Whats wrong with my shock?!?!?

^^^^^ THIS, this is what you need.

 

you can find a lot of parts at rockauto.com. Replacing your front shocks is the best bet. Like mentioned above, it looks like your missing your bottom washer to hold the shaft, or it could have broken off. You'll need to take apart your coilover. the way to hold the shaft to get the nut off is with a closed wrench, and some big vise grips to hold the top of the shaft where it's flat on the sides.

 

so i definately have to have a replacement top hat? should i order 2 new ones and do both the front top hats while i got it apart because ive already ordered brand new bilsteins and the $20 bushing set...

 

The new billies should come with everything you need except the top hat. Not sure what bushings you ordered unless they are the ones for the top hat, which you shouldn't need with new ones. But yes, get 2 new top hats as well.

From the pic, either the shock was assembled wrong or the rod pushed through the top hat. Might as well make it all new if you are busting it apart, the other one might go soon as well.

 

Given the low cost of the top hats, you should replace both. The Taco's control-arm suspension isn't as hard on top hats as Macpherson strut suspension designs (where the top hat takes cornering and steering loads), but should still be replaced if worn.

 

Just wondering what the outcome of this situation was? I'm having a similiar problem where I can't tighten the top bolt down. My truck is a 2013 and these 5100's are just being installed. My thread is here if anyone has any ideas....

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/261637-5100-cant-tighten-top-bolt-shaft.html#post6388396

 

Mine turned out being that too bushing that the top bolt sits on had almost completely deteriorated as the bolts could almost pull through. The solution was
new front shocks for me.

 

You should not be driving the vehicle with the shock loose like that. What has happened is---the boot has failed and the boot (when new) has a metal washer installed in the top of it that acts as a spacer. That washer has either failed or/damaged the shock strut which when new has a ring built into it which holds the boot in the proper position. You will NEVER be able to tighten the upper nut on the shaft. REPLACE==REPLACE!!!!!