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Toytec Shackle Install - Please Help!

11K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  blizz86  
#1 ·
All right guys. I need some help. I've done quite a bit of searching and research, and I can't find the answer to my question. When you buy the shackles from Toytec, you can buy the additional poly bushings. Are these bushings to replace the factory upper frame bushings, or the leaf spring eyelet bushings? Toytec ships them with the bushings on the upper frame bolt. Due to this, when I had the dealer install them, he installed them in the frame (vice the leaf spring), and based on my research I believe that to be incorrect????

The rear left has been squeaking badly since install, so I took it apart and greased it up which helped for about a week. In my research today it dawned on me that they may have replaced the incorrect bushing.

Please lend me any insight you may have! This is driving me nuts!

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Those go inside the leaf spring. The frame ones are already poly. You have to take it all apart and put the bushings in the proper place. Then use a white lithium grease everywhere in those things. I would suggest keeping the bolts slightly loose until everything is on the ground. Then tighten. It was squeaking because it was too tight or using wrong/ not enough grease.
 
#3 ·
Crap! That's what I thought, but I was hoping I was wrong. Probably should have known something was wrong when I took them off the first time to lube them and basically had to beat the shackles off with a hammer to get them off the upper bushings that the dealer installed vice installing them in the leaf like they should have. Seems you can't trust anybody to do a job right these days. Probably going to have to buy the bushings again as they have sustained some damage.
 
#4 ·
Just put a Jack on the frame forward of the wheel and Raise it until the tire is off the ground. Shouldn't be too hard to come out. Then use a bottle jack under the leaf spring to get the eyelets to line up again. You can do one side at a time this way. I had to grease mine again due to squeeks and did it this way.
 
#5 ·
What a cluster. Just removed the Toytec shackles and put the factory ones back on. I don't remember exactly what they looked like new, but I think the top of the shackles were bent inward on the install. Not sure if that's due to them installing the bushings in the frame instead of the leaf spring eyelet. As you can see from some photos I'm going to post, all the bushings were destroyed. In addition, you'll be able to see that where the lips of the bushings broke, the shackle rubbed on the bare steel of the frame and ground into it (see the wear mark on the top of the shackle inside edge). Not sure if I want to try to reinstall these things or not....
 
#7 ·
Unfortunately those shackles are toast. I suppose you could try to bend them back, but I would make the shop buy you a new set.
 
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#8 ·
I assume they didn't come with instructions? If they did and the shop didn't follow them, you certainly deserve a new set.
 
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#9 ·
Yeah, pretty frustrating. Thought by going to the dealer I would get the job done correctly. Turns out I was mistaken. What's worse is that when they installed them, they put a scratch in my driver's side rear door. Pretty small in size, but disturbing on what was a pristine truck.

What do you think caused all the damage? Was it likely using power tools that over-torqued the bolts and destroyed the bushings? I'm not sure I completely trust these shackles as you can see in the bushing where one of the shackle height adjustment bolt holes gets impressed in the bushing pretty good (which may contribute to the rim failing??). Has anyone who has had these taken them off, and if so, did they look a lot less screwed up than mine?
 
#11 ·
I would be livid if that happened to my truck. No excuses for the absolutely poor job they did on the install and they scratched your truck on top of it! I'd be getting all of my money back and I would absolutely have them take the scratch out as well, at the very least.

After that, I would calm down and probably be a little more forgiving. I would do what any good Christian would do, light them on fire and send them to hell. :runinafire:
 
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#12 ·
I installed the Toytec shackles and front Bilsteins myself because I don't trust anyone to touch my truck. I put the lower bolt on backwards and it rubbed my oversized spare. So just yesterday I turned the bolt around and retorqued everything to 75ft/lb. My shackles are not bent like yours. I'd order a new set from Toytec, install them yourself, and make those a$$clowns reimburse you. I installed mine without even removing the rear wheels (for safety), I just jacked up the rear at the hitch. Good luck.
 
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#13 ·
Yeah, I don't know if they lubed the bushings or not. The squeaking was probably due to the metal on metal of the shackle scraping the frame. The scratch really did bother me, but it is very small. I think it would probably be way overkill to have to spray the entire cabside of the truck to fix and blend it in. They did give me a paint pen (hell of a dealership, right?). I definitely included all that on my toyota dealer survey, but now wish I could fill it out again to include that they destroyed all these parts. Really hope they didn't screw any of the Bilstein stuff up front. I'm not good with conflict so I'll probably attribute this to the cost of an education.