dillo

The rear driver side shock on my 2006 IS250 is leaking. When replacing the shock do I need to replace them in pairs or can I just replace the one that is leaking? Also will the car need to be realigned? Thank you.

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

You really don't need to, but like tires it is best to replace in pairs. An alignment is suggested whenever replacing a suspension component, but not 100% necessary.

GL!

GreyHound

iTrader: (1)

I have a IS350 and this is the second pair of Tokico that have come up lame on the rear. First set of rear shocks went south at 7300-7500 miles, in less than a year of owning the car.
Now at 37 k and some change, driver side rear leaking. Annoyed
I just took out the trunk lining and can see the top of the shocks.
Any special spring compressor I need,size?
Is that a torx head on top of the shocks? Looks like a you need a Allen bit with a torx hear on it to get the big nut off the shock.
Maybe I will run to NAPA and see what kind of spring compressors they have.
This looks like a tedious job.
thanks

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

^If you have a Harbor Freight in town, you can get a set of spring compressors for <$20. Yeah, the top more than likely needs an Allen key. But your best bet is hitting it with an impact gun.

GreyHound

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Gville, unfortunately the harbor freight and Northern tool, is about an hour away from me.
So I went over to O'Reillys. They had a set of spring compressors for $42 bucks,, so I bought them.
The Allen key I needed (metric) was in a set, so I went to Lowes and picked up a individual Kobalt brand for $5, 6mm 3/8 drive.
Think I am set now. I may start on it in the morning. See if I can get one done before work, maybe? I am pretty optimistic on this. There is no rust, car hasn't been in the snow. I have been blasting the bolts on the lower Control arm with PB-Blaster. Hope they come off with little fuss.
wish me luck.
thanks!

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

^If you don't already, get a torch. A simple $20 propane torch will be ALOT of help. I needed this past weekend to break my UCAs loose!

GreyHound

iTrader: (1)

Well, I got one on by 9:30 am, so I was 30 minutes late to work. LOL Interesting part, the small bolt for the sensor & sway bar on the driver side, I took the bolt out and used painters tape to hold the sensor arm, Didn't turn on the car at all while working on it so no codes. I think getting the trunk liners were harder to get out than putting the shock on.

For the shock bolt and the lower control arm bolt, you just need to get half inch drive socket and ratchet. I could not budge it at all with the smaller 3/8 inch drive. Needed more leverage.
used the original bump stop on the shock.
Think about the Spring, is it suppose to end on the bottom in front of the axle or behind the axle? right now it is ending on the bottom behind the axle.
I seem to think I read somewhere on here that the spring has to set a special way?
I will look to see if I can find that post
I have to travel for my job tomorrow, so I won't get to work on it until sunday when I get back home.
thanks!

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

Yeah, there's a set place on both the lower and upper perches of the shock to "seat" the spring against. Otherwise you might get the "clunk" noise that so many folks talk about when turning and such.