Sounds to me like the shock is to long for the application, and when you hit
a hard bump the shock bottomed out so bad that the force was moved to the
bolt,which caused it to break. I went to install shocks on my 02 4x4 and the
damn things were to long,heck i could not even get hem on, and truck was
resting at normal. so i gave up and wait for another brand, the ones i tried
were Rancho. If the bolt keeps coming out why not get a bolt that is longer
in length and install a lock washer and nut behind it also.
----- Original Message -----
From: Vic <ib4x4@satx.rr.com>
To: DML <dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 5:49 PM
Subject: DML: lower shock bolt problem
>
> I installed Trailmaster Invader N7 shocks on my truck last September.
About
> a month ago, I noticed the truck getting noisey over bumps. When I got
> under the truck, I found the lower bolts for the front shocks were a
little
> loose, so I snugged them down. A week later the truck got noisey again
and
> I found that the front driver's side lower shock bolt had sheared in half,
> it was a very clean break. Half of it was still sitting in the shock and
> the other half in the lower control arm. So I removed it and ordered
> another from the dealer. I got the new one in and put some thread lock
when
> installing it. Today I got under the truck again because the noise was
back
> and the bolt was gone. This time it must have worked itself all the way
> out. The driver's side bolt is OK so far, but the shock on that side
leaked
> fluid after 2 months, so it was replaced. When I got under the truck
again
> last month, the same side was leaking fluid again, so it was replacemed a
> second time.
>
> I used the thread lock that says you can remove the bolt with 'regular'
> tools. They had some stronger stuff that said 'special' tools need to
> remove the bolt. I think I will go with this stronger threadlock, but
> wanted to know if this is really permanent, or if I would still be able to
> get the bolt off with a breaker bar or impact if I needed to get it off.
> Also, could my problems loosing and breaking the driver's side shock bolt
be
> due to the shocks, maybe they are too stiff, wrong size, etc. ? Any other
> ideas?
>
> My truck is an '01 Quad Cab 4x4.
>
>
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