Part 1: The Mystery
So my wife's DD is a 1997 40th Anniversary FZJ-80. The OME medium 2.5" lift has been on the truck for around 120K miles.
About a week ago, I was backing it out of the driveway and heard a loud clunk from the rear. After inspection, I found the rear D/S OME shock was missing it's lower bushing. It was completely gone. Not a trace of it...no crumbled pieces, nothing. Both washers and the bolt were still securely fastened to the Toyota mounting point. Weird.
I sent an email to ARB Customer Support that night explaining the situation and inquiring as to a part number for the bushing. To this day, they've never bothered to reply.
Of course, a quick search of MUD gave me what I needed, but I couldn't find the part number listed for sale anywhere. A look at my calendar and I realized we didn't have a real need to drive the 80 for another week, so I placed my first-ever call to Slee Offroad.
I received the great customer service that I knew I would. I've followed Christo's shop, builds, wheeling trips and posts on MUD for years. Shortly after he finished the Shortbus, I PM'd him that I'd be the first in-line if he ever produced that front bumper. He sent a reply to let me know there were no plans to do that! Well, now he sells it and I still don't have one. Someday...
Anyway, I received two rear bushings and a gift from Slee Offroad in the mail yesterday. So I thought I'd post a how-to for a 1/2
job from a 1/3 wrench!
Part 2: How to Replace an OME Lower Shock Bushing
Tools needed:
17mm socket and driver
Extension for driver (I used the handle from a floor jack)
PB Blaster or other penetrating oil
5-pound hand-held sledge or as big a hammer as you have
I did the entire job without raising the Cruiser or removing the D/S rear wheel/tire. First, I used the 17mm socket and driver, with the jack-handle as a long extension, to break the bolt in the lower shock-mount free. To my surprise, I had to utilize this setup the entire time I was taking the bolt out. After I got it removed, I soaked it with PB Blaster and took a wire brush to the threads.
At first, I tried to press the bushing into place through the lower shock eye and over the stock Toyota mounting-point by hand. This was a no-go. I then removed the lower shock from the Toyota mounting point and tried to press/hammer the bushing into the shock (the top of the shock was still attached to the truck). This did not work.
Finally, I figured it out. I placed the bushing on the stock Toyota mounting-point, then compressed the shock enough to line it up with the bushing. Three smacks with the 5-pound sledge and the lower shock was on and ready to bolt in-place.
I squirted the inside of the bushing (inside of the stock Toyota mounting-point) with some PB Blaster and replaced the bolt and washer with the 17mm socket. Replacing the well-lubed bolt was much easier than removing it had been.
I inspected the other rear shock and the bushing there looks to be solid and in-place. Whatever happened to the D/S bushing will remain a mystery to me.
It was a little thing, an easy job...but I figured it might help some 1 wrench using the search function in the future.
And I can't say enough about Slee's service. It is truly top-notch...even on a $13 order.
So, I applied my free gift in a place of honor...
So my wife's DD is a 1997 40th Anniversary FZJ-80. The OME medium 2.5" lift has been on the truck for around 120K miles.
About a week ago, I was backing it out of the driveway and heard a loud clunk from the rear. After inspection, I found the rear D/S OME shock was missing it's lower bushing. It was completely gone. Not a trace of it...no crumbled pieces, nothing. Both washers and the bolt were still securely fastened to the Toyota mounting point. Weird.
I sent an email to ARB Customer Support that night explaining the situation and inquiring as to a part number for the bushing. To this day, they've never bothered to reply.
Of course, a quick search of MUD gave me what I needed, but I couldn't find the part number listed for sale anywhere. A look at my calendar and I realized we didn't have a real need to drive the 80 for another week, so I placed my first-ever call to Slee Offroad.
I received the great customer service that I knew I would. I've followed Christo's shop, builds, wheeling trips and posts on MUD for years. Shortly after he finished the Shortbus, I PM'd him that I'd be the first in-line if he ever produced that front bumper. He sent a reply to let me know there were no plans to do that! Well, now he sells it and I still don't have one. Someday...
Anyway, I received two rear bushings and a gift from Slee Offroad in the mail yesterday. So I thought I'd post a how-to for a 1/2
job from a 1/3 wrench!Part 2: How to Replace an OME Lower Shock Bushing
Tools needed:
17mm socket and driver
Extension for driver (I used the handle from a floor jack)
PB Blaster or other penetrating oil
5-pound hand-held sledge or as big a hammer as you have
I did the entire job without raising the Cruiser or removing the D/S rear wheel/tire. First, I used the 17mm socket and driver, with the jack-handle as a long extension, to break the bolt in the lower shock-mount free. To my surprise, I had to utilize this setup the entire time I was taking the bolt out. After I got it removed, I soaked it with PB Blaster and took a wire brush to the threads.
At first, I tried to press the bushing into place through the lower shock eye and over the stock Toyota mounting-point by hand. This was a no-go. I then removed the lower shock from the Toyota mounting point and tried to press/hammer the bushing into the shock (the top of the shock was still attached to the truck). This did not work.
Finally, I figured it out. I placed the bushing on the stock Toyota mounting-point, then compressed the shock enough to line it up with the bushing. Three smacks with the 5-pound sledge and the lower shock was on and ready to bolt in-place.
I squirted the inside of the bushing (inside of the stock Toyota mounting-point) with some PB Blaster and replaced the bolt and washer with the 17mm socket. Replacing the well-lubed bolt was much easier than removing it had been.
I inspected the other rear shock and the bushing there looks to be solid and in-place. Whatever happened to the D/S bushing will remain a mystery to me.
It was a little thing, an easy job...but I figured it might help some 1
wrench using the search function in the future.And I can't say enough about Slee's service. It is truly top-notch...even on a $13 order.
So, I applied my free gift in a place of honor...
I would much rather have rubber but they are not for my primary 80 and the cost was low so
But it is good to know Toyota rubber bushings will work
if I ever need them for my CampTeq 80 where we say NO to poly.
