Replacement Shocks/Strut Recommendations/Suggestions/Opinions

Looking to replace all shocks on 2002 Tundra SR5 Access Cab 2WD 4.7L with 134K original miles. This truck is only going to be used for suburbs/highway driving with no towing or hauling involved.

Wanting opinions on whether to do entire front assembly (spring/shock) or just do front shocks only along with back shocks?

Also on whether to go aftermarket or OEM. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks

And Yes original front LBJ's will be replaced while off the ground with OEM replacements since you guys have me terrified of failure, even no there is no signs of defects.

 

Bilstein 4600, front and rear are as close to stock as you're going to get, and are as close as you can get to the factory shocks that came on the TRD packaged trucks.

While you can re-use the OEM springs/isolators/tophats if you don't live in rust belt and they're in good shape, I would opt to pick up the [likely sagging by this age] nose a bit, in a way that won't cause substantial geometry change, and also improve handling, by buying Old Man Emu 2883 springs, and the appropriate isolator and tophat to pair them into the Bilstein 4600 strut. If you do make the wise decision to go with OME 2883 springs, that'll be these isolators (here's why), and just to refresh everything all at once, buy these tophats.

Doing this, you shouldn't need to update again for another 100k miles.

 

Just put all 4 new Bilstein 4600s on mine. I'd recommend those and to reuse the front spring/strut housing assembly. The rubber bump pad on my front top hat was a little dry but still in good shape. I wiped it down with silicone spray on a rag.

Feels OEM-like to me. At 250k miles, my original Toyota KYBs had hydraulic oil oozed out and dust buildup from the oil but still had tension while compressing the rod, but remained completely compressed and didn't retract so they were shot.

The ride quality surprisingly didn't change much so I would consider it a critical fix, but I do notice less suspension rebound when driving over slightly bumpy roads going 40-60mph-ish. My tire wear was still normal with the old ones. The truck feels like it sits about an inch higher too now which is nice.

Make sure you have a full set of metric combination wrenches (preferably ratcheting) and a mini pair and regular sized pair of good vise grips with fresh and sharp jaws. Spring compressors too for the fronts. I was able to use autozone rental spring compressors but you have to unscrew them and put the jaws into the spring at an angle (they wont fit in between the springs straight in).

Mark the position of the front struts before you remove them. I just painted a white dot on the top hat showing the outward direction.

The rears are a pain because you have to tighten the top nut with only about 4 inches of space to fit your hands through the rear wheel wells and in between the frame/body and use both vise grips and a wrench at the same time. But it can be done on the ground with the rear wheels still on.

If you have trouble removing the top bolt on the OEM rears because the shaft spins as you loosen, you can cut the plastic dust sleeve/shell open with a sharp utility knife and hold the shaft in place with the big pair of vise grips. But installing the Bilsteins will require pinching the top of the shaft with vise grips while tightening the nut.

 

Forgot to mention, since your truck has only 134k miles, you should test the rears for compression to see if they are even bad (a little bit of dust/oil haze is okay). You can unbolt the bottom mounting bolt, compress the shock (push it upwards), and see if it retracts on its own. If the rears are okay, your front ones probably are too since they are supported by the spring.

And although the LBJs are a good idea to replace, just to throw it out there, mine were still good at 250k miles with them only being replaced once at 50k miles for the recall back in 06. I changed them when I did the shocks though. Not trying to tell you to not change them though. $240 is a lot cheaper than risking dying. If I were you, I'd call a Toyota dealer and give them the vin and ask if they have records of the LBJs being replaced for the recall.

 

Thanks, that looks like what I will be getting. I purchased this truck from original owner and it appears to have never left the Carolinas so may be fine with shocks only. Very clean inside and out, just needs to be driven more. Gotta say I'm super impressed with the 4.7 V8 engine. Very peppy and quick.

 

It looks like my LBJ's were replaced on my 2002 on 9/21/05 according to Toyota records running my VIN, so I would say I'm good in that dept. Just looking for some free time to pull the trigger on the shocks to install.

Always appreciate the suggestions and advice from this 1st Gen crowd.

 

So they're 20 years old now. And likely around 100k miles on them. I personally would put a new set on. Not worth the trouble if they fail. It's only partly that they had a defect early on, it's also the design itself that hangs the suspension from the ball joint. They wear, then they pop out of the socket, or the stud snaps off.

 

Can you explain how this design is different than pretty much every other double wishbone or McPherson strut suspension?

maybe I need to get a creeper and slide between 2 vehicles, but is the “design itself” ball joint between the spindle and the LCA different?

 

Yes, it's different. Most pinch the ball joint between the upper A-arm and lower A-arm suspension. These ball joints literally hang from the lower A-arm instead. Several threads on here that discuss the design, also present on Tacomas and 4Runners of similar vintage. Design changed for the 2nd Gen Tundras on.

 

Bilstein 4600 series shocks with your current coil springs is the tried and true winning combination.



Using a set of coils off a TRD 4x4 is an upgrade.

 

The 4600s don't have a fitting for an Allen/hex tool at the top of the shock to keep it from spinning? The 5100s do and makes that job so much easier

 

It’s like a 7mm wrench (maybe?) using vice grips on new shocks would just be depressing.

I can’t imagine trying to get an Allen tool in the space you get for the rears. Maybe if you trim the tool first?

edit: I forgot. I used a very small crescent wrench.

 

LBJ is under constant tension/load, the suspension is actively trying to slam it downwards. It's a known issue with our trucks and with some of the Tacos, I think? And LBJ failure is rampant in this condition.