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Rock warrior stock bilstein shock snapped

13K views 33 replies 20 participants last post by  Ben_iv 
#1 ·
About two weeks ago I was driving thru a little mud patch for the kiddos and hit a pothole on the left side. The front dipped a little and made a sound. Didn't seem like anything. I started noticing some squeaky but still nothing big. Well today after parking the truck seemed slanted to left. Looked underneath and driver side front shock is snapped. It's too dark to take a picture but basically the skinny bottom part of shock is not there and fat part is sitting in space. (Make sense?). Anyway I'm going to make appt tomorrow and take it in.
Truck is 2011 rock warrior. I put on 3" day star spacers on front and 305/55/20 tires. I have full coverage extended warranty. The truck already blew the steering rack and was replaced under warranty. Will they fix this under warranty too? The shitty part about this is I bought a new house and am moving this weekend. Timing couldn't be worse. How long will this repair take. Thanks for info guys.
 
#2 ·
Got any pictures? Usually driving through a little mud patch with a pot hole does not snap a strut like that. What actually happened? How fast were you going? How big was the pot hole? I guess Toyota will be asking the same sort of questions.
 
#3 ·
I seriously doubt Toyota will repair it under the warranty since you have a lift.
 
#4 ·
#5 ·
26pursuit.........that is exactly what mine looks like. And according to post dirty deeds says it's common with spacers. So what advice do you all have for me?
By the way I bought the truck used certified and it came with the spacers. Does that make a difference?
 
#6 · (Edited)
It happened because you have a spacer lift which effectively lengthens the total shock length, but does not change length of wheel travel. So you tried to compress a 1.75" longer shock into a a now too short stock stroke. I did the same thing, but to both front struts when I was running a spacer lift. Assuming nothing else is bent, it is a quick repair and can be done in an hour (although the dealer will likely charge for longer). The TRD struts are a litttle over $100 each IIRC. The dealer would not honor the warranty on mine, but maybe you will have better luck. Since you are taking it in, you might as well change out both front struts with a better performing strut/coilover. The TRD struts/shocks are nothing to write home about anyway.

Good luck.

*edit: just read you bought it certified with the spacer lift. Your dealer should cover the strut as long as you are stilll under warranty.
 
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#7 ·
Yeah. I hear ya. I don't do any real off-roading and don't have the $$ to do coil over re do. So should I just trade out old with a new or go the 5100 route. Will the dealer even be able to get install 5100s? I just bought a house and REALYY need my truck right now. Uggggh!!!!
 
#13 ·
If the dealer will warranty it then just replace the one strut and deal with changing out your front suspension later when time and $$ allows. Plenty of guys run spacers on their street trucks for 10's of 1,000s of miles with no problems.

If they make you pay, I would consider at least ditching the spacers and tossing on a pair of 5100's at the top setting. You'll likely need an alignment though. Any 4WD Parts or offroad/tire shop can do it. I did both the spacer lift and then the UCA's/Coilovers in my driveway in about 2hours each.
 
#15 ·
This is why we keep saying stay away from spacers. I think it'll be tough to get it covered under warranty since you added the spacers, and that is likely reason your shock collapsed. The work to replace the coilovers themselves won't be long, its going through the extended warranty process that will take time. I would throw the spacers in the trash, and since you're on a tight budget, I would get some 5100's, or look for someone selling their stock coilovers.
 
#17 ·
Dropped it off at dealership for them to look at it tomorrow. Told them I don't know exactly when it happened but may have been a rough railroad crossing. See what happens. Hopefully warranty covers it. Sales advisor said I may have to file an insurance claim. That makes. O sense so I didn't really say anything.
 
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#18 ·
UPDATE....stealer ship gave me an estimate of $1500. Wanted to replace my entire suspension with a "toyota approved one". When I shot that idea down tried to tell me $550 to replace just broken shock. I basically told them I could get bilsteins 5100 up front on both sides for that price. He tried to tell me the Trd shock is $178 for one and install is 4 hours. After I told him to leave it alone I was going to 4 wheel parts, he called me back. Said he talked to adjuster and warranty would cover it. I have to pay $90 for the alignment. I can deal with that. Just amazing that if I didn't know my shit I may be paying $1500 right now.
 
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#23 · (Edited)
Toyota approved???!!! How was it seemed certified used without "approved" suspension then???!!! I see spacer lifts on showroom trucks at my local Toyota dealer all the time!!! This stuff makes me so mad!!! This is why I can never send my wife to the dealer for ANYTHING!

EDIT: I would get the alignment done elsewhere. I wouldn't give them a dime!
 
#21 ·
I'm going to keep suspension way it is now. Will look into 5100s down the road.
 
#24 ·
Ridiculous. Stories like this piss me off. Seems like there are so few honest dealerships out there. Sad
 
#25 ·
what a bunch of scam artists, couldn't get you for the 1,500 or the 550 so they figured 90 was better than nothing? Personally I don't think an alignment is needed when just replacing a shock but you may have thrown something out when it broke.
 
#27 ·
Yen,ah that's BS. If it is certified they should cover it or they should of removed the spacers when they certified it. The face that it went from thousands to fix to nothing just goes to show you how shady they are. Fuk that place.
 
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