You have GOT to be kidding me -- Shocking!

[Steve Foss]

Our 92 Toyota 4Runner has been bouncing really hard the last month or so in the front, so I ordered new shocks.

Went to shoot penetrating oil on the mounts so I can remove them easier later today, and what did I find? The two front shocks had broken off near the bottom mounts. The bolts were still there through the bottom mounts on the frame, but the shocks were simply hanging from the upper mounts with five inches of dead air between what was left of the shocks and the bottom mounts.

These shocks were only two years old, and we never beat up this vehicle. Not top end shocks, not bargain basement shocks, middle of the road shocks.

What the he!!?

[jltimm]

So the ride should be much improved with the new shock install! Defective shocks maybe, or is the wife beating on that rig? That is strange to me?

[Macgyver55]

Were they for sure the correct shocks when installed? Is there any type of lift installed on the vehicle? Usually the only thing you see that breaks off shocks at the ends is incorrect shocks (too short) or if a lift was installed without using longer shocks or shock extenders. (Or that vehicle is seeing some air time)

Just for the fun of it when you remove the old ones, extend them out and see if they match the new ones or not.

[Steve Foss]

No lift, same size shocks new and old, and there's a lot of room for both extension and contraction. Go figure. Hmm, maybe the wife's been doing a lot more 4-wheeling than I know about.

Hey, on the bright side I thought we were going to have to spring for a set of four, instead of just the fronts, and my labor time just got cut in half. Only 9 a.m. and the job is done. Helps to get up at 6 a.m.

[Shack]

Could have been road salt and rust? All it takes is one particular situation and snap-ooweie. The front-end is where the this would happen, as is take the brunt of all impacts.

I thought at first it was the mounting studs that broke, but I read ya loud and clear now. Cool it came out very easy for ya Steve !

Feels good to be done early and have it solved, does it not?

[Jeremy airjer W]

Gabriel shocks? Just a hunch.

You might be surprised at the cost of O.E. shocks from the dealer. When I replaced the shocks on the tacoma The dealer was less than the aftermarket. That trip to the big city would probably do you some good anyways!

[Steve Foss]

These were whatever house brand Napa sells. I only had them on two years. They cost about $25 each to replace. Not the best shocks, but I didn't expect them to break after two years, either. Just a surprise, not a big deal.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Hmmmm Napa response shock. Should be made by monroe. Should be a two year warranty on them also, If you have the reciept?

[Steve Foss]

That's what the guy at the store asked me, too, when I told him I bought them there. Unfortunately . . . no.

[Steve Foss]

Jer, I gotta thank you. After you mentioned Monroe and the warranty, I checked with my wife. She still has some receipts from purchases made 15 years ago, and sure enough, she had the receipt.

From March 16, 2007, one month after the warranty went off. But I took them and the receipt to Napa anyway and explained the 4Runner had been bouncing like that since Christmas and I'd just assumed it needed new shocks, not that warrantied shocks had broken. He couldn't give me a refund under the warranty category, but he put the old broken shocks in the new boxes and logged them under defective products, so we got our money back.

And of course the muffler had been full of holes this last month, so I used the money to buy a new muffler, which I installed earlier this afternoon.

No bounce, no noise. Sometimes the car gods smile on a guy.

[jltimm]

Good to here everything went well! Now tell the wife to take it easy on that thing!

[Jeremy airjer W]

Excellent!

[deadeye]

Ely roads/salt will do that to a car! I lived there for 4 years and I ate up 3 sets of shocks while I did. The oem's gave out on a unexpected ice heave jump on B-side and the rest were toast (leaking oil) from the miles of logging roads when I was heading out to lake x or too a trail hunting. I cant say that I ever broke them off like that but I have seen it happen.

Glad to see they took care of you at Napa, Steve. I always liked to [PoorWordUsage] with those guys when I had to pick something up. They always took care of me, especially considering the lack of funds while going to school.