What height are my Monroe coils?

I was wrenching on my 2004 AC v8 4x conversion project this afternoon and finally took a close look at my front shocks. The front left shock is a Monroe Reflex p/n 171347L.
https://www.drivparts.com/part-deta...=Strut and Coil Spring Assembly - Quick-Strut


https://www.monroe.com/find-my-part...=Toyota&model[value]=1033&model[label]=Tundra

I’m trying to figure out just what height these are. Are they meant for 2wd or 4wd trucks? Access cab or double cab? Are they lower than stock height, higher than stock? I’d use the old shocks and coils of of my wrecked AC, but the shocks are completely blown.

 

I found this info.

 

Monroe website lists this strut assembly whether you choose RWD or 4WD.

 

I saw that same info as well on the Monroe website. Since they don't spec out which model it fits, i wonder if they just use a spring height and weight that just averages between every single 1st gen tundra from 2000-2007...for both 2wd and 4wd?

 

When I bought my 2007 it had some monroe struts on it. It looked low in the front, especially for a 4wd so I wondered the same thing. I don't know how old they were, they weren't blown but didn't ride nice. Replaced with OEM 4x4 takeoffs and it set the ride height back up to what looked normal and rides good again. I'd probably find some better quality shocks. The Monroes seem to me to be a cost effective "close enough" kind of deal.

 

Wait, I thought that was Monroe's slogan, "We cost less than the others and ride like shit!"

Probably one of the worst shocks you can possibly buy, unless "squishy" is a ride characteristic you enjoy.

 

Don't get me wrong, i'm all about having excellent suspension (i've spent well more than a few thousand on two of my KTM's suspension). I need to allocate my funds. Hopefully next spring/summer i can buy some Bilstiens, but for now i need to use the shocks i already have. I just don't know if it's worth the time to swap the coil springs off of my wrecked 4wd tundra AC.

 

Could be interesting if nothing else. You'll know the minute you pop the Monroe spring off and set it side-by-side with the wrecked truck's.

Are the donor truck's struts unsalvageable?

 

Historically, Monroe quickstruts and the associated springs are garbage. I'm going to guess zero engineering went into the spring selection. Its's probably spring 22B from another application that "fits" on a strut they borrowed from anther application with a different lower mount added to make it work. Just terrible.

 

Yes.

Monroe springs are typically crap compared to OEM.


I'd probably run the old OEM shocks too if they're not blown/leaking until I could get something decent.

 

The shock dampers on the wrecked truck are shot. The whole truck bounces around when going over bumps and undulations. No telling how old they are. They’re at least 7-8 years old...because that’s when i acquired the truck for my brother in law, and he never replaced them. The spring coils look to be the original factory item. Driver side paint is yellow and green. Passenger side paint is blue and green.


2000 AC 4x4 driver side- yellow and green



2000 AC 4x4 passenger side blue and green

 

Ah. Then definitely OEM springs on the monroe's. If the OEM tophats are good use those too.

 

Are those studded tires?!

 

Nah, he just systematically popped nails into 'em

 

I recently bought a set of OEM starfish wheels. They came with weather checked studded tires...which worked perfectly since i needed a set of old worn out roller tires to mount on a set of steelies that i had. So currently those studded tires and steel rims are on my wrecked 4wd donor truck.

 

OEM springs on the monroe’s he says...

Nothings ever easy. Turns out the inside diameter at the bottom of the Monroe spring is smaller than the OEM spring. Which means that when the OEM spring is assembled on the Monroe shock, it flops around since it can’t centrally. I’m too deep into it to give up just yet though...

 

The current worn out shocks are actual Toyota brand. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are original to the truck 217k miles. There’s still rebound damping, but zero compression. Something interesting, the Toyota shock shaft is a smaller diameter than the Monroe. I’m just guessing here, but i think the OEM is around 12 or 14mm, while the Monroe is 14 or 16mm diameter. I need to get an exact measurement, but the monroe is definitely a larger diameter. And lucky for me, both compression and rebound damping on the Monroe’s are still good.

And FYI, the OEM springs are about 1/2” longer than the Monroe’s. I haven’t measured the diameter of the coil yet. I have no idea how the spring rates compare to each other.