kawicowboy

My bottom bushings on the front struts are gone, Will this cause my tires to wear on the inside. I have checked my balljoints and as far as I can tell everything is tight.

GSGALLANT

Some info on what you're driving would help, but judging by the forum that you posted the thread in, I think I'm safe in saying that neither your 96-02 4Runner or 95.5-04 Tacoma (whatever your driving) has struts. You have shocks and coils. The lower bushing on your shock being gone will not cause your tires to wear unevenly or prematurely. Shot bushings on the control arms or bad balljoints, however, would cause un-even tire wear.

I have found that the best way to check balljoints is to raise the truck so that the tire is off the ground, then have somebody take a long piece of 2"x4" or something, place one end of it under the tire, and pry up on the tire. While they're doing that, you keep an eye on the balljoints to look for play.

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

I meant to get back to you in your other thread. Best way to check the upper ball joint is to shake it.

That being said, unless the bushing is completely MIA, i wouldn't think the shock would cause that. The suspension moves up and down in a set arc. The strut cannot alter that arc. If the bushing was completly MIA, if would allow the truck to sit a tiny bit lower and possibly kick the bottom of the tire out, but i doubt it.

Have you had the alignment checked?

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

Actually it IS a strut, its a coil spring/strut assy.

Of course, it depends on a persons terminology. Shocks traditionally are seperate from the spring, struts are enclosed within the spring.

GSGALLANT

It's not called a strut just because it is a coil-over shock. On 4Runner and Tacomas, we have double wishbone suspension... some with coil over shock design (called coilovers for short), some with torsion bars and the shock seperate.

"Struts" are used when there is no upper control arm... usually on unibody vehicles (but not always).

There is a difference.

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

like I said, depends on terminology. If you asked me for a strut for a 2000 4Runner, i would know what you mean.

Roadtripr

Either way replace the strut/shock. Stockers shouldn't be that expensive. The labor is far more, plus you will need and alignment afterwards.

kawicowboy

Oops its a 96 Taco 4x4, and its the bottom of the strut on the lower A arm.

GSGALLANT

If the shock and the coil are still fine, just remove the assembly from the truck, pop out the old lower bushings, pop in some new ones, and re-install the assembly. shouldn't cost much to do that at all.

Roadtripr

I had this problem years ago (shut bushing) and I couldn't "pop" it out. A new OEM strut was $30, and if the affected part is from 96 chances are you need a new strut/shock anyway

kawicowboy

Ok thanks for the replies guys, but Im not sure if my question was answered, would this affect my allignment. Everything seems tight as far as I can tell, the only thing with play is the bushings. The guy I bought it from said that the suspention needed to be replaced but never said why he came to that conclusion. Both front tires are Badly worn on the insides, the truck actually sits like a ford with a bowlegged stance.

GSGALLANT

I answered it in post #2. That would not affect your alignment. Saggy springs could, to a certain extent, because the alignment might have been done last when they weren't sagged (if they now sag). That might be what the previous owner was trying to tell you. The movement of a double wishbone suspension keeps the tire pretty flat on the pavement as it cycles, but it's not perfect, so as springs sag, your alignment does change.

kawicowboy

Thanks GSGALLANT, the front end is pretty low. I can easily move the spring up and down with a prybar.

danimal92sport

The movement of a double wishbone suspension does indeed affect the camber, depending on the design. An SLA suspension is a good example of this, which is what most "double wishbone" vehicles have. In this case, the upper and lower control arm are of unequal length. Through their travel, they change the wheel camber. The upper control arm is always shorter in these types of systems, so the lower the suspension sags, the more negative the camber gets. This would wear the inside of your tires faster.

Also; the 4Runner has front shocks, not struts. I know these terms are interchangeable for most people, but by definition they are very different. It's just nitpicking, as I commonly call them struts too, even though I know better.

To the OP; replace your shocks and warn tires. IMO, your springs might need to be replaced, too!

Dan

GSGALLANT

I think we are agreeing here, right?
But the springs would be the cause of the sag... not the shocks. The worn bushing, at the very least, needs replacing. If you can't replace just the bushing (because it's seized in the shock eye and you can't get it out, or if you can't find replacement bushings, etc...), then you need to replace the shock. If the shock on that side is quite old, then I'd replace both front shocks at the same time... (it will give you a better ride than with one new and one old shock.)

I agree that you should replace the tires if they have worn badly on the inside.

Now if the worn tires are caused by tired sagged suspension, then you have two choices.

1. You can replace the springs, which will return the truck to normal ride height. You should also get an alignment after replacing the springs. Or...

2. If you're tight on money and don't mind the way the truck sits or rides (and feel that the springs are still OK for a while), you can just get it re-aligned with the existing springs at the existing ride height (after you replace your bushing or the shock). If everything is still tight in your suspension, and the alignment tech has enough adjustment room at the current ride height to get the camber (and caster... although caster won't affect tire wear) in spec, then your tire wear problem should be gone (assuming it was caused by sagged suspension).

kawicowboy

Thanks Guys, I am going to try and get some bushings put them in and get someone to double check the balljoints, I got a line on some used struts cheap with shocks which are definately better than what I have for now and take it from there.
I love this site, Thanks Again Guys.

kawicowboy

1 last question, are 4Runner struts/shocks and Tacoma struts different, meaning that they are not interchangable.

One_96TR4

The fronts are the same.

kawicowboy

Quick update, Had a buddy check it out and found that the passenger side lower A arm adjustment was out of wack compared to the driver side. Dont know why or how bit did some adjusting and it feels much better now all I need is to get some tires.

GSGALLANT

Just a thought... you might want to get the alignment checked at a shop before spending money on new tires.