Shock Tech

[Bastek]

The bigger problem is knowing what valving you have to begin with and adjusting around that. We're still kinda figuring it out here and what works for one person won't necessarily work for someone else because we all have different builds, weights, and wheeling preferences.

That being said, call the manufacturer direct (dunno what you're running) and talk with someone specifically about tuning. Tell them what you have on the vehicle, what type of wheeling (fast, slow, crawling) what you want the shock to be capable of handling, and go from there. Buy the shim stacks, seal kits, and oil (I haven't used more than a gallon on 4 2.5 w/ resi shocks) and find someone local to do the rebuild and throw the new stacks in.

Yup, would be good to know what valving we're sporting right now, unfortunately we didn't check it last year.

 

[Stairgod]

View attachment 77804

Yup, would be good to know what valving we're sporting right now, unfortunately we didn't check it last year.

You have stock replacement Kings on the rear?
My 12" at least had the valving on the tag.

 

[Bastek]

You have stock replacement Kings on the rear?
My 12" at least had the valving on the tag.

Yes, stock replacement edit Adjustable
When suspension was getting done, I didn't want to cut up a new truck, so I didn't listen to (your) advice about 12" shocks.
And due to circumstances, they'll have to stay for now (another rebuild first).

 

[Arcticelf]

Yes, stock replacement.
When suspension was getting done, I didn't want to cut up a new truck, so I didn't listen to (your) advice about 12" shocks.
And due to circumstances, they'll have to stay for now (another rebuild first).

I listed the rear valving i did for my truck in one of my build threads. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[4runner DOA]

View attachment 77804

Yup, would be good to know what valving we're sporting right now, unfortunately we didn't check it last year.

I can tell you what we did to @Itaro truck, but are you running a steel rear bumper with swing out, full size spare 35" tire, RTT, bed rack, heavy leafs, and a fully loaded bed when you go out? Front steel bumper and steel skid plates?

See the point? He hasn't had it out in dirt yet either so we're not even sure if it's a good tune yet. He says it feels better at the mall when he's smashing those speed bumps, but not every mall has the same size bumps either.

Edit: Call king and ask for advice. I'm sure there's a standard tune in every off the shelf shock. Johnston's shocks were used and it looked like the previous owner had already attempted to tune it some as the shims weren't the norm. You can buy the shims and everything you need from them at the same time.

 

[Arcticelf]

I can tell you what we did to @Itaro truck, but are you running a steel rear bumper with swing out, full size spare 35" tire, RTT, bed rack, heavy leafs, and a fully loaded bed when you go out? Front steel bumper and steel skid plates?

See the point? He hasn't had it out in dirt yet either so we're not even sure if it's a good tune yet. He says it feels better at the mall when he's smashing those speed bumps, but not every mall has the same size bumps either.

Edit: Call king and ask for advice. I'm sure there's a standard tune in every off the shelf shock. Johnston's shocks were used and it looked like the previous owner had already attempted to tune it some as the shims weren't the norm. You can buy the shims and everything you need from them at the same time.

I did 20/08 with a single flutter in my rear shocks. What did you guys come up with?

 

[Bastek]

Somehow I've managed to fuck up my previous response. It didn't post last night from the 'puter, I posted a saved draft this am from mobile. Was missing a few things. Anyways

I can tell you what we did to @Itaro truck, but are you running a steel rear bumper with swing out, full size spare 35" tire, RTT, bed rack, heavy leafs, and a fully loaded bed when you go out? Front steel bumper and steel skid plates?

See the point? He hasn't had it out in dirt yet either so we're not even sure if it's a good tune yet. He says it feels better at the mall when he's smashing those speed bumps, but not every mall has the same size bumps either.

Edit: Call king and ask for advice. I'm sure there's a standard tune in every off the shelf shock. Johnston's shocks were used and it looked like the previous owner had already attempted to tune it some as the shims weren't the norm. You can buy the shims and everything you need from them at the same time.

As similar my turd gen might be to @Itaro's truck, they're not the same. With my fat ass in driver seat (fridge, Waterport, solar and awning removed for winter) , my Taco weights 6320... On 33s...

And yes, I do appreciate your and @Stairgod'S sound advice about calling King (and Filthy) to find out more info about valving and tuning, and paying them for their knowledge.

 

[4runner DOA]

I did 20/08 with a single flutter in my rear shocks. What did you guys come up with?

I'll see if I can find my notes. We ended up changing the rebound stacks on front and rear and I added a screw on each rear shock to close 1 bypass hole.

 

[Arcticelf]

I'll see if I can find my notes. We ended up changing the rebound stacks on front and rear and I added a screw on each rear shock to close 1 bypass hole.

I haven't fucked around with front valving yet, the setup I had was a double flutter and two or three thickness of shims. Whatever King puts in the taco OEM replacement, I was going to do a shock valving trip to play with it but never got 'round to it.

 

[Itaro]

Tuning@kingshocks.com

Send them an email. Tell them what you have (truck specs, which shocks/stacks you’re running) what stuff you have that weighs your truck down, and what you’re noticing when you drive and they’ll get back to you. Might take a few days. I went down to the HQ and explained what was happening (rear end bucking) and I think I went to 18 stacks.

 

[4runner DOA]

Tuning@kingshocks.com

Send them an email. Tell them what you have (truck specs, which shocks/stacks you’re running) what stuff you have that weighs your truck down, and what you’re noticing when you drive and they’ll get back to you. Might take a few days. I went down to the HQ and explained what was happening (rear end bucking) and I think I went to 18 stacks.

Pretty sure. Think the invoice is still on the bench in the garage.

 

[Bastek]

Tuning@kingshocks.com

Send them an email. Tell them what you have (truck specs, which shocks/stacks you’re running) what stuff you have that weighs your truck down, and what you’re noticing when you drive and they’ll get back to you. Might take a few days. I went down to the HQ and explained what was happening (rear end bucking) and I think I went to 18 stacks.

Thanks for that

 

[Itaro]

Thanks for that

No problem. Also maybe use a sharpie or whatever to mark orientation of parts so you the hoses don’t need to be adjusted on the vehicle like this


Also maybe ask king for stickers so you don’t need to replace them on the resis for things like this:


Better yet just really pay attention to detail:

 

[Dan H]

All sorts of fuckery going on there. Good job fucking with people's ocd.

 

[Bastek]

No problem. Also maybe use a sharpie or whatever to mark orientation of parts so you the hoses don’t need to be adjusted on the vehicle like this
View attachment 77809

Also maybe ask king for stickers so you don’t need to replace them on the resis for things like this:
View attachment 77810

Better yet just really pay attention to detail:
View attachment 77811View attachment 77812

This Is Awesome!!!

 

[Itaro]

This Is Awesome!!!

It’s why I can’t go overlanding now. All the cool kids will make fun of me. Not as much teasing as having ADS but still

 

[4runner DOA]

All sorts of fuckery going on there. Good job fucking with people's ocd.

There was a lot going on. Between taking the shocks completely apart to replace multiple parts, to waiting weeks for the body's to come back to me, to the rush job to put them back together for an upcoming trip while swamped with work and being exhausted. Yeah, mistakes happen. Typical rebuild isn't that intensive. But the labor was free so you get what you pay for sometimes.

 

[Bastek]

Anyone knows what's the length of a shaft in King 25001-121 shocks? (Tacoma rear OE shock)

 

[Itaro]

 

[Itaro]