How to: Front shock/spring removal

i ended up taking my UCA's out to get my old shocks out/ coil overs in

good practice for replacing my uca's soon I guess

 

(hopefully the emoticons will cheer me up)

So I started changing my struts today and things were going smoothly...got the sway bar end links unbolted, replaced bad end link, and loosened all the strut mounting bolts.

Then, the first road block: one of the welded nuts inside the frame for the sway bar mount broke. I could see if from a small hole in the frame, but was going to have to get creative to get it out of there. (possibly drilling a larger hole to get it out, then replace it with nut and lock washer...I can't weld and didn't have a sawzal to cut the bolt...any other ideas?)

So I decided to continue on the passenger side where the sway bar moved enough to get the strut out. I finally broke loose the castle nut on the tie rod end and used my puller tool to pry the end from the steering knuckle. And then......the damn castle nut wouldn't come off the bolt!!!! No matter what I did I could not get the nut off, it just kept spinning the ball joint. There is no allen key to hold it still and I didn't want to damage the threads using a vice grip. After trying other things, It looks like I was spinning on the threads and now the bolt is jacked up...and I think I compromised the grease boot when I was looking at ways to get it off. Did I miss something? Haynes manual said to simply loosen the castle nut, pry the joint off the mount, then continue to remove the nut. I shouldn't have to damage the tie rod end just to get it off.

So now it's sitting at Midas where they'll fix the stabalizer bar mounting nut, remove/replace the tie rod end, and change the struts. The rear shocks were super easy, but now I'm a little discouraged after the fronts.

 

Don't tell me this.....I'm about to get started on this myself in 2 hours when I get off work. I've been debating tackling this myself for the last week, and finally got the nerve to try it.

Sorry about your troubles - i'm sure i'll have a story to tell also.

 

Good Luck!! Some people did it by removing the control arm, maybe that's an approach for you. If it weren't for the tie rod end, I would have been ok. Mine's a 2006, so maybe your 2010 isn't as rusted. I think that sway bar bracket is the only thing I didn't PB Blast the day before, so maybe that's why the welded nut broke.

I'm off to pick it up from Midas soon. Even after all this, I still saved money and installed better components! Not a total loss.

 

Dude, it sounds like you are facing some of the same issues I had...I also had the nut on the inside of the frame break free, and I had to have a mobile welder come weld it for me through the small hole you speak of...cost $140. For the castle nut spinning you may have to put pressure on the junction by way of a c-clamp maybe?! I had to use one to put the unit back together, and it was a pain, but worked. I did the rear AAL's first, and it was easy in comparison...just took time because I was cautious as I've never done it. I got it all buttoned up, and now I have one of the adjusters for the alignment siezed up, so the fun never ends over here. At any rate when all is done I'm sure it'll be way better than stock. Already rides awesome minus the align being off.

 

Update: Midas was able to work there magic and removed the nut through the small hole in the frame without any cutting/drilling. They replaced the nut with a locking type one (with flanges that catch the metal), so I'll just have to be careful to reposition with magnets it in the future should I ever need to remove the sway bar again.

As for the tie rod ends: I asked what they did to get them off and they said they were really stuck on there and needed a lot of heat and banging. Well, I didn't have my torch with me at my friends and I was too frusturated at that point anyway, so better luck next time.

I'm going to pull the wheels off tomorrow and take a look at the work they did and verify torques. This particular Midas has impressed once again, now I just have to see the work for myself.

 

Well the install went better than i thougt b/c my uncle ended up helping me with it - actually I was the one helping since he grew impatient and took over the job! Your right if mine wasn't brand new, then it would have been a real pain getting some of the bolts off.

All worth it in the end though, very happy with the new setup.

 

where did all the pictures go???

 

I think some other pictures were posted somewhere on page 8

 

Ok, so Midas did a good job of fixing my mistakes (see a few posts above), so I pulled the wheels off to torque everything and check their work. In the mean time, I took some pics for reference since my procedure was to remove the stabalizer bar and tie rod ends instead or the control arm.

Although there are mixed reviews of Rancho's, I took a shot on RS5000's. I can't afford Billstein's and I don't offroad enough to need a lift. Besides, I didn't want to compromise my mpg and ride quality as well as wear out my ball joints and U joints faster. However, I did want a slight upgrade and there is a rebate on Tenneco products.



I started with the rear shocks, but that is not the point of this thread, so I'll just put up some pics. Since the rears are shocks (not struts), you can remove them without jacking up the truck or even removing the tire. I learned the hard way that there is a flat space on the shock bolt to put a vice grip. This keeps the shock from spinning while you loosen the nut. Once it's too high for the nut to keep coming off, I put the vice grip underneath the frame mount and held the shaft from the bottom side.

This pic is meant to show the order that the mounting hardware goes on. From bottom to top: washer/cup, rubber bushing, frame mount, rubber bushing, washer/cup, nut. Note that this shock has a welded on nut for a wrench to hold it stable while the top nut is tightened. Then use vice grips on the top just like when your removing it.


Torque the bolts and the rears are done, took my about 1.5 hours:




Now to the fronts



As previously mentioned, I took the sway bar and tie rod end removal route. Here's the sway bar end link.



First, unbolt the sway bar end link from the spindle. Once you break the bolt loose, you'll have to keep the ball joint from spinning. There is a slot in the end of the bolt for an allen wrench to hold the bolt while the nut is loosened.


Here it is removed:


Then remove the sway bar from the frame via the 2 brackets on the front frame area under the skid plate.

Next, on to the tie rod end. Remove the cotter pin from the castle nut. Break loose the castle nut but keep it on the bolt. Use a puller, lifter or hamemr fork to break the rod end from the steering knuckle. Once loose, remove the castle nut. (Note: this is where I had trouble...I couldn't get the nut to come off and there's no way to keep the ball joint bolt from spinning. In my attempt to remove it, I screwed up the threads and ruptured the boot, so off to Midas I went to remove/replace it...continue at your own risk )


Next, remove the strut/coil assembly as describe in other parts of this thread. Do not remove the strut bolt and mount unless you have a spring compressor or else you could lose a limb, or worse! Most shops will swap out your struts for you for about $20-$50, which is much cheaper and safer than risking it yourself.

Here it is all put back together.


I think the Rancho's get a bad name, but I trust my custom car parts dealer and he swears by them. If nothing else, I'll be the guinne pig and let you know how they are. So far, after about a week's worth of driving, they are great. I'll be going on a road trip next week, so that'll be a good highway test. The next step is the test of time....

 

When installing front shocks on a 2010 6 lug , do you remove the tie rod end ,,non TRD
I am installing 5100s and with TSB read springs done .. thanks

 

Even more pics:

I documented my install with pics here: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/su...me-kit-rear-brake-lines-pics.html#post2224677

 

Before I started, no one on TW knew if I had to or not, but the haynes manual did, so that's why I went that route. Removing the control arm seemed much more intrusive. Unfortunetely things went shouth before I had a chance to get the struts out without removing the tie rod end, so I can't say for sure.

 

Those are great pics...wish I saw those before I got started. Eitherway, my tie rod end castle nut was no where near the good shape yours is in...I probably still would have had trouble removing it. And I didn't plan for a buddy's helping had to lower the control arm. Great info for the next guy...

 

helpd alot! THANKS!

 

The only question I have about this is the ball joint and the sway bar pivot Gizmo that attach to the spindle.

If I am loosing or tightening those 2 nuts, Will either joint slip and spin freely and if so, how would I would I prevent them from spinning, while removing or tightening those 2 nuts? The sway bar I could just vise grip it I suppose but don't have that option with the UCA joint.

If I could find a pic of how the ball joint is attached to the UCA and how the pivot ball is attached to the sway bar hanger rod, I could answer my own question. Either way I'm doing it myself. I refuse top let 4 wheel parts scracth the crap out of everything and charge me 150 for it LOL.

 

Never mind found the answer for the sway link at least.

I got it now!!.

Both bolts have a notch at the bottom for an allen key to keep them from spinning.

Only thing I'm going to try different is in regards to breaking the ball mount bolt loose from the spindle hole, once that nut is removed.

To me it makes more sense to smack the very outside edge of the upper arm than smacking the bolt. My reasoning is that I'm assuming the top side of the assembly is attached to the upper arm with pressed in splines, since I can't find any pics of it. So instead of taking that chance that the splines would break loose before the bolt clears the spindle hole, I'm going to smack on the ouside edge of the upper arm. Same effect, without the risk of poping the assembly out of the upper arm.

Let the cursing and tool throwing begin!

 

Is there a picture floating around of the joint removed from the upper arm?