Trick for aligning KDSS link (1 Viewer)

[kcjaz]

Replacing struts. Can’t get the KDSS link arm bushing hole to align. Do I need to put it on the ground to do this?

Should I loosen the KDSS bar mounting bolts?

 

[TeCKis300]

It's always a battle and can be tricky to get the angle of the metal sleeve right to start threading the bolt.

Yes, can be helpful to loosen the sway bar brackets on the frame

Could also try a combination of raising that side of the suspension, or the opposite side, to get the right pressure on the sway bar to align the sleeve.

 

[bloc]

Yes loosen bar bracket bolts, but don't let them come out.

With the link end bolt started you are halfway there. I do usually put the truck on the ground then pry with a bar just like in the picture. Once that bolt is started, I tighten the brackets. Then roll the truck back and forth, put it on the ramps, and torque everything down.

 

[BadReligion]

Looks like it is on a lift. Get the truck closer to the ground and use a floor jack and pry bar to get things to align. You already have the bolt started so you are close.

 

[kcjaz]

Thanks guys got it lined up and all back in. I loosened the brackets but wasn’t sure how much thread there was so I probably didn’t loosen them enough to help much. Key was putting the tires on and back in the ground. From there I was able to use a pry bar on the KDSS and it lined up.

The whole thing took me 5 hours to pull the BP51s off and put the OEM back on. The guy on the you tube video only took 5 minutes so that’s about right for me.

 

[bloc]

Ah yeah I forgot.. I removed one bolt with the other on that bracket still tight to figure out how long they were..

Glad you got it sorted. Taking some droop out to align the lower rubber bushing really does seem to help.

 

[kcjaz]

Thanks guys got it lined up and all back in. I loosened the brackets but wasn’t sure how much thread there was so I probably didn’t loosen them enough to help much. Key was putting the tires on and back in the ground. From there I was able to use a pry bar on the KDSS and it lined up.

The whole thing took me 5 hours to pull the BP51s off and put the OEM back on. The guy on the you tube video only took 5 minutes so that’s about right for me.

Edit: The KDSS link giving me trouble was on passenger side. On the driver's side, I did pull out the lower bolt on the KDSS link and was able to get it back in with the truck in the air but I don't think I really needed to disconnect it in the first place. I think I could have removed the strut with it still connected.

 

[TLC2013]

Glad to see mission is accomplished. I was battling this same install too and followed this video when I added the Dobinson 1/4” strut spacer to my Tough Dogs. Worked well but like you I also took exponentially longer than these YouTube mechanics make out. One of the top strut nuts must have been installed with red thread locker.

Aligning that KDSS was a pain. I found having the truck on the ground and putting upward pressure on the up the driver side sway bar immediately aligned the passenger side end link.

 

[kcjaz]

Glad to see mission is accomplished. I was battling this same install too and followed this video when I added the Dobinson 1/4” strut spacer to my Tough Dogs. Worked well but like you I also took exponentially longer than these YouTube mechanics make out. One of the top strut nuts must have been installed with red thread locker.

Aligning that KDSS was a pain. I found having the truck on the ground and putting upward pressure on the up the driver side sway bar immediately aligned the passenger side end link.

Good video. I didn’t put spacers in like the video but given that spacers have a direction arrow I now am wondering if the shocks have an inside/outside direction to them too. I did rotate the shock 180 degrees on my first attempt as the holes didn’t seem to line up and it went in after I did that so I think they only go in one way and can’t be screwed up. If it can be screwed up, I usually figure out how to do that…

I also wonder if the struts themselves are left and right. I have no idea which one was on what side originally. One had yellow paint marks and the other didn’t. I’m not running this way for very long so I don’t really care just more curious.

 

[bloc]

Good video. I didn’t put spacers in like the video but given that spacers have a direction arrow I now am wondering if the shocks have an inside/outside direction to them too. I did rotate the shock 180 degrees on my first attempt as the holes didn’t seem to line up and it went in after I did that so I think they only go in one way and can’t be screwed up. If it can be screwed up, I usually figure out how to do that…

I also wonder if the struts themselves are left and right. I have no idea which one was on what side originally. One had yellow paint marks and the other didn’t. I’m not running this way for very long so I don’t really care just more curious.

I do seem to remember my struts having an "out" or "in" arrow stamped into the top. To my knowledge the spacers can go in incorrectly without issue, the arrow is mostly to keep a drain slot machined into them in the lowest position.

But yes they are left and right, defined by which spring goes where. The strut itself is the same part number left to right.

Landcruiser 200 Series Stock Spring Color Codes and Location:

EDIT! INFO FOUND: Confirmed: Rolled around under a 2019 at the dealer on Saturday: Blue and White is Driver Side Front. Green and Purple is Drivers side rear. Blue and Purple is passengers side rear. Yellow Yellow is Passengers side front. These codes match the same thing on a 2013 USA...

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[bloc]

The post linked above wasn't the one I was thinking of.

This has much more useful info

RTH - someone with 2016-2021 stock suspension please check front spring paint codes

Hello all, I'm putting some stock take-off suspension onto my 2013 but don't know which side the front springs go on. One spring has three gray dots, the other has one white two blues. Alternately, one of these part numbers was carried over from 2010-2015, so if someone with stock suspension...

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