Shocking! Update... (1 Viewer)

[Malleus]

Replacing several rubber suspension parts on my Jan-95 80 this week. Original, OEM, shocks, body mount bushings and all four rod ends. I want to do this in stages to try to quantify which are the best bang for the buck, in terms of single items to replace to improve ride quality.

Rear shocks are in.

No photos, because I didn't think to measure first, but I just replaced the rear shocks on my DD '95 80, and got a 1.5-in lift! The old shocks were still good, according to the FSM test, but they absolutely didn't hold the rear (unloaded) weight as well as the new shocks. No appreciable difference in unloaded driveability, that I could tell.

FWIW, I'm replacing all four shocks (I'll measure the front before and after this time!) and Toyota has new part numbers for the shocks. If you look them up on PartSouq or any of the Toyota e-commerce sites, like McGeorge, they show up as discontinued.

New front shock: 48511-69435
Retainers: (these are the same for upper and lower mounting)
90948-02144 (4 each req'd for each shock)
90948-02141 (2 each req'd for each shock)
Old front shock: 48511-69386
Note: new shocks come with new bushings and upper mounting nuts, but not retainers

The front shocks (Tokico) are the same shock, but the bushings are different than the old ones. I'd recommend getting new "retainers" (the washers between the bushings), unless you want a 20 minute job to become a 4 hour job while you clean, derust and paint the old ones.

New rear shock: 48531-69417
Retainers:
Upper - 90948-02144 (2 each req'd for each shock) & 90948-02141 (1 each req'd for each shock) [these are the same as the fronts]
Lower - 90948-03011 the forward retainer/washer is on the mounting bolt, 90119-12088
Old rear shock: 48531-69485

The '93-'95 rear shocks (Tokico) are NLA, according to PartSouq and Toyota e-commerce (ToyotaPartsDeal claims to have them at $23 each - wish I had checked there first).

They have been superseded by the (Tokico) rear shocks for the '96-'97 models. Dimensionally they appear to be the same, but the new shocks have a small sheetmetal doubler welded onto the lower tube (extra slam protection, maybe?). I installed that facing forward.

Side note: if I hadn't had an air impact wrench, one of the rear lower bolts would not have come off. I was expecting the support pin to break as the wrench hammered on it, but it finally came loose. I'm not a fan of that mounting design. I feel for anyone who's broken one. I definitely recommend removing the lower bolt first, if you're replacing the rear shocks.

Also, curious observation: the driver's side lower cleared the lower control arm easily, but the passenger side wouldn't clear without serious axle wiggling. Odd. I had to install the rearmost retainer plate, then the bushing and then the shock and front bushing to get it on.

UPDATE
The front shocks are in and I gained 3/4-in there. Totally different stance on the OEM springs, wheels and Michelin Defenders (I miss the LTXs). Ride is marginally improved, but it does handle the potholes (and curbs) much better than before.

Now if I could just get the torque specs for the body mount bushings...or failing that, what is being used that works.
@SNLC
@Trollhole

 

[BILT4ME]

Replacing several rubber suspension parts on my Jan-95 80 this week. Original, OEM, shocks, body mount bushings and all four rod ends. I want to do this in stages to try to quantify which are the best bang for the buck, in terms of single items to replace to improve ride quality.

Rear shocks are in.

No photos, because I didn't think to measure first, but I just replaced the rear shocks on my DD '95 80, and got a 1.5-in lift! The old shocks were still good, according to the FSM test, but they absolutely didn't hold the rear (unloaded) weight as well as the new shocks. No appreciable difference in unloaded driveability, that I could tell.

FWIW, I'm replacing all four shocks (I'll measure the front before and after this time!) and Toyota has new part numbers for the shocks. If you look them up on PartSouq or any of the Toyota e-commerce sites, like McGeorge, they show up as discontinued.

New front shock: 48511-69435
Retainers: (these are the same for upper and lower mounting)
90948-02144 (4 each req'd for each shock)
90948-02141 (2 each req'd for each shock)
Old front shock: 48511-69386
Note: new shocks come with new bushings and upper mounting nuts, but not retainers

The front shocks (Tokico) are the same shock, but the bushings are different than the old ones. I'd recommend getting new "retainers" (the washers between the bushings), unless you want a 20 minute job to become a 4 hour job while you clean, derust and paint the old ones.

New rear shock: 48531-69417
Retainers:
Upper - 90948-02144 (2 each req'd for each shock) & 90948-02141 (1 each req'd for each shock) [these are the same as the fronts]
Lower - 90948-03011 the forward retainer/washer is on the mounting bolt, 90119-12088
Old rear shock: 48531-69485

The '93-'95 rear shocks (Tokico) are NLA, according to PartSouq and Toyota e-commerce (ToyotaPartsDeal claims to have them at $23 each - wish I had checked there first).
View attachment 3440573
They have been superseded by the (Tokico) rear shocks for the '96-'97 models. Dimensionally they appear to be the same, but the new shocks have a small sheetmetal doubler welded onto the lower tube (extra slam protection, maybe?). I installed that facing forward.

Side note: if I hadn't had an air impact wrench, one of the rear lower bolts would not have come off. I was expecting the support pin to break as the wrench hammered on it, but it finally came loose. I'm not a fan of that mounting design. I feel for anyone who's broken one. I definitely recommend removing the lower bolt first, if you're replacing the rear shocks.

Also, curious observation: the driver's side lower cleared the lower control arm easily, but the passenger side wouldn't clear without serious axle wiggling. Odd. I had to install the rearmost retainer plate, then the bushing and then the shock and front bushing to get it on.

Since shocks are not supposed to provide "lift" had you driven it around the block and let the suspension settle before your measurement?

 

[Malleus]

Yep, that was the first thing I did. After 28 years, they were just that weak.

 

[Dusten]

Shocks don't hold weight, at all.
They dampen the up and down movement.

Ride height should not change. You can remove shocks and ride height will be the same. Something else happened. You've got suspension bind or something else going on.

 

[Malleus]

For all of you playing along at home, after two days of driving, on both sets of shocks, the suspension has leveled out and is now only marginally higher than before; it was fun while it lasted. Ride has marginally improved, although the shocks are significantly stiffer than those I replaced.

New body mount bushings are in, less the front and rear. The fronts weren't available as a pair when I bought them and I couldn't find substitute Toyota parts for the NLA rears until after I placed the order. I've since found them (the 1998-2006 HDJ models' rear pair are still available [52242-60010 LH & 52241-60020 RH], and I believe they are drop-in replacements). At $100 each, the fronts may take a while to replace; $30-$40, even $50, I get, but $100? IMHO, this is the best investment for ride quality improvement.

 

[NorCalFJ100]

I've since found them (the 1998-2006 HDJ models' rear pair are still available [52242-60010 LH & 52241-60020 RH], and I believe they are drop-in replacements).

Let us know if these are for sure drop in replacements. These bushings were on the back of my checklist and didn't realize the originals crossed over to the NLA side...great find on the alternative! Thanks!!

 

[COYS]

Search is pretty neato especially when part numbers are unique.

Cab/Body Bushings/Mounts

Hi fellas, Apologies for hijacking the coil sprung, fuel injected, disc brake world but I'm in need of some help for my 1970 FJ45. Front body bushings are NLA or as dear as poison. So I'm thinking further afield and 80 series ones are readily available. Only problem is, after what seems like...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[baldilocks]

The rear most body mounts for the HDJ models are indeed the same as the ones you will remove from the FZJ. A Mud search will turn up this info.

 

[Malleus]

The rear most body mounts for the HDJ models are indeed the same as the ones you will remove from the FZJ. A Mud search will turn up this info.

Care to share your procedure for removing the #5 bushings? The holes in the frame don't line up with the screws.

 

[baldilocks]

Care to share your procedure for removing the #5 bushings? The holes in the frame don't line up with the screws.

Here is my disclaimer: I do everything haphazardly…

#5 being the tiny cushion directly above the rear axle? I did this a while ago but I don’t remember having trouble with any of the 12 total cushions going in.

Can you post pics? Or a more detailed explanation?

 

[rhc404]

Regarding the posts about shocks not changing ride height, gas charged shocks can change the ride height.

 

[Malleus]

In my case, it was just the extension of the suspension which hadn't had the load off of it in 28 years. It's settled down, not where it was, but marginally higher.

Apparently, humor has a hard time poking its head through the chat channel curtain. At least mine does.

 

[Malleus]

Here is my disclaimer: I do everything haphazardly…

#5 being the tiny cushion directly above the rear axle? I did this a while ago but I don’t remember having trouble with any of the 12 total cushions going in.

Can you post pics? Or a more detailed explanation?

Yep, that's the one. There are two through holes, in line, in the frame below the bushing, but they're offset by just enough that the screw centerline is obstructed. Just like the rears, it would be no problem if the body was off the frame, but mine isn't, and I have no plans to remove it any time soon.

I'll try to get a photo.

I would have preferred to lift the entire body vertically, but I have only one floor jack (and no lift at all), so I opted to lean it over, pushing upwards on the brackets for the running boards, immediately under the door post between the front and rear doors, which is the strongest area of the body. Not only did the brackets, and the body attachment points under them, along with the body, hold rigidly under the wieght of the body, to my very great pleasure, the body bolts leaned over in the bushings and I was able to get enough clearance to slip the new, much thicker, bushings in their pockets, all without damaging anything, including the old bolts.

It would have been easier if I could have tied the frame to the ground; the jack extended the springs far too much. I guess I need cargo hooks in my floor. We always used to laugh about some moron grabbing the floor with a 30-ton crane hook and pushing the UP button, but in this case, they sure would have been handy.

 

[ZackR]

Any reason you didn't swap out the old springs with some stock height ones while you were in there?

I was tired of the rear hatch hitting my head when it was open and new springs (and a small lift in my case) solved it. The old ones were from 1994 and had 300k+ miles on them.

 

[baldilocks]

Yep, that's the one. There are two through holes, in line, in the frame below the bushing, but they're offset by just enough that the screw centerline is obstructed. Just like the rears, it would be no problem if the body was off the frame, but mine isn't, and I have no plans to remove it any time soon.

I'll try to get a photo.

I would have preferred to lift the entire body vertically, but I have only one floor jack (and no lift at all), so I opted to lean it over, pushing upwards on the brackets for the running boards, immediately under the door post between the front and rear doors, which is the strongest area of the body. Not only did the brackets, and the body attachment points under them, along with the body, hold rigidly under the wieght of the body, to my very great pleasure, the body bolts leaned over in the bushings and I was able to get enough clearance to slip the new, much thicker, bushings in their pockets, all without damaging anything, including the old bolts.

It would have been easier if I could have tied the frame to the ground; the jack extended the springs far too much. I guess I need cargo hooks in my floor. We always used to laugh about some moron grabbing the floor with a 30-ton crane hook and pushing the UP button, but in this case, they sure would have been handy.

Ok I remember this now. I jacked up the body one side at a time and removed and installed the body isolators one at a time 1-6. No problems….

 

[duece71]

Ok I remember this now. I jacked up the body one side at a time and removed and installed the body isolators one at a time 1-6. No problems….

Where did you place your jack so as to do this change out? Just curious as I may need to do this as well at some point. Thanks.

 

[baldilocks]

Where did you place your jack so as to do this change out? Just curious as I may need to do this as well at some point. Thanks.

Page 32 of my build thread details body mount/isolator replacement.

Builds - Reconstruction after rollover - building The Champ.

Today has been all about one wheel and one tire so far…. I mounted a new tire on one of the new Trail Ready beadlocks I purchased a few months ago but it wouldn’t air up. I bought these RAD valve stems separately but also from Trail Ready, who by the way, is located in Prineville, OR. The...

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