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Rear shock top bolt -- spinning..help

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by Kyebasse, Dec 9, 2021.

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  1. Dec 9, 2021 at 9:58 AM
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    Kyebasse

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    Kyebasse [OP] Jd

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    How do get this bolt off? It keep spining. I tried pretty much everything. What a horrible design by Toyota. Terrable. Any help is appreciated.

    IMG_20211209_122623.jpg
     
    Kyebasse, Dec 9, 2021
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  2. Dec 9, 2021 at 9:59 AM
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    hyrule_trd

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    hyrule_trd It’s a Secret to Everybody

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    Gotta hold the shaft on the flat part with pliers or a wrench. Once the nut is loose the shaft won’t spin
     
    hyrule_trd, Dec 9, 2021
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  3. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:00 AM
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    Brownmatthall

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    Brownmatthall Well-Known Member

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    :sawzall:
     
    Brownmatthall, Dec 9, 2021
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  4. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:02 AM
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    Cereal_killer

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    Cereal_killer Well-Known Member

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    Yeah
    Still one more day… If you think Toyota designed that style of rear shock/strut you don’t know enough to be working on it.
     
    Cereal_killer, Dec 9, 2021
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  5. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:03 AM
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    RX1cobra

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    RX1cobra Well-Known Member

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    That's what the flat spot is for... pretty much all shocks are like that or have an allen head. Get a wrench on the nut and hold the flat spot and you'll be good. A lot of times an impact will get it off though. Try that if you haven't already.
     
    RX1cobra, Dec 9, 2021
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  6. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:05 AM
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    Kyebasse

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    Kyebasse [OP] Jd

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    That was my first attempt. There won't be grip space when the bolt goes up. Nothing is working.
     
    Kyebasse, Dec 9, 2021
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  7. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:05 AM
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    Kyebasse

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    Kyebasse [OP] Jd

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    Not cutting it.
     
    Kyebasse, Dec 9, 2021
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  8. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:07 AM
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    twitchhero

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    twitchhero ___YOU BOYS LIKE___ MEX-I-CO???

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    I just took a haksaw to it. The nut was not breaking free for me and the top was rounded off.
     
    twitchhero, Dec 9, 2021
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  9. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:09 AM
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    Kyebasse

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    Kyebasse [OP] Jd

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    Yes, I did all that. Won't be space to grab when the bolt gets at the top. How does the allen wrench will work here? That's the other thing I found online and there's no way to put allen wrench there.
     
    Kyebasse, Dec 9, 2021
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  10. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:10 AM
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    weeksz

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    weeksz Well-Known Member

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    Stickers mostly
    wrench.jpg
    +
    vice.jpg
     
    weeksz, Dec 9, 2021
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  11. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:11 AM
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    hyrule_trd

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    Once the nut gets loose by a few turns you should not need to hold the shaft anymore. Unless it’s really on there
     
    hyrule_trd, Dec 9, 2021
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  12. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:11 AM
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    memario1214

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    memario1214 Hotshot Offroad Moderator Vendor

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    That works too. However, what @hyrule_trd stated is the right move to start with anyway. Once you get the nut to crack and start spinning it should come off. You would just move the vice grips out of the way.

    That said... I've had to cut plenty of them off over the years, but they pretty much were so rusted on that heaven and earth were not going to make them spin.
     
    memario1214, Dec 9, 2021
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  13. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:11 AM
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    RX1cobra

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    Allen won't work here. I was saying that most shocks use one of those two. This isn't a Toyota thing. Once you break the nut loose you shouldn't need to hold the flat spot anymore. Just break the nut loose holding the flat spot and you'll be fine.
     
    RX1cobra, Dec 9, 2021
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  14. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:11 AM
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    OffroadToy

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    OffroadToy old, forgetful, and decomposing

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    Yeah... Toyota has better things to do like designing that piece of shit over engineered glove box shock absorber.
     
    OffroadToy, Dec 9, 2021
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  15. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:13 AM
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    HVLA

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    HVLA Well-Known Member

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    By the time the nut gets up there it should spin off by hand.

    If it doesnt then you could try a nut splitter.
     
    HVLA, Dec 9, 2021
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  16. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:21 AM
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    Kyebasse

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    Kyebasse [OP] Jd

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    The nut is stuck when it gets to the top of the bolt. Probably the last 4 or 5 threads. That's the problem.
     
    Kyebasse, Dec 9, 2021
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  17. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:25 AM
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    Plain Jane Taco

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    Plain Jane Taco Well-Known Member

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    Sounds like you chewed up those top threads
     
    Plain Jane Taco, Dec 9, 2021
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  18. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:32 AM
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    Kyebasse

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    Kyebasse [OP] Jd

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    Nope..it's perfectly fine.

    16390747216333614697617779697199.jpg
     
    Kyebasse, Dec 9, 2021
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  19. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:38 AM
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    JJ Customs

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    Dude, put vise grips, pliers or a wrench on the flat part alone then loosen the nut up to that point and it should just spin off. You are not the first person to curse this horrid design that a ton of shocks have. Your other option is to cut the shaft but that shaft is a lot harder than you think. A cutoff wheel is preferred but that's about the limit of your options. If you think these suck take a look at the first gen Tundra! Those leave no room and are a MF to get to.
     
    JJ Customs, Dec 9, 2021
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  20. Dec 9, 2021 at 10:38 AM
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    Bleep100

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    Cut a slice it it and use a screwdriver to hold it .
     
    Bleep100, Dec 9, 2021
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