Toyota Front Bump Stops Installation & Review

Improve Driver Control, Towing Performance & Enjoy a Better Ride

There’s no denying that some parts of our trucks should have been built differently from the start—and by differently, I mean upgraded or more durable. But we all know some corners have been cut.

For example, the front and rear bump stops are almost useless when it comes to comfort. The OEM ones are incredibly small, and the material they’re made of isn’t ideal for absorbing road forces. There have been many instances where I’ve bottomed out—and as many of you know, it’s not a great feeling. To smooth out your ride, you can upgrade your front coilovers, but at the end of the day, whenever you hit serious bumps, you’ll still want the assistance of upgraded front bump stops to complement your suspension.

The easiest remedy for a rough ride is to upgrade your current setup with heavy-duty bump stops that improve ride comfort, reduce harsh rebounds, and enhance overall control—especially under load or while towing.

These upgraded bump stops are compatible with a wide range of Toyota and Lexus models, including the 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Tacoma, Tundra, Land Cruiser, Hilux, and various Lexus SUVs.

 

Installation

 

Installation Overview

For this install, you don’t need much to get the job done — just a few basic tools and some elbow grease. However, I have to mention that in my experience, things didn’t go exactly as planned.

Both of the old bolts snapped while I was trying to remove them, which led to a few hours of figuring out how to get those broken bolts out without drilling through the entire surface. Thankfully, after some research, I came across a tool that made stuck bolt removal surprisingly easy — a screw/bolt extractor.

If you’ve never seen one in action, it basically lets one screw pull out another, and it worked like magic. This was my first time using it, and I’d highly recommend having one on hand — it saved me a ton of frustration.

As for why the old bolts broke, my best guess is that it was a combination of built-up pressure and corrosion over time, especially since I live in a harsher climate. Whatever the case, just know that if your old bolts break, it’s not the end of the world — there’s always a way to fix it.

Tools & Materials

• 3-Ton Jack

• Jack Stands

• PB Blaster (optional)

• Adjustable Wrench (optional)

• Mechanic’s Tool Kit (17mm or 11/16 wrench)

• Screw Extractor (a must if your screw breaks)

• Right Angle Drill Attachment (a must if your screw breaks and you don’t want to remove your lower control arm)

Let’s get to the install!

 

Step 1. Lift Truck & Remove Wheels

First things first, you don’t need to jack up and remove the tires from your truck to get this install done, but it is recommended if you want to have the most room possible to fit those large channel lock pliers that will assist in removing your old ones.

 

Step 2. Place Jack Stands & Locate

 

Once you get the truck jacked up with the tires removed, place the jack stands somewhere stable before you go under your vehicle.

Then proceed to locate the old bump stops which are behind your front CV axle. 

 

Step 3. Remove OEM Bumps

 

 

After having the truck lifted and checking your work area to make sure it’s safe, go ahead and get your large channel lock pliers and place them on the top steel part so that you have a solid grip on it.

The reason why you want to do this is that it becomes difficult to get a hold on the urethane foam part as it compresses, the harder you press on it, so I found it easier to just place the pliers on the upper steel part of it.

Once you get ahold, start unscrewing it.

 

Step 4. Prepare FRONT AIR Kit

Now for the Easiest Part of the Install

Once you’ve removed the old bump stops, you’re ready to start prepping your new set for installation.

Before mounting the new bump stops, make sure to apply a bit of threadlocker on the screws. This will help keep them secure and prevent them from loosening over time due to vibrations and road impact.

 

Step 5. Install New Bumps

 

After applying the threadlocker, you’re ready to install your new bump stops. Start by screwing them in by hand until they feel snug and properly seated.

Note: Your kit includes a 17mm nut and washer, which are provided in case your old screw bracket breaks — something that happened in my case as well. It’s a small but useful backup, so be prepared for that possibility during your install.

 

Step 6. Admire Your Work

 

Now that you have the front air springs installed, take your truck for a trial run around the block.

Then go ahead and grab a cold one, because you earned it!

 

Installation Tips

What to Do If the Old Bolt Breaks

This was the point in the install where things got tricky for me — the factory bolt snapped as I was trying to remove it. Since my Toyota is a few years old, it’s likely that the bolt had become tighter or rusted over time, which made removal much harder.

My advice is to spray some WD-40 or PB Blaster to help loosen up the old bolt and make removal smoother. Still, no matter what method you use, these bolts can sometimes break during removal, so it’s best to be prepared in case the same thing happens to you.

 

Removing a Broken Bolt

To start, I used a right-angle drill set since it’s nearly impossible to fit a regular drill in that tight space without dropping the lower control arm. Using this setup saved me from having to remove the control arm — and from needing another alignment afterward.

I used a drill bit with a similar diameter to the bump stop screw and began drilling into the broken bolt. Once I had a clean hole, I grabbed the screw extractor, started by hand-tightening it, and then used an adjustable wrench to drive it deeper into the snapped bolt. After the extractor got a solid grip, it started unthreading — and just like that, the broken bolt came right out!

 

Final Thoughts

 

What I thought would be a quick 30-minute install ended up taking hours. I definitely wasn’t expecting the old bump stop bolts to break and get stuck during removal — that turned into the biggest obstacle of the whole process. Since I wasn’t prepared for it, I had to take extra time to figure out how to remove the broken bolts without drilling new holes or lowering the control arm.

I hope this guide helps you be better prepared and know what to expect if things don’t go exactly as planned during your own install. It might have been a hassle, but it was absolutely worth it — the ride quality improvement was noticeable right away after hitting the first bump with the new bump stops installed.

If you have any questions about this install or want to share your experience, feel free to reach out — I’d be happy to help. Cheers!