How to replace rear shocks? (1 Viewer)

[HomersCanyonero]

I've been searching, but I cannot find a YouTube video that shows you how to replace ONLY the rear shocks. It looks easy and I'm trying to figure out if I can do it myself in my driveway.

Unfortunately, I don't even have jack stands nor a jack! LOL. My stock OEM bottle jack doesn't reach which reminds me to go buy a taller jack that I can actually use.

I'm getting quoted between $85 and $120 to replace the rear shocks, but I feel like it should be less. Or I'm going to do it myself. Although, it's going to cost me $100 just to get a 3 ton jack and two jack stands.

 

[langsen]

No video required! It is as simple as it looks. Here are instruction for a 4runner, but it's pretty much the same.

 

[helocat]

Buy the tools they will keep paying you back.

Easy to do the rear shocks, but you should take the rear wheels off to have more room to work. So you need the jack and the stands. (use jack stands, even harbor freight jobs, just somthing to be safe. )

Few ways to do this but here is down and dirty:

1. Remove the wheels
2. Remove the nuts at the top of the shock. (Tip: if the shock shaft spins, just clamp on the shaft with vice grips, your tossing it anyway. IF NOT just grip near the top part that never goes past the seal)
3. Remove the bolts at the bottom of the shocks at the axel. Pull the shock off the stud on the axle, once clear it should drop down out of the mount at the upper frame.
4. Note how the top bushings and washers work on the shock model you bought. Washer/bushing/washer+ frame+ bushing/washer is common. Just look what they provided.
4. Gas charged shocks will fight ya, but I have found it easier to put the bottom on the axle stud first. Install the lower bolt on the stud.
5. Put your lower bushing/washer stack on the top of the shock. Then pull down manually on the shaft to collapse it enough to guide it into the hole in the frame for the top mount.
6. Install the top bushing/washer then the nut.

Done.

 

[helocat]

NOTE: If your changing the springs too, then we go about this a bit different by also disconnecting the rear sway bar, allowing the rear axle to drop down. If you do this, its easier to put the rear shocks on as they dont have to be manually collapsed as much

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Oh this is great. Thanks for all the input. I’m only doing the rear shocks right now. I’m going to go buy a 3-ton jack and matching stands at Home Depot. I saw the set for $89 plus tax about two weeks ago. [Edit: It cost $99 plus tax and the 3-ton jack stands are marginal for the GX470. Floor jack was good with 21" max height.]

I have a torque wrench I bought a couple years ago that’s still brand new. I’ll attempt the job this weekend.

Thanks for giving me the support to try this on my own. It looks easy until you try it and something goes wrong!

 

[chiz45]

You may want to add: lay the tire under the frame/next to your stand in case the jack or stands fail or are kicked etc. Guys on GXOR seem to prefer 6 ton stands, as they are more robust than the 3 ton. HF has them for $44/pr.

I had a scissor jack fail, trapping my fingers between the wheel well and tire years ago. Very scary.

Oh this is great. Thanks for all the input. I’m only doing the rear shocks right now. I’m going to go buy a 3-ton jack and matching stands at Home Depot. I saw the set for $89 plus tax about two weeks ago.

I have a torque wrench I bought a couple years ago that’s still brand new. I’ll attempt the job this weekend.

Thanks for giving me the support to try this on my own. It looks easy until you try it and something goes wrong!

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Ah, thanks. I already bought the 3-ton jack with stands and the truck is up on them. Wheel off, shock off, everything was going well until I cannot press the new bushing into my OME 60004 shocks.

What's the best way to press that sucker in? wd-40 and pliers or hammer? It's now sprinkling in so cal...arghhh. Any real time help would be good.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

It looks like big pliers, a soft mallet, and wd40 were my friends.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Driver's side rear-shock done, but taking a break due to slight rain.

Issues:

1. Dropped the new top nut on top of the gas tank area and I cannot see it or get it, so I re-used the old top nut.
2. Ended up with an extra new flat washer. I re-used the bottom washer and bolt, so I think that's why I have an extra.

But I hate when these things happen.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

I'm done, but I have two concerns. First, I don't know what the flat metal washers were for on my OME 60004 shocks. One flat washer per shock, but it's bugging me that I got an extra washer per shock. Anyone know where this flat silver washer was supposed to go?

Second, I'm a little concerned that I didn't tighten the top nut very well. It was super tight in there, so it was very difficult to tighten that nut. Also, I didn't add any type of lock-tight to the nut. So, any tips on how I can tighten that top nut any better?

 

[BlackCat]

I'm done, but I have two concerns. First, I don't know what the flat metal washers were for on my OME 60004 shocks. One flat washer per shock, but it's bugging me that I got an extra washer per shock. Anyone know where this flat silver washer was supposed to go?

Second, I'm a little concerned that I didn't tighten the top nut very well. It was super tight in there, so it was very difficult to tighten that nut. Also, I didn't add any type of lock-tight to the nut. So, any tips on how I can tighten that top nut any better?

View attachment 1651051
View attachment 1651050

It’s easiest to get a ratcheting 17mm wrench in there. They do look too lose, you need about 2x’s the bushing deflection to be tight.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Thanks for the info on how much to tighten.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Re: I'm done, but I have two concerns. First, I don't know what the flat metal washers were for on my OME 60004 shocks. One flat washer per shock, but it's bugging me that I got an extra washer per shock. Anyone know where this flat silver washer was supposed to go?

Anyone have any idea on the flat silver washer in my previous post? It's still bothering me that I have an extra washer.

Also, I got a set of ratchet wrenches to tighten my shocks. $19.20 plus tax at HF with a 20% coupon. So, I've spent $130 in tools to do this myself, but I got a 3-ton jack, 3-ton stands which seem a little small, and the ratchet wrenches. But most importantly, the satisfaction of doing this myself.

 

[little_joe]

I wouldn't sweat the 3- vs 6-ton stands. I've been using 3-ton since about 1998 and never an issue - not on an 80, Discovery, 94 XCab, my 40 or GX. Too late now, but flex-head ratcheting wrenches are the bomb, super useful. No idea what that extra washer is, in fact I cannot think of any use for it considering the larger washers capture the bushings....

 

[joabmc]

Re: I'm done, but I have two concerns. First, I don't know what the flat metal washers were for on my OME 60004 shocks. One flat washer per shock, but it's bugging me that I got an extra washer per shock. Anyone know where this flat silver washer was supposed to go?

Anyone have any idea on the flat silver washer in my previous post? It's still bothering me that I have an extra washer.

Also, I got a set of ratchet wrenches to tighten my shocks. $19.20 plus tax at HF with a 20% coupon. So, I've spent $130 in tools to do this myself, but I got a 3-ton jack, 3-ton stands which seem a little small, and the ratchet wrenches. But most importantly, the satisfaction of doing this myself.View attachment 1651246

The only use that I can see for the extra washers is the lower shock mount.

 

[BlackCat]

Is the extra washer possibly for the lower shock bolt? With the diameter of the hole
I don’t know what else it could be.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Re: Extra flat silver washer for rear OME 60004 shocks

You guys are making me feel better. At least it's not an obvious washer that I missed. I bought the entire spring conversion kit including the rear shocks from MT, so I guess I could call them. However, as long as it's not a washer for the upper portion of the shock, then I think I'm good. My instinct also tells me it was for the lower shock mount, but the existing washer for the lower bolt was in great shape and it looked like it was better made all around.

Re: flex-head ratcheting wrenches are the bomb

I was going to get the flex-head ones, but I couldn't find a set that included the 17mm one. They only went up to 15mm for the flex-heads at HF. Good to know that you really liked the flex-head ones.

Re: been using 3-ton since about 1998 and never an issue

The 3-ton stands just look small, but I'm with you regarding weight. My calculations say that 3-ton stands should be plenty. I'm only lifting one side at a time and I thought the GX470s were under 3-ton for the whole vehicle, so I should be good.

Since I only lifted one tire at a time, I used the second jack stand under the rock slider as a safety measure. The primary jack stand was under the frame. I then used the jack to hold the axle in place and then threw the tire under the spare.

Anyways, my floor jack lifts up 21" max and it's barely enough to lift the tire off the ground. Also, the jack stands are near their top setting when holding the GX470. It's being at the top height limits on the floor jack and stands that makes me a little nervous.

 

[Bluetribal]

You can always buy 5 or 6 ton stands for the front and keep the 3 ton ones for the back. This way you can rotate your tires.

 

[GXMac]

Second, I'm a little concerned that I didn't tighten the top nut very well. It was super tight in there, so it was very difficult to tighten that nut. Also, I didn't add any type of lock-tight to the nut. So, any tips on how I can tighten that top nut any better?

You don't need to add thread-locker on that fastener. 1) It's a nylon lock-nut that has a piece of nylon embedded in the nut to keep it from rotating and 2) it's holding 2 big rubber bushings that work to isolate vibration and will by themselves prevent backing-out. Removing those buggered up nuts in a year or two will probably suck so you may want to replace them now that you have the proper wrench.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Re: top nut for OME 60004 rear shock

@GXMac The new OME top nuts were 18mm and i dropped one into the top of the gas tank area. Cannot find it. Lost into that tight abyss.

My new ratchet combo wrenches only went up to 17mm which is the exact same size as the original Toyota oem nuts for the original rear shocks.

I decided to re-use both original 17mm Toyota oem nuts on the new OME 60004 shocks. The fit perfectly. These old Toyota oem nuts don’t have any nylon as far as I can tell.

I was able to squish the top bushing about 30% or so with the new 17mm ratchet combo wrench on both shocks.

I think I’m good for now, but I’ll keep an eye on those top nuts when off-roading.