Hello,
Following my Haynes book,
I removed the old Shocks, and installed the Bilstein ones on my 96 4runner.
WHen you tighten the top bolt of the shock to the truck, how tight did you all make yours, and how did you tighten them.

AFter hand tighening the shock for awhile, Holding a wrench on the top bolt, I noticed that the shock simply turns, without further tighening the top bolt.

Is this normal?

Also, how would you ever remove the shock now?
If you try to hold the bolt on top and turn the shock, I doubt the screw would loosen, the shock would only twist around!

 

I use large vice-grips made for pipes to hold onto the actual shock itself.
If you try that, make sure it's loose enough to not dent the shock, and tight enough to keep it from moving anywhere.

 

I talked to Bilstein (great service!)
and they said that on the top of the shock itself, there is a 6mm allen key that you hold in place, then use another 17mm wrench to tighten the nut down.

I've been driving on it, but haven't had the tools to do this yet, to further tighen the nut...

Anyone else done this on their installation?

 

I just installed my rear OME's today actually. I just held the shock with one hand, and used to other to tighten the top nut. Took a bit of muscle, but it worked just fine.

I would like to say, the passenger side top shock mount on the 2nd gens are a PITA to get at. I swore quite a bit doing that one.

 

On the bilsteins, there is no metal shock boot (like on the Toyota OEM type] It's a rubber boot. So, if you turn the shock arm (the bottom) it turns freely and you can't tighten it any more... The OEM metal shock boot IS fused to the main top part, so turning that Does screw in the nut.

I'd try to make sure that your hand tightening is enough. It took a lot more than hand grip to take OFF the OEM shock on my 4Runner...

 

I just replaced my rear bilsteins yesterday with OME. I wasted alot of time trying to get the bilsteins off. We tried everything we could to keep the shaft from spinning but it was just not happening. I tried a small strap wrench, we even made a special bushing to grab hold, and then I just went to vice grips and those wouldn't even hold it. I tried the allen wrench thing but there is just no room even with my 1" body lift. Finally I had to waste the perfectly good pair of Bilsteins and grind a flat spot on the shaft so that the vice grips would get a hold of it. I don't recommend Bilsteins to anyone who wants to eventually remove them.

 

I will be going back under there in a few days and seeing if it loosened any. I think it should be fine though.