I've done my lift on my 4Runner all but installing the rear shocks which I had planned out and was going to start today until I ran into a small bump in the road.

As everyone that has installed these shocks knows, they do not fit on the rear axle right out of the box. I'm just curious how you guys tackled this problem.

My idea was to get new sleeves, which I did at Lowe's. They measure 3/4"ID x 1"OD x 2"L. I cut them down to fit the length of the stud that the shocks mount on 1 1/2". Pressed the entire bushing out of the shock to get an idea of how much rubber will be left after drilling it out. To my surprise very little at all. Such a small amount that I'm not sure that I could even drill them out without ruining them.

Now to my thought as to opions:

1. Weld the new metal sleeves in and have no bushing. The thought is that these just pivot and I'd still have the rubber bushings at the top of the shocks.

2. Use no metal sleeve at all (I'm guessing that this is what most did) and drill the rubber bushing on the bottom mount out to 3/4" (the size of the stud that it mounts to).

3. Take the rubber bushings out of the bottom mount. Use the sleeves that I baught and use polyurethane around them. I can coat the sleeve with urethane, slide it in, clean up the excess and let it set-up.

What did you guys do and what is the best option in you opinion. Thanks for all the input.

 

Take some poly 5/8" Rancho bushings ream them out with a dremel get them really hot slide them on. That's what I did to fit my bushings.

 

If they are the rubber bushings, do what I always do. Pry the bushing out of the eye. Then cut it in half at the narrow part in the middle. Then, install one half of the bushing, then the shock, then the other half and tighten it down. This doesn't work with poly bushings though, they are a bear to get out and then not flexible enough to fit over the shock stud anyway.

 

New bushings are really cheap, otherwise I would consider pulling the sleeve and just putting the bolt in.