Fox Shock Problems - Help Wanted

Today I installed 2.0 Fox rear shocks on my 2014 Tacoma which was a complete PITA. The rubber bushings on the bottom of the shock did not fit it the lower shock mount which ultimately caused me to have to put the lower shock bolts in backwards.

All that aside, I made a grave mistake when buying the shocks. I accidentally bought the rear shocks that only allow 0"-1" of lift in the rear of the truck. However, I already have my Ironman leaf spring pack which will give me roughly 2" of lift. I want to get some opinions on how much this mistake will really matter and whether or not I should order new shocks and sell the old ones. I appreciate any help

 

If you're sure about the 0"-1" extra length on the shocks and 2" lift on the leaf pack...sell the shocks and get the extended length ones.

From my research before buying the extended length Fox (front and rear), over extending the shock is NOT what you wanna do. In the best case you "top out" over big bumps, and in the worst case you snap a shock shaft.

 

Ok well it looks like I'll need to pony up and buy some more shocks. I feel like an idiot

 

Eh, it happens. Better to pony up now than to risk damaging other parts and having to spend more $$$ later fixing secondary issues.

If it makes you feel better, I bought a whole suspension kit (OME) before making the better choice and getting my Fox setup.

 

Oh and the rear shocks I have had the same problem. I had to grind down the lower mount bushings to make them narrower so they'd fit in the mounts.

 

Well excuse my French but why the hell can Fox not make shocks that fit for the amount of money that I'm paying. That is very frustrating

 

You have to press the bushing out with a clamp. It comes with another bushing that fits. Like anything else you have to research thoroughly before you do anything.

 

I don't know about the standard length 2.0s, but my "extended length" 2.5s are actually Tundra shocks and didn't come with any additional bushings. My guess is the Tundra lower mount is wider than the Tacoma which is why the lower bushing was wider than my mount.

Do you have a link or part number to the narrower bushing? I didn't damage my shocks when I ground down the bushings, so if I could swap them out for some real Tacoma ones, I'd like to go that route.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-install-diy-and-review-2015-dcsb-4x4.351628/

Seems like this guy had a little trouble too

 

Again, I don't know the differences in mounts for the 2.0 vs 2.5 but the metal part of the lower mount on the shocks was almost the full width of the lower shock mount on the axle. I mean...millimeters of wiggle room. No amount of lube was going to make it work...the bushings would have to have been compressed somehow.

 

Fox direct-replacement, smooth body shocks are designed to fit your vehicle’s shock mounts with no modifications. reservoir shocks will require modifying the reservoir placement for proper installation.

This is also on Fox's website

 

I agree @jtweezy there was nothing that could have made mine fit either

 

And my shocks also did not come with another bushing that fits

 

I had to modify the roost guards to fit but the bushings on mine were the right size. I think the hardest part of my install was keeping the shock shaft extended while I installed (by myself).

 

Yeah I had to use man sized zipties to hold the shock shaft @klikboom

Any other opinions on how imperative it is that I get the Fox shocks for 2"-3" of lift rather than the ones I have now?

 

Judging by the part numbers, I think the extended travel rear Tacoma shocks are actually normal Tundra shocks...I assumed this is why the lower mount didn't fit my truck.

 

I got my 2.0 read and found fox didn't send the bushing that was needed. A call to the people that sold them to me and I got new ones the next day.

 

I had the same issue with the bush in being fatter than the space it needs to go in to. I just used some lube to slide it in. You can fit a Cadillac in a dog house with some astroglide

 

The metal sleeve on mine (inside the bushings) was also too wide. No compressing those. I wish I still had the picture of them...