Halp! Upper bushing on TRD pro coilovers loose after Westcott lift install

I had a shop install the Westcott collar lift on my 2022 TRD Pro a few weeks back and started hearing a squeak/grinding noise going over bumps. I took a look at the struts and something doesn’t look right.

For starters, I thought these coilovers had boots to hide/protect the stanchion rods but I can’t remember how it looked before. Did the installer forget to put them back on when they reassembled the struts?

And second (and more importantly) the bushing/washers on the passenger side are not being compressed by the top nut and are loose with 1/4” of play between the nut and the shock tower. What’s going on here?? Drivers side is fine.

p.s. I only had them install the collar part of the Westcott lift, I didn’t want the top spacers on there.

Is this dangerous to drive like this or otherwise harmful to the components?

Hoping this is something easy to fix myself, as the installer I used is an hour drive away…

 

Here's a '20 Pro with Wescott collar lift and no top hat spacer. Not sure what's going on with yours but something isn't right.

 

They didn't put the washers and bushings in the correct placement during reassembly. They probably missed the washer on the underside.

https://exitoffroad.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SC59-001-Strut-Mount-Assembly-Instructions.pdf

The stud of the shock is rubbing against the metal strut mount most likely. Not totally dangerous to drive like that but it needs to get fixed asap to avoid damage to the stud

Edit, your photo also shows the first washer (in the wrong position) is off centered, showing the stud can't be centered either, causing the noise.

 

Look at post ten in this thread. They didnt assemble it right, there should be one of those spacers UNDER the top hat as well.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/first-gen-strut-mount-advice-suggestions-kyb-sm5184s.679309/

I would suggest buying a new pair and seeing if they will install the new ones for free as your original ones were incorrectly installed.

I did this to my own truck (idiot) and drove it for 3 years without any issues except a harsh top out when the wheels would fully extended into down travel.
Recently I realized it was wrong and had a shop install replacements I got from Amazon 60$

 

Bottom washer under the rubber bushing goes on the shock shaft before the tophat.

Washer - bushing - tophat - bushing - washer - nut - tighten until the bushing circumference matches with the washer's.

 

Thanks for that link… so it looks like there is only one rubber “O” bushing that goes on top of the top hat, with the rubber gasket on the underside, but the one steel washer above and one steel washer below the top hat. I’m thinking that means all I have to do is move that bottom washer under the top hat?? I realize that means disassembling the coil from the strut.

 

Then you realize you need to keep that spring compressed before dissasembly?

 

You said a few weeks ago? That hardware looks like it hasn't been touched in a few years.

And they forgot to put your dust boot in. Is the other side missing too?

 

Haha I know, that’s what winter in the northeast does to your truck!

Yeah, they neglected to put the dust covers on both sides. The drivers side bushing seems fine though. It’s squashed down and tight like it’s supposed to be.

 

yeah, but my preferred method is to disassemble the coilover with it still attached to the truck by removing the top nut while the truck is on stands and then lower the jack slowly under the LCA to decompress the coil.

The only reason I had a shop install the lift (incorrectly) instead of DIYing is because I wasn’t 100% confident I’d be able to get the new lower collar seated on the strut body correctly with just a mallet. They used a press at the shop to get it on.

 

Just didn't want to see you lose a finger.

 

I appreciate that!

 

For future reference it's pretty easy to get the collar on and off with a dead blow hammer. Compressing the spring back onto the strut was the only difficult part.

 

So back to my question about driving it like this in the interim, is there a danger of the rod wearing out the hole in the shock tower since the rod/bushings are loose and have play?

 

I wouldn't drive on it unless its to the shop to be fixed. It going to wallow out the hole in the top hat, i would replace the tophat anyway. But you can also cause damage to the shaft of the shock. You are driving around basically on the spring alone and the shock isnt really doing anything. Not a safe situation, especially if you have to brake hard, or swerve to avoid an accident.