sldrozd

I have a 2006 gx470 and have recently had the front shock/strut break just above the lower bolt at the lower a arm. Have not done any harsh driving. Anyone else have this problem or know what causes it?

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

how many miles and how old is the shock. thats the weakest part of the shock for sure as it looks like a thin rod used to raise the height of the shock, but not sure how common it is. if it happens it probably happens to the 4runners more as they are harder on the truck and there are alot more of them out there.
I know its common for one of the front lower diff brackets or mounts to break, I had read about it online and when checking my dealer records my GX had it replaced at some point. maybe if that was missed it could add extra stress not really sure but the mechanic looking at the vehicle would be in the best position to answer the cause.

Jacket

Did it crack on a weld seam, or somewhere else in the eyelet or shaft body? Was the body of the shock rusty or corroded in any way?

Like Ali said, the lower mount is pretty weak, and I cracked an OME shock in a similar location on my old Tacoma. It would seem unusual to have one crack during normal street driving, but maybe you hit a pothole or curb in such a way that it was just enough force to crack.

sldrozd

Thanks for the replies. 110k miles. The left one broke about 3 months ago, same place, in the small shaft portion near the weld, but not at the weld. That broke in a benign way, front sagged on that side, resting on the rubber bumpers. It broke while traveling 15 mph on a smooth street. The right one just broke, same location but it shifted aft and was seriously wedged against the half axle. That God i was going very slow. If it broke on the freeway like that, it could have been very dangerous. Seems like a design flaw. It broke on me up in the bristlecone forest at 10000 ft elevation the sierras on a smooth road 30 miles from hiway 395. AAA came to the rescue with Mr Ks auto in bishop. They came up the hill with a flatbed and took us back down the mountain. Lesson learned, i should have replaced both when one broke.

sldrozd

No corrosion either. Undercarriage is pristine. Its a california concrete queen!

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

almost makes me want to take it to a shop and have them weld some gussets on the bottom of the front shocks now.

Rz500

I'm still trying to figure out how these could possibly break in the first place?? Any sort of heavy impact of the wheel would be absorbed through the lower control arm. To break the shock you would need to hit shock body directly or massively over extend it? Seems more like a manufacturing issue to me?