Worn Strut Top Hat???

Hey everybody, lurking for few weeks and I have my first question. 2009 TRD Sport dblcab,
Looking to remove 1.5” leveling kit and I discovered the source of my new squeaking/creaking. Somehow the strut is wearing through the top hat. Any idea how to avoid this when I re install with new equipment?
Thanks.

 

Those hats are supposed to have a bushing and washer above them before the nut that holds the assembly together. Looks like someone skipped those parts or assembled the strut incorrectly. The resulting gap left by excluding the bushing and washer could have left just enough play where the shock could move around under normal driving conditions. This movement would in theory be able to oblong the hole in the top hat after some time.

If assembled correctly this should not be an issue on your next set, but that whole assembly is cactus.

 

Well that’s the problem. I installed the 5100’s a month or so ago but there wasn’t anything on top of the top hat when I took it out. There is rubber underneath the top hat, maybe that should be on top?

thanks for the help, I assumed it was something like that.

 

Starting from the bottom, it should go washer, top hat, rubber bushing, washer, lock nut. The bottom rubber bushing is part of the top hat.

 

Your 5100s should have come with a bag of hardware/bushing and install instructions. There’s a diagram in there that shows you how it all goes together:



Stock orientation:

 

You'll need a new tophat, the missing washers and bushings that should be there and possibly even new shocks.

Take a close look at the shaft where it has rubbed through the top hat. With THAT much wear, it is likely greatly reduced in diameter at that point and is a crapshoot of when it will fail (snap in half).

Expensive lesson to learn.

 

Thank you for pointing out to check that. It seems to be in good shape. There wasn’t any noticeable wear on the shaft. The metal sleeve on the inside had just worn through. I think I caught it in time.

 

I don’t see a metal sleeve in this diagram or any kits. Could have been added by previous owner when they put in leveling kit?

 

I’ve never seen a metal sleeve for the top hat stem on any coil over suspension- stock replacement or otherwise.

 

son of a gun. This is quite a learning experience, I appreciate the help. The shocks are reassembled with new top hats and all the washers and rubber in the right place. I even took one apart a second time to make sure the bottom washer was correct. I will update with some pics once they are back in place.

 

That's part of the top hat. It's not supposed to be separate.

 

Just an update. The shocks are in and it drives so much better than before. It’s my first tacoma and the guy I bought it off of had 1.5” level kit .5” spacers with stock UCA’s plus 2” blocks under the leaf springs. The ride was pretty rough, the steering was loose...I thought it was just an old truck. But then The squeaking from the strut started and I dug into it a little more.

the plan was to get it back close to stock and see how it handled. And it’s amazing how great it handles now. All I did was put it 5100’s and set them at .85” and remove the leveling kit. The ride is so much better, enjoyable.
Thanks for your help!

 

Very nice. Did you get an alignment afterwards? If not, you need to or you’ll grind off your tires.

 

That’s scheduled for Monday. Soonest I could get it in.

 

OK, cool. I would avoid driving it till then. With that much height change, the toe in could be way off which will grind the tires off in a hurry.