2011 2wd front shock type & removal questions

I've had cars with front struts and the Tundra looks similar but not the same. Looks like a coil over shock on mine anyway...
What type of front shocks do we have and are they closer to a old fashion shock to remove or more like a typical strut ?
If you know please share
Any special tools need be rented or borrowed ??

 

More like a strut than traditional shock absorber. The coil spring is wrapped around the shock shock absorber and is captured top and bottom by a coil perch and removable top hat. The whole assembly often referred to as a coilover - as in coil over shock absorber. Struts often refer to mcpherson type strut assembly that helps locate the wheel as a part of the suspension geometry along with supporting the vehicle weight and damping movement, whereas a traditional coilover only supports the vehicle and dampens movement. But tomato potato…

The low leg of the coilover assembly is captured in the lower control arm/a-arm but a long 22mm head bolt and nut. The top of the assembly mounts to the coil bucket on the frame with four 14mm nuts; the bolts are captured in the assembly top hat. In the center of the top hat is a single 18mm (maybe 19mm) bolt on the shock shaft that sandwiches the spring and busingings between the top hat and spring perch. DO NOT DISSASSMBLE THIS NUT WITHOUT THE SPRING TENSION COMPRESSED IN A SPRING COMPRESSOR.

To remove:

- put the vehicle up on Jack stands

- pull the front tire

- remove the front sway bar bolts to lower control arm (don’t remove the links, just the 19mm or 17mm bolt).

- support the lower control arm with a Jack

- then loosen either the upper ball joint nut or two lower ball joint bolts (upper ball joint is easier and requires less torque on assembly but allows the entire knuckle to flop around; lower ball joint keeps the knuckle located in place but requires more torque on the bolts)

- remove three of the four top mount nuts, leaving the fourth finger loose. This will prevent the assembly from dropping down out of the bucket until you are ready to remove it.

- loosen and remove the bottom leg bolt. It may require a bunch or 3/8” socket extension to gently drive it out.

- grab a long pry bar and set it in the sway bar link pocket. Push down until the bottom leg of the coilover is freed from its own pocket.

- grab hold of the coilover assembly and loosen the remaining top hat bolt, then gentlry remove the entire assembly.

- compress the spring with a coil compressor, loosen the 18mm bolt, and remove the shock absorber. Or take the assembly and new shock to a mechanic and have them swapped out.

- keep track of thr bushing order

- Reinstall in the reverse order and torque appropriately.

 

What he said, but with one change. Remove the sway bar brackets to the frame. I have done 4 tundra and my last tundra I did the front coilovers 3 times. Removing the sway bar brackets instead of the end links was way easier when it came time to reassemble. Plus both of my end link tack welded nuts came off. Luckily there was room to grab it but it sucked. I had it down to a science and could do 1 side in about 30-45 minutes.