Body Mount Bushing Install - now with pictures! And a video too!!!

I typed this up to help another member and we thought I should just post it. It's a pain in the ass job, but well worth the trouble. I used the Energy Suspension universal bushing kit and cab mount kit. I was motivated to do this because my cab was hitting my sliders. Before and after pics are at the bottom of this post.

It's important to note that the top hat spacer I have on my 5100s to correct "Taco Lean" has me now in a reverse Taco Lean - driver side high. 12TRDTacoma has mentioned this before, but the lean is not a suspension problem. The extra weight smashes the body mount bushings more on the driver side, creating the lean. The top hat spacer fixes a symptom, not the problem.

Edit: My Taco lean did eventually return. I went back to the top plate spacer solution. Still very happy I did the body mount bushing mod though.

Energy part numbers:
9.4101G (universal bushings I used for the radiator supports)http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CN9BZ0
8.4109G (Cab mount bushings)http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G1X9ZA6

Pictured below is the full cab mount bushing kit



In the pic below, we see the universal bushings (on the left) compared to the radiator bushings provided in the cab mount kit (on the right).



Hardware: (courtesy of @AR15xAR10 )

Nuts: 90177-A0012 (4x)
RearCab Bolts: 52217-04050 (2x)
Front Cab Bolts: 52217-04040 (2x)
Body mount bolts: 90080-11377 (8x)

This thread was my inspiration

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/polyurethane-radiator-support-mounts-cab-also.361346/

Mad props to @12TRDTacoma for starting that thread.

I didn't take pics because I was on a mission to get the job done. If someone can add pics to the thread, that would be helpful. Thanks for the pics @yotastaco !

I used the universal bushing kit for my radiator support mounts, putting the larger part on top. For the cab mounts, I again used the larger part on top. Neither of these are necessarily recommended by Energy Suspension, but I am very happy with the outcome.

I was so focused that I forgot to lube the bushings with Super Lube. I remembered on the radiator support bushings, and they are silent. My cab bushings are making noises - sliding, popping...(Edit: The noises are due to the bolts being over-torqued. Torque them to spec (34 ft/lb) and they should be silent)


You'll need:

Super Lube http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBH9HI
10mm socket for misc bolts
19mm socket for the bolt heads (I made it work with 13/16)
17mm deep socket for the nuts - and a breaker bar or impact driver
14mm shallow socket for the bushing bracket bolts.
14mm box/ open end combo wrench and a larger size to extend for leverage
floor jack and approx 16" piece of wood (4x4 is perfect, I used firewood)
Wood shims - 2x4 will work, I used small split firewood
BFH - Big Fucking Hammer, I have a 3 pound that seems to work well

For my access cab I had to remove the plastic storage bin under the seats, popping all of the plastic rivets and removing the whole bin, just to access the plates covering the rear bolt heads. The plates are under the carpet in the corners. You'll need the 10mm socket to remove the 2 bolts to get the covers off. There's a plastic or rubber grommet you pull out and you'll see the bolt head. Put on the 13/16 socket and wedge the ratchet so it will hit the wall of the cab when you loosen the nut. Crawl under the truck with your 17mm deep socket on a breaker bar and remove the nut. The bolt has a couple of tabs to make tightening it easier. Make sure the wings on the bolt head are clear of the tabs before applying your BFH later.

double cab rear - access cab is a little different



The front bolt is under the carpet. Starting next to the front seats, pull up the plastic covers along the edge of the door. Just pull starting at the back edge and working forward, it'll come up. Up in the foot well of the front seats there's a rubber piece in the corner that screws out (on the driver side it's under the "dead pedal" - just grab that and pull it). Once the rubber piece is off you can pull the triangular plastic cover off. Pull along the door edge, pulling toward the rear of the truck. Next, just pull back the carpet starting at the corner. You'll expose another grommet and remove it. Remove the nut from the bolt as you did for the rear.

Front







Remove the nut from all 4 bolts. Whichever side you're going to work on first, you'll want to remove the bolts. My fronts pulled out easy, the rears were seized. I sprayed the rears with penetrating oil from the top and bottom. Spray the 2 small bolts on each bushing bracket while you're down there.

The pinch weld on the body makes a 90 degree turn just behind the rear mount. Use this as your lifting point with the floor jack and piece of wood. Lift a little to relieve any pressure on the rear bolt and whack that bastard with the hammer a few times, it should slide up and you can remove it. work on one side at a time so that the bolts on the other side keep the cab where it belongs.

Lifting point



Now things get sketchy.

First, disconnect the ABS sensor under the hood from both sides. Yotastaco had the wires break at the connector while doing the front cab mounts (not radiator) - I feel lucky that the same didn't happen to me (dodged a bullet).





Lift the cab high enough to get a piece of wood between the frame and body toward the rear, but out of your way for working on the mount. I ended up lifting high enough to put 2 of my pieces in before I could get the rear mount out. My sliders really helped with holding the cab up using pieces of wood. Once you feel safe to put your hands between the frame and body, break the bushing bracket bolts loose. The nut is welded to the body mount. I used a 14mm wrench with a 17mm wrench hooked in to the open end for leverage to break them loose. Once you break them free you can use a ratchet and 14mm socket to remove the bolts. The bushing should now lift right out. Raise the body a little more if needed.







Now do the same with the front. Leave your blocks in place (stack more if you can) while doing the front. You'll need to lift the rear pretty far to get the front bushing out.



Put the bushing plate/ bracket on and tighten the bolts down (I used anti seize liberally on all bolts). Set the top bushing on and put the washer on it. The bolt should just drop in, lower the cab slightly if needed. Go to the back and do the same. Keep the body slightly elevated to keep the bolts moving freely. On the front, I wedged the socket on the bolt head for tightening so I could start the nut once all parts of the bushing were in place. I found you can hold the end of the bolt and slide the lower bushing pieces in place.



The same works for starting the nut. The wings/ tabs on the rear bolt make this much easier. Once all parts are in place, you can lower the cab fully. Go to the other side and repeat the whole process. Once all 4 bolts are done you can tighten all of them. Tighten to 34 ft/lb. Check them after some driving.



Here are the torque specs. Thanks @caribe makaira for finding the image!


For those interested in replacing any of the stock nuts and bolts...



If you're doing the radiator support mounts at the same time, I found that removing both the grill and the cosmetic bumper make the job much easier. It'll be obvious what you need to do once you can see those mounts.







Before - you can see the line in the dirt where my pinch weld contacted the sliders.



After



Here's a video shared by @Benny123 . Thanks!!

https://youtu.be/ch8f-uEy2Ok

 

Sub for when I conjure un the balls to do this to my 2015 access cab. Do you know if those cab mounts will work with the 2015 tacos? I've already gotten radiator support bushings.

 

Yep, same as all 2nd gens

 

Awesome!! It just seems like a lot of work! hahaha

 

OP Use these if you'd like to make your post better. I'll add more tomorrow.

 

Awesome! Thanks!!

 

You're welcome. Also add a warning to disconnect the ABS sensor from both sides before raising the body.

 

Interesting... that never occurred to me. Thankfully I didn't have any problems.

 

I speak from experience.

 

Did you disconnect the ABS sensors at the wheels, or an in line plug somewhere?

 

Inside the engine bay, it's really easy to access

 

Now I have to ask... What was the problem that you ran into?

 

Snapped the ABS wire at the connector, easy soldering job, but avoidable.

 

I'm assuming this happened when you were doing the radiator supports?

 

Nope, actually the front body mount. Radiator supports were done a few days ago.

 

ABS Sensor

Unplug ABS Sensor and disconnect bracket

 

Sub....

 

Nice write-up, and pics. Lube isn't required for these bushings according to ES...

Since putting them in your truck, you hear noise from them ?

 

Every time the frame flexes I hear noises. I need to tighten the rears a bit more, but the fronts are tighter and make more noise - especially p side. The fronts have been noisier from the very beginning. I'm not even wheeling and they're noisy enough that I'm thinking about getting back in there with some lube. I'm hoping that they will quiet down. I'm willing to wait a bit and see if they "settle in".

 

I'm definitely interested in your experience with these. I've asked others and only one said that theirs made the same noises.