tacoma is 2 inches or more shorter than the ones mine came with and i'm not overthinking this because i ordered shocks and struts for it before i started taking it apart, it wasn't til i got the old ones out and pulled the new ones out of the box, took the strap off em to let em relax, to put them in that i saw the difference in length. So, as you can see, I've been told before they were the right ones for the truck and that was wrong so now i'm not just gonna take anyone's word for it. The problem is there are to many sub-models and model variations nowadays, used to be i could look up a set of shocks or wheel bearings or whatever for a particular vehicle and there were only a few choices and they were all the same, not anymore too many choices and none of em are ever right for what i have. I've been a mechanic for a living for over 30 years, i know what i'm doing, just don't know how to find what i'm looking for. And i can't "just order them from the dealer and measure them before i pay" because i'm not getting them from a dealer, because i'm not paying dealer prices, (quoted 140 a piece by dealer when i can get the same ones for under a hundred a piece elsewhere) and also because if the dealer can't be any more knowledgeable than that then they don't deserve my business.

 

Well since you know what you’re doing let’s close this post and good luck. Problem solved.

 

That's cold ! OP is just asking for help

 

And several of us have given good advice but unless he can get the exact measurements before purchase he’s not happy. I told him just buy 5100s and call it day, it and upgrade in shock from stock literally there’s several vendors to get them from. The dealer gave him the superseded # but I guess they don’t have the measurements and they’re too expensive so that wasn’t good enough for him either.

 

OP, the reason you probably got the wrong/shorter shocks is because when you looked for 2wd shocks you ended up with the 5 lug 2wd truck shocks which is totally different suspension than the 6 lug truck. The 6 lug is the 2wd 'Prerunner' and 4wd truck. Look for shocks for a 4wd Tacoma the same year as yours and you'll find correct parts that pertain to your vehicle. From there choose the flavor (cost/performance) that you desire.

I'll 3rd or 4th or whatever number other posters have said and recommend a set of Bilstein 5100's so you can run the front at stock height, or in 3 different height increments up to 2.5" lift in the front.