Fromtheshadow

So, I have a 2000 limited 4wd. I decided I wanted some Bilsteins,...So I started to change the rear. Had to shear off the top bolts (Northeast car. No BIggie. A bottom bolt sheared off installing new rear shocks, no biggie. Then on to the front. Pulled off a strut, compressed the springs, and put it on the bilstein...it wont fit! Its a standard HD, I dont get it. I didnt do
anything wrong...i dont think. Heres a pic.
As you can see, the bilstein is much longer than the shock I replaced. Can I get some advice? Let me know what to do??

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Looks like you didn't get the right shocks.

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

you can check the part number on the shock and compare that with the bilstein catalog. i think the 1999-2006 Tundra or the 1995-2004 Tacoma front shocks will fit on a 1996-2002 4Runner

Fromtheshadow

Is tagged F4-BE5-F332-H1
Looks like the right one. I was thinking, the spring fits, the spring is what controls ride height, well that and shock rebound. Chouldn't I just drop the control arm, and then compress the shock up?

scuba

I don't think your compressing the spring far enough.
Take it to a strut shop and have them assemble it for like 40 bucks. Lol for doing projects on a holiday weekend.

Fromtheshadow

The top nut only goes down until it stops. Regardless of how far you compress the spring, the shock will be as long as it is from top nut to bottom. I guess I could have compressed the spring, put the strut in, and then decompress it. But the spring compressors wouldn't fit along side the strut (yeah I tried that right after I took the pic). The shock is just physically longer from spring perch to spring top. I guess this would help if you are putting on stiffer springs for a lift, or had more spring to put in there (99).
Why go through the trouble of taking the strut off, having spring compressors, and then drive it to a shop so a line tech can put my spring on sideways, give them back to me 2 hours later, on top of having the exact same issue (that and theres no such animal as a strut shop in my area)?

In a kind of obvious move, I removed the anti-sway bar end link and it gave me the suspension travel I needed to install the struts, and then commenced drinking . So Maybe the 2000 limited 4runner has this issue with Bilsteins. Just for future reference (maybe help someone else), remove the sway link to get the travel you need. They ride a lot better than worn stockers, did give a bit of lift, and are a nice yellow. Next stop alignment shop!

scuba

I don't really get what you're saying...

I mean.. when I was doing my OME lift install the 881's were a PITA to compress. I tried with the strut compressors but it did not want to go. I ended up taking some stuck strut compressors and a pair of 881 and OME shocks to my local ALIGNMENT shop. They do alignments, struts, ball joints, shocks.. suspension junk..


Glad you got er working though!

Gerdo

These are the Bilsteins that I used.
Shocks: Front, Bilstein F4-BE5-2450-HO. Rear, Bilstein F4-BE5-2451-HO.
If the shock is too long it'll allow too much droop which will overextend the CVs and they can pull apart and also break easier.

BajaRunner

Show a pic of them installed on the truck.

Most people have a hard time getting them back in because they are longer. I've had to use the bottle jack wedged inbetween the upper ball joint and fender well many times to push the arms down and allow for a maximum gap to re-install.

Gerdo

I have a cure for the "bottle jack install". Since you are going to have an alignment anyway. Loosen the nut/bolt on the UCA. This will allow the UCA to droop easily. (The UCA is tightened at stock ride height. Once lifted the UCA will be at a different angle. If you don't loosen the UCA you will be stressing the bushings in the UCA.) There will feel like a lot of play in the UCA when loose but this is normal. Re-torque at ride height. This also makes it easy to swap CVs. (P.S. The rear control arms should also be loosened and re-torqued at ride height)

Smokey

Can anyone verify that F4-BE5-F332-H1 is the correct front shock for '96-'02 4runners? Most of the places I've looked (tire rack, shox.com, shockswarehouse, etc) have this part number list for my truck.

Fromtheshadow, did you ever get your problem resolved?

Chris

hector200sx

I have the same thing going on. I have a buddy that works in auto parts. He said in his system when he searchs for the 2450's the F332 comes up. If you go on the bilstein website they dont even list the 2450's as an active part number.

praisedproduct

Same problem here, I bought mine from essex distributors here in Vancouver (405cad tax in) had them installed and the ride is noticeably better. There is a bit more roll in corners sometime I think. The reason I came across this thread is I was just doing a bounce test on the front end and noticed it bounces more times now than it used to with the old oem.
I had Goodyear duratracs installed last week right after and went for a road trip. The vibration on them once I hit 70mph was unreal. Had them ballanced 4 times and coul not get rid of them and the tire place was saying the tires are fine an it seems like a problem with my truck. Swaped them out for destination at and I can get up to 80 now and there is some small vibration but does not seem like a balance issue.
Did any of you ever confirm that it was the correct shock. Maybe the part numbers changed over time?

Smokey

I finally had mine put on a few weeks back...amazing difference between worn out shocks and new ones. So the part number I bought was F4-BE5-F332-H0 (front) from tirerack.com. What showed up was F4-BE5-F332-H1 which was listed as the replacement for F332-H0.

So far, so good!

Chris

praisedproduct

When you installed yours did you notice more than one pearch for the front shocks? Like say 1 an inch higher than the other. I had mine installed at a shop cause my wides pregnant and I have no time.

offthegrid

Does anyone have further feedback on this issue. Do the F4-BE5-F332-H1 shocks work with the stock springs for a '00 4WD Runner? Are you supposed to order '99 springs (taller)? Thanks for any advice!

praisedproduct

I can tell you I regret buying these things now. My truck feels very floppy with the 2002 springs. Kinda feels like a boat on a coppy lake

offthegrid

Yes, that seems to be the consensus. I wonder how we can figure this issue out. It almost sounds like everything after the '99 has shorter springs. It is quite confusing...

praisedproduct

I just bought some ome 2 inch lift springs for the front and rear so well see, I think I should have just got the matching ome shocks

SHAWNB

Fromtheshadow, gerdo has the correct part numbers that fit, i did the same upgrade and used the same part numbers as well and they fit great... No problems