TJM XGS front Shock replacement

[2001LC]

Installing front TJM shock tonight; which have two metal retainers & two rubber cushions. OEM appears to have four metal retainer (two on top with cushion in between & two underside of fame) & two cushions. Should I just not use retainers on frame or should I re-use some of OEM retainers?

 

[3D FJ]

I would call the vendor you purchased them from and confirm. I would think it is better to have the metal retainers surrounding the bushings on either side of the shock mount. OME shocks have four metal retainers.

 

[jonharis]

You will need both the top and bottom retainers on each bushing. I installed a similar shock without the lower upper retainer once and the shack was pulled through the mounting opening. You can likely reuse the OEM retainers as they are almost always the same size. Check your fitment though.

 

[yotasavg]

You will need both the top and bottom retainers on each bushing. I installed a similar shock without the lower upper retainer once and the shack was pulled through the mounting opening. You can likely reuse the OEM retainers as they are almost always the same size. Check your fitment though.

Glad I'm not the only one that's done that! :whoops:

 

[woody]

For the aftermarket shocks, it's washer - bushing - mount - bushing - washer...per your photo above.

I believe OEM bushings are not "stepped" to fit into the mount eye on the frame, and thus need the additional washer to keep them centered.

 

[2001LC]

I would call the vendor you purchased them from and confirm. I would think it is better to have the metal retainers surrounding the bushings on either side of the shock mount. OME shocks have four metal retainers.

I called the vender and got phone voice mail 4 hours ago and counting.

You will need both the top and bottom retainers on each bushing. I installed a similar shock without the lower upper retainer once and the shack was pulled through the mounting opening. You can likely reuse the OEM retainers as they are almost always the same size. Check your fitment though.

Was yours similar with large and stepped cushion (bushing) like these?
I'm thinking about using my old retainers, but concern about deviate from intended design.

Glad I'm not the only one that's done that! :whoops:

Yours came through, were they large and stepped or more like OEM --soft?

For the aftermarket shocks, it's washer - bushing - mount - bushing - washer...per your photo above.

I believe OEM bushings are not "stepped" to fit into the mount eye on the frame, and thus need the additional washer to keep them centered.

Sounds reasonable Woody. They are hard and doubtful they'll mash down like the OEM cushion (bushings) But the three post before you seem to disagree, is troubling.

Should I use FSM torque of 50ft-lbf?

 

[DJWUZJ]

Just like Woody said. Fox Shox work the same way. The aftermarket bushings are stepped, and much harder material than OEM.

If you're missing a rubber bushing and manufacturer sends the wrong ones on the 2nd time, you'll be like I was and recycling OEM or something similar in frustration.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

You will need both the top and bottom retainers on each bushing. I installed a similar shock without the lower upper retainer once and the shack was pulled through the mounting opening. You can likely reuse the OEM retainers as they are almost always the same size. Check your fitment though.

x2, many shocks (including OEM, Old Man Emu and others) use this setup. However, your bushings look to have an alignment 'step' built into them? I'd personally prefer the washer as the lip of the bushing could tear/wear and slide thus letting your shaft smack the mount but it's likely a non-issue? If the bushing sits nicely inside the OE washers, I'd re-use them.

 

[woody]

OME is one of the few aftermarkets I've seen to use washers on both side of the bushing. Most aftermarket manufacturers use stepped poly bushings.

To the OP, the bushings you have do NOT require any additional washers other than what was furnished.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

OME is one of the few aftermarkets...

Along with IronMan, ToughDog, Slee, Dobinson, Koni...


Beside the point... if they design it to run sans washer, run it

 

[2001LC]

Thank guy's I went with woody any the gang on this one. Use one of my favorite bad boy tools the chain wrench, made short work of the top nut. Found some rust in the lower brackets, scraped it out then packed with marine grease. Biggest pain was getting the top nut started, if they only made that 1/4" crown nut just a little longer. Torque the top nut to 50ft-lbf & bottom to 100ft-lbf.

 

[2001LC]

I would call the vendor you purchased them from and confirm. I would think it is better to have the metal retainers surrounding the bushings on either side of the shock mount. OME shocks have four metal retainers.

x2, many shocks (including OEM, Old Man Emu and others) use this setup. However, your bushings look to have an alignment 'step' built into them? I'd personally prefer the washer as the lip of the bushing could tear/wear and slide thus letting your shaft smack the mount but it's likely a non-issue? If the bushing sits nicely inside the OE washers, I'd re-use them.

I'll hang-on to my old shocks as they are still good after 150,000 miles & 13 yrs (WOW), as back-up. If the bushing do slip I'll use the old retainers, I kind of like that idea. But for now, just using the aftermarket intended set-up Woody suggested seem fine.

 

[mcgaskins]

Looks good nice job! How do they feel? I'm really bummed I couldn't use them!

 

[bluecruiser]

Glad to see you found the combination of washers to make this a success. Watch them closely for wear and for tightness.

 

[2001LC]

Hey Matt, I've only had the fronts on for the day, ~20 miles around town/HYW. I can feel a very slight improvement over my OEMs. Braking, cornering, dips and bumps all felt good, but so did my old OEM shocks. The ride is slightly stiffer and I feel the road (small bumps) just a little bit more than I did. I suspect the real test would be off road for these bad boys.

Over the last year or so; I've notice a slight drifting on HWY which is part of the reason I installed these. They didn't make any noticeable difference in drifting, but was just opportunity to start a complete RR of suspension I'm just now starting. My goal is to get back as close to show room fresh dive as possible over next year or so.

Hope to see you again and hear more about why you have those supportive lic plates.
_______________

I will, thanks blue...

 

[mcgaskins]

Hey Matt, I've only had the fronts on for the day, ~20 miles around town/HYW. I can feel a very slight improvement over my OEMs. Braking, cornering, dips and bumps all felt good, but so did my old OEM shocks. The ride is slightly stiffer and I feel the road (small bumps) just a little bit more than I did. I suspect the real test would be off road for these bad boys.

Over the last year or so; I've notice a slight drifting on HWY which is part of the reason I installed these. They didn't make any noticeable difference in drifting, but was just opportunity to start a complete RR of suspension I'm just now starting. My goal is to get back as close to show room fresh dive as possible over next year or so.

Hope to see you again and hear more about why you have those supportive lic plates.
_______________

I will, thanks blue...

That's good to hear. Let's see if we can get you out to a trail with the club with that perfectly scratchless and dentless 100 you have

 

[re_guderian]

You will need both the top and bottom retainers on each bushing. I installed a similar shock without the lower upper retainer once and the shack was pulled through the mounting opening. You can likely reuse the OEM retainers as they are almost always the same size. Check your fitment though.

Strange that the OEM shocks only have this on the front. On the rear, it is metal on either side of the lower bushing, but metal only on the top of the upper bushing, according to the parts diagram anyway. I am replacing my Fox shocks with OEM, and went to do the rears last night, and could only find 3 of the retainers for the rears. Thinking there should be 4, I swiped one off of the front shocks. Looked up parts diagram to order replacements, and only 3 shown on the rear, though I swear the FSM showed four... Glad I had kept them, and the Fox shocks are the retainer, bushing, bushing, retainer setup like these TJM's. Will have a complete set of Fox 2.0's with only 6 months on them FS next week...