KidSheleen

I just purchased a set (all wheels) of the KYB Gas-A-Shocks. Are there any tips on installing them, especially the rears since they have that band installed from the factory? I'm old and I don't have too much muscle mass left so I would like it to be easier on me. I looked at the so-called instructions and I am a little confused on how the plates(?) go on the top of the front shocks since I was sent three, one silver and thin and two kind of bronze which are thicker.

TIA

1994 T100 SR5 4x4 AT

Randyman1967

Cut the bands and be ready to slid them in to place on the bottom, they go fairly slow. and if you miss they really aren't that hard to push back up. The fronts If I remember right the top bushings are not attach to the shock, and one of the large plates goes on top of the bushing and the other on the bottom, the thin one goes on top of the bottom plate in between the bushing and the plate.

Nervo19

Old? But your user name says you're a kid! I don't know about T-100's but I've installed them on a 1st gen 4Runner and a Tacoma. The front ones on the 4Runner want to spin when you take them off so my son took a BFH hammer a pounded a large screwdriver through the old one to hold it to unbolt it. The rears on the Tacoma were hard to get on because the rear was a bit saggy. It helped to jack the truck up by the frame so the rear could relax a bit. At one poin we also used a Toyota jack to compress the shock and then quickly push it on the peg. It helps to put some Kroil or PB Blaster on the bolts a day before you intend to work. WD-40 doesn't work all that well. The Tacoma was really rusty and everything came off easily with Kroil.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Not sure on a T-100 but I install the top and then cut the band and when it gets to the bottom I slide it on. May be a little late to answer. Sometimes on the front shocks, I take a cut off saw and cut it off it I cant get it to stop spinning.

KidSheleen

Thanks folks. On the rears, I jacked up the rear by the frame and had the wheels hanging in air. I had one chance of getting the lower bushing on the pin. I thought I was ready and I cut the band and when the shock expanded I tried to get the lower bushing on the pin. Fail! I didn't clean the lower pin and I didn't lubricate it either. The shock was hanging by a finger nail and when I was looking for a BFH to assist on getting the lower bushing on the pin, the shock slipped and expanded. I thought WTF am I going to do now. I tried compressing the shock by hand but that was a no-go for me. So I cleaned up the pin and put dielectric grease on the pin, inside the lower bushing and on the shaft of a stout long Phillips screwdriver. I put the shaft of the screwdriver through the bushing and angled it into the threaded portion of the lower pin. I was then able to compress the shock by pressing upward on the screwdriver and slide the lower bushing onto the pin. No damage to the threads (whew). Since I learned my lesson on the passenger side I prepped the drivers side by cleaning and lubricating with dielectric grease. I cut the band and I was easily able to get the lower bushing on the pin without any fuss or drama.

The front were a little easier and I jacked up the front so that the wheels were hanging in the air but: I had to use a large pipe wrench to hold the upper outer shell of the shock to remove the old upper nut. Not a big deal once I figured that out. Another problem were the tabs on the lower control arm. The old shocks didn't have the metal sleeve in the lower bushing so the tabs were compress slightly and i couldn't get the KYB lower bushing into the tabs. After a couple of failures I was able to expand (bend) the tabs on the LCA out just enough to get the lower bushings in. After that, it was almost easy peezy. I did have to compress the lower end of the KYBs maybe 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch to get the bolt completely through the tabs and shock bushing. There is not much room to work with on the LCA and nothing is easy for me.

Three of the four shocks (Gabriel Ultra) were totally toast. I'll grease up the front end tomorrow and see how it rides.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Some times them shocks can be a bear to compress back again. Glad to hear you got it. I was surprised you had Gabriel shocks. I have seen many trucks with factory shocks still on them.

KidSheleen

I put the Gabriel shocks on. But I had to totally re due the front suspension (control arms, ball joints and etc.) because of massive rust. I think I went down to the local Auto-None and asked for shocks. They sat for awhile on the chassis while I rebuilt the front. I'm not knocking Gabriel since they took a hard couple of winters. Hopefully these KYBs will last me through ownership. Thanks...

KidSheleen

Thanks Randyman. When I looked at the Factory Service Manual it explained the positions of the plates better than the KYB instructions. But, I have no idea on how one can get 18 lbs torque on the upper nut. I left it at 12 lbs because I started to compress the rubber grommets too much. Thanks for your help

KidSheleen

Everything worked okay. Thanks for your help. I also installed the Hellwig EZ-550 springs and I torqued them down to the leaf springs. I'll probably back then off a little but the ride seems fine,