[hrd.rok]

I need someones eyes who can tell me the proper top of strut arrangement is...

In a nutshell, had my FJ into local Chrysler dealer (small town, service options limited) for various items (front crank seal again, drive shafts) and got quoted on installing Bilstein ride heights and rears that i had purchased seperately and opted not to have them install the shocks but did however have then in the back of truck,

When picking up, they opted to install struts, and managed to install at stock so i have a beauty 3 inch rake, and somehow the strut installation is just not right. It is going back to get the struts set to the correct height and i want to ensure that all is good

The driver side now sits about 1 inch below the passenger side, the top nut in the strut is sitting about 3/4 inch above the bushing.

The previous shock had also punched through on same side to be above the bushing so these may have been installed incorrectly earlier when i got a set of trd bilsteins installed 5 years back. Or the bushing disintegrated.

So can someone tell me what the "order" and specific pieces would be above the shock boot?

Input greatly appreciated

what i can see from bottom to top is

Boot
inside coil
inside bearing seat

washer
bushing
washer
nut​

I've seen reference to this else where that it should be

boot
washer
bushing
bearing seat

bushing
washer
nut​

Does this sound correct?

Any input greatly appreciated

 

[Geosh]

I need someones eyes who can tell me the proper top of strut arrangement is...

In a nutshell, had my FJ into local Chrysler dealer (small town, service options limited) for various items (front crank seal again, drive shafts) and got quoted on installing Bilstein ride heights and rears that i had purchased seperately and opted not to have them install the shocks but did however have then in the back of truck,

When picking up, they opted to install struts, and managed to install at stock so i have a beauty 3 inch rake, and somehow the strut installation is just not right. It is going back to get the struts set to the correct height and i want to ensure that all is good

The driver side now sits about 1 inch below the passenger side, the top nut in the strut is sitting about 3/4 inch above the bushing.

The previous shock had also punched through on same side to be above the bushing so these may have been installed incorrectly earlier when i got a set of trd bilsteins installed 5 years back. Or the bushing disintegrated.

So can someone tell me what the "order" and specific pieces would be above the shock boot?

Input greatly appreciated

what i can see from bottom to top is

Boot
inside coil
inside bearing seat

washer
bushing
washer
nut​

I've seen reference to this else where that it should be

boot
washer
bushing
bearing seat

bushing
washer
nut​

Does this sound correct?

Any input greatly appreciated

Yeah, it looks like you have both washers on top of the top mount, and a missing bushing... maybe it is inside the upper spring mount where it is supposed to be? If the washer isn't on the bottom of that bushing, that would cause this issue.

Top to bottom:
Nut
Washer
Bushing (small)
Upper Spring Perch / Mount
Bushing
Washer - stops on step on shock shaft

However, that shouldn't change your ride height. Make sure they put the springs on the right side of the truck too. The OEM coils are side specific and one is a little longer. I'd bet they got them backwards.

On my 07:
Yellow/Green = Drivers Side
Grey/Green = Passengers Side

I think the newer models use:
Purple/Orange = Passengers
Purple/Grey = Drivers

 

[hrd.rok]

thank you, will check coils, i love the internet....

 

[robhawkyyz]

a Chrysler dealer to do struts, they should be capable and do a lot on their own cars to know that isn't right... washer and maybe bushing missing from under mount.

 

[hrd.rok]

well, it was put back together correctly.... with washers and bushings in correct place, and lo and behold, shocks are doing something after all...

 

[FJtest]

(snip)

In a nutshell, had my FJ into local Chrysler dealer (small town, service options limited) for various items (front crank seal again, drive shafts) (big snip)

Not to disrupt the shock install story, but I'm curious about your multiple crankshaft oil seal failures.

Some questions:
1. What year is your FJ?
2. At what mileage did the original crank seal fail?
3. What was the failure mode? (very slow seep, mild dripping, or ??)
4. Was the second seal an OEM Toyota part?
5. Was the second seal installed by a Toyota dealership?
6. How many miles of service did you get out of the second seal?
7. What was the failure mode of the second oil seal?
8. Is your FJ subjected to unusual conditions that would tend to accelerate seal failure, like frequent driving through mud deep enough to submerge the nose of the crank?

Any details are appreciated.

 

[hrd.rok]

Not to disrupt the shock install story, but I'm curious about your multiple crankshaft oil seal failures.

Some questions:
1. What year is your FJ?
2. At what mileage did the original crank seal fail?
3. What was the failure mode? (very slow seep, mild dripping, or ??)
4. Was the second seal an OEM Toyota part?
5. Was the second seal installed by a Toyota dealership?
6. How many miles of service did you get out of the second seal?
7. What was the failure mode of the second oil seal?
8. Is your FJ subjected to unusual conditions that would tend to accelerate seal failure, like frequent driving through mud deep enough to submerge the nose of the crank?

Any details are appreciated.

1 - 07
2 - 200000km
3 - slow, ignored, to 1litre/day
4 - OEM yes
5 - Psuedo toyota deakership
6 - 20,000 km
7 - same as first
8 - WHY YES it is

Live at 60deg Nlat, first failed in year of steady -35-40c for 4 weeks, no block heater, driven daily
second failed under same conditions only marginally warmer winter, -30-35c

 

[FJtest]

1 - 07
2 - 200000km
3 - slow, ignored, to 1litre/day
4 - OEM yes
5 - Psuedo toyota deakership
6 - 20,000 km
7 - same as first
8 - WHY YES it is

Live at 60deg Nlat, first failed in year of steady -35-40c for 4 weeks, no block heater, driven daily
second failed under same conditions only marginally warmer winter, -30-35c

Thanks for the additional info. Failure of original seal at 125K miles is not unreasonable if the external crank/seal area is subject to mud & grit.

The second failure at less than 15K miles means something else is going on that accelerated the seal failure, possibly a pitted/worn area on the crank where the lip of the seal contacts it.

I'm assuming that your crankcase breather system is in good condition.

The 1L/day leakrate + the cold weather thing hints that your crankcase breather may be getting blocked with ice from water condensing from blowby gases. At those extremely low temperatures, moisture condensation in the crankcase could be a big problem.

It would interesting to know what temperature the engine oil reaches during "normal" driving at -40C.

When removing the oil filler cap during the low temp conditions, do you ever remember seeing white oil/water emulsion condensed on the inside of the cap?