Can't seem to remove rear shocks! (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Threads
12
Messages
109
Location
NC
So, I have made some good progress on my 2000 Land Cruiser. I'm to the stage now where I'm installing the OME lift but, the rear shocks are being a pain.

The top nut that holds the shock to the frame is just now wanting to come off. I have soaked it with Liquid Wrench and it still won't budge. The worst part is, you can't see it when you are turning it. It's the shock on he passenger rear by the exhaust.

If someone has a tip for removing it I would appreciate it. And yes, if I could cut it off I would.


Thanks
 
I thought I read you hold the nut and turn the entire shock with a pipe wrench. I could be wrong.
 
Good idea, I'll try it. Thanks!
 
Sent you a PM on your Raleigh location.
 
I thought I read you hold the nut and turn the entire shock with a pipe wrench. I could be wrong.

Good idea, I'll try it. Thanks!

yup, if you had read up before hand(not saying you didnt but you must of missed it) that right rear shock is the bitch of the whole install, gives lots of people problems but its easily(sorta) fixed by doing what UZJ said.
 
I feel your pain. I actually was too tired and pissed off at that point that I left the stock shocks on. I'll get to it.....someday.
 
Yeah that right rear is a pain. When I did mine I took off the rear section of the exhaust to get to it better. It then came off OK, but was still more time and effort than I would have liked. Afterwards a buddy who owns an 80 said he just took the bracket the shock mounts to off and removed the shock from that off of the truck. I crawled under mine and it looks like that is possible too.

Good luck.
 
put a box wrench on the nut get a big pipe wrench and turn the top part of the shock housing the box wrench will wedge up against the frame when you turn the top part of the housing the stud will back out of the nut...you dont have to take the muffller off unless you have rust issues...
 
buy a ratcheting wrench. You'll need it for instalation, anyway. Unless you want to turn the top nut a fraction of a turn for about an hour.
 
i just changed mine out....FING SUX.

i took out the spare tire, drenched it in PB, then lit it on fire......NOT on purpose..

When i finally broke the nut i took a pipe wrench and crushed the upper part of the shock. I would say it took a good hour and half to change it out.....

taking the spare out let me get a breaker bar in there.....you have to be creative to say the least....

i will never do another one again....the next 100 i buy will have a lift in it already...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
got them off with the pipe wrench and a closed end wrench. I you look there is a small opening where the wheel well and the frame meet. If your wrench is long enough you can reach it from this point. Pretty easy.
 
fer....

i will only help you with your front shocks.....:D

ya f'er! I'm just gonna need help with the starter, I'm quite tempted to have slee rip out the AHC while im here so I dont have to deal with that back shock myself ;)
 
The guys that did mine spent about 3 hours on the rear. They thought it was just gonna be a quick job and quoted me about 150.00 to mount and balance my tires and also replace all the shocks with my Billies. LABOR that is. When all was said and done, I tipped then each a 10.00. I saw them struggle like hell though. It was sad, because I thought that I would just do it one afternoon in my garage. F that! Thank GOD there was a local Argentine Shop.
 
I just replaced my rear shocks ('04 LX). My shocks used to make strange sounds when rising or lowering height. I replaced the fronts first (much easier than I thought), and the sound went away (in the front)... so while I'm waiting for a new AHC pump sub assembly, I decided to swap the rear PITA shocks as well. All w/ oem AHC shocks.

-I removed spare tire
-loosened/removed all wire harness clips blocking access to the top of the shocks
-pulled the brake line metal clips (flat u-shaped ones) and let them dangle
-did NOT have to remove muffler
-keep a jack under the diff
-loosened the height sensor bracket 12mm x2
-removed diff vent tube bracket 12mm x1
-and removed the U-shaped wire bracket that positions the spare tire or something (kept hittin my forehead on it.. ouch) 12mm x2
-I also unbolted the sway arm link so I could move the rear axle around easier (14mm)
-Remove the 12mm nuts holding the AHC pressure line (2 per shock)... relatively easy
-Remove lower shock bolt (19mm?) Easy.
-Used 7/8" (22mm) OFFSET box wrench to remove top shock bolt. the shock wont spin because of a tab on the lower bushing plate... so just keep wrenching little by little on this nut. This was easy but took time.
-The rubber bushings were stuck... like glue on the bushing plates. Had to rip them off w/ big pliers and install the new rubber (that came w/ the shocks.
-Re-installing went by much faster. I also dipped the new rear shocks into a fresh can of AHC fluid and pumped the air out/sucked the fluid in.

Overall, not as hard as I suspected, but definitely takes some time.
You can do this at home for sure. Looks harder than it is.

Can't wait to get the suspension perfect again.
 
-Used 7/8" (22mm) OFFSET box wrench to remove top shock bolt. the shock wont spin because of a tab on the lower bushing plate... so just keep wrenching little by little on this nut. This was easy but took time.

This is the most important part! I read through a bunch of install thread and person after person said 19 mm ratchet wrench. So thats what I bought... Wrong had to go get a 22mm, didn't have the 7/8 ratcheters, shock body shattered from rust, had to use the inner rod, took 2 hrs, should have just cut the damn thing off. Like Iron pig did to my other side after I said F it!:flipoff2:
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom