AHC Shock Replacement (Keeping AHC) Rescue Needed (1 Viewer)

[LXRookie]

My wife and I decided we wanted a real adventure so we are replacing our AHC shocks (rusted to pieces) with new OEM shocks. A punctured hydraulic line and many, many negative thoughts later and we have completed the removal and the install with the exception of one crucial part: We cannot get the castle nut to thread onto the top of the shocks. It appears we need to find a way to compress the shocks while on the vehicle in order to get enough extension of the threads.


After much frustration we have decided to take a break and ask for help. Here are our current plans:

1) Install the shocks and wheels and see if the weight of the vehicle is able to compress them enough that we can get a good thread started on the nut.

2) Same as number one but placing a jack stand under each of the four hubs/control arms to get even more compression

3) Call Toyota and pay whatever princely sum they will ask to just get it done.

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[FxFormat]

You'll need to compress new bushings outside first and let it get squished for a bit, as new ones are too thick to be able to thread through. Dropping weight on the shock won't do anything because it'll just squish the piston down, your problem is up top, where the bushings are.

 

[LXRookie]

You'll need to compress new bushings outside first and let it get squished for a bit, as new ones are too thick to be able to thread through. Dropping weight on the shock won't do anything because it'll just squish the piston down, your problem is up top, where the bushings are.

Thank you so much for replying! That let's us know we aren't crazy!

Do you have any recommendations on how to do that? We tried:

1) Sandwiching them between 2 x 4's under the LX's tire (the force was not cleanly applied vertically)
2) Sandwiching them between 2 x 4's under a welding clamp (not enough force)

 

[FxFormat]

Thank you so much for replying! That let's us know we aren't crazy!

Do you have any recommendations on how to do that? We tried:

1) Sandwiching them between 2 x 4's under the LX's tire (the force was not cleanly applied vertically)
2) Sandwiching them between 2 x 4's under a welding clamp (not enough force)

If you still have your old shocks out, then use that to clamp it down, tighten the nut and washers over it and tighten it down, let it sit for a few hours, it'll retain that shape sorta, when you transfer it to the new shock, gotta be quick though because they'll eventually expand again until they are pressed down.

 

[ktmracer01]

I've never had to do tis with AHC shocks before, but you could unbolt the torsion bars so there is no tension on the control arms to make it easier to compress the bottom bushing and see if that is enough to get you some extra thread on top to get the castle nut on.

Otherwise, see if you can compress the new bushings in a clamp of some type, and place them in the freezer over night, then pulling them out right before you install them. It might be enough to keep them from expanding too quickly before they are installed. But, it wont be much. Worst case, clamp them in a vice over night between some steel plate.