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Need some help. Getting to the top mount bolt on drivers frontside is difficult. Is there a technique to remove the top eye mounting bolt/nut without removing the steering linkage? It looks like the steering wheel can be positioned every 90 degrees for a little more clearance but is that enough?
2018 G63 - installing Fox 2.0s, stock springs and HR 31mm spacers.
I found the Fox shocks at $300 a wheel shipped so I went ahead and bought them but hadn’t looked at the install first 😒
I had the same issue when installing the Fox shocks on front driver's side and had my friend who was mechanic at Toyota do it instead. After watching him it was pretty simple. Later I got OME lift springs and removed the shock and installed it myself and it was really easy once you get the hang of it. Mine is a 2002 G500 but it might be little different on your 18 G63.
One thing you will need to do is remove the steering linkage that is held with the single bolt and its the only way to get enough clearance to unbolt the nut holding the top of the shocks. Now that I've done it couple times, I can swap out the shock on this side in about 15 mins. Also it helps to unbolt the 2 nuts holding the bracket for the AC line that's right above the shock bolt. this gives you more room to access the rear of the bolt holding the bolt to the top of the shock.
Looks like you are doing the same as what I did to my G500 with the Fox 2.0s and HR 31mm spacers except I went with 50mm ARB-OME springs. After installing the springs, my BFGoodridge K02 265/60/18 tires look really small now but I'm planning on going up to 35/12.5/18 later. But I'm loving the added height and trucks looks so much nicer now. I get a ton of compliments from people all the time even though my truck is 17 years old. Downside is with my surfboard roof rack, I only have about 1" clearance from entrance to my garage.
Yes that single bolt in blue is removed so you can get enough room to access the nut holding the bolt to top of the shock. Once remove just slide that piece up and away, at first it will not seem to move but grab the top piece and push toward car and its kind of flexible and will slide back.
As for the 2 bolts in red, yours is a G63 so its a little different than my G500 but if its holding the AC line to the right in place then it might be the same. On my vehicle, the 2 bolts are sitting below and to the side on top of each other. With this remove then I had more room to access the rear of the bolt to remove the shock. You will need a wrench to hold the bolt as you unbolt the nut from the front since it will spin free when you try to loosen.
So I’ve had the Fox shocks for over 1000 miles now along with RudgeGrappler 285/50-20s. I have adjusted the shocks to the midpoint setting at four on each corner. The overall ride is fantastic compared to the original Bilsteins the G63’s came with. I would go so far as to say that I can wholeheartedly recommend this shock change to anyone who is remotely considering it.
Riding across bumps has lost the sharp thud feeling of the original shocks. With the the Foxes adjusted to mid setting the ride is much milder and I haven’t seen any particular loss of what little cornering the G63’s has to begin with. I’ve only been on mild dirt/chip rock surfaces so. I comment there.
I don’t have many original pics but in this one the wheel and tire can be seen tucked under the vehicle
Very nice.
So the original springs are still on correct?
Did the Fox shocks raised the height of the vehicle?
Any weird side effects from the spacers installed ?
Original springs are still on at this point. I don’t see a need for me to put on a new set at this time. My general off road time is on graded roads pulling a trailer with atvs. All I really need is a good tread for light mud.
The ride height is the same with the Fox shocks. I forgot to measure the before and after height but it doesn’t seem any different to me.
Driving with the spacers feels more solid than without. The extra several inches per side may only be a perception vs a reality but I like the spacers on. Obviously the intent is to allow larger width tires etc but the cornering stability is enhanced IMO.
Great to know.
Was concern that spacers may introduce other issues and may be a weak link since these wagons are so heavy.
How or why you decided 31mm? It depends on width of tires you want to install? I have read some used other sizes as well.
Thanks
Original springs are still on at this point. I don’t see a need for me to put on a new set at this time. My general off road time is on graded roads pulling a trailer with atvs. All I really need is a good tread for light mud.
The ride height is the same with the Fox shocks. I forgot to measure the before and after height but it doesn’t seem any different to me.
Driving with the spacers feels more solid than without. The extra several inches per side may only be a perception vs a reality but I like the spacers on. Obviously the intent is to allow larger width tires etc but the cornering stability is enhanced IMO.
2018 G63 - installing Fox 2.0s, stock springs and HR 31mm spacers.
Are your Fox Shocks the 2.0 with the external reservoirs? I have just lifted mine with Thor Springs and installed the Fox Shock 2.0 with external reservoirs . I love the ride the new shocks provide, but I am going to remove the Thor Springs and put my AMG springs back on. From reading your posts it sounds like the Fox Shocks will work with the stock G63 AMG springs.
The H&R spacers come with the proper length of hardened bolts that you need. It’s literally as easy as taking the wheels off, torque the bolts holding the spacer to the hub, then remount the wheel.
The Fox shocks did not lift the G. The dampening effect can of course be adjusted with the knob on the shock. Because the G springs are progressive they actually ride very well. Play with the dampening effect of the adjustable shock to find the best ride for you. I softened mine up quite a bit. Where before the ride would be stiff and jarring when hitting a pothole or expansion joint it’s now a softer bump. It is still a bump of course but just not as severe. I would do the install again as fast as I could order the shocks.
Fox says to do an alignment after install but I did not. I even switched tires and added the spacers but it has proven unnecessary to do an alignment.
There are so many good choices on shocks available for the G. Glad to hear your route was a good experience and also looks nice.
Still debating which brand and model is best for my situation.
I don’t plan on doing any off-roading but definitely would like to improve the ride quality and handling if possible.
Do do you also have the delayed throttle response from a complete stop? That is definitely an annoying and potentially dangerous situation to be in for sure.
The H&R spacers come with the proper length of hardened bolts that you need. It’s literally as easy as taking the wheels off, torque the bolts holding the spacer to the hub, then remount the wheel.
Right now my front right wheel rubs a little on my external reservoir on my fox shock. I am considering installing those wheel spacers, but I am concern about a wheel falling off while going down the highway because of them. This will be my first experience with wheel spacers and I have heard mixed reviews. Do you have to tighten the bolts every xxx miles? Where did you order yours from and do you use your existing bolts? Thanks
Old school wheel spacers were literally just that. A round piece of metal of varying thickness that slipped over existing studs. When the wheel was placed and it’s tightened down there was no thought given to the amount of threads lost to the thickness of the spacer. In addition the torque values were not proper as well as the compression of the aluminum spacer would not allow proper torque measurement.
I used HR spacers. These are a billet spacer with what looks like helocoiled threading to receive the studs used to mount the wheel. HR also includes a set of hardened mounting studs. The HR studs are used to mount the billet spacer to the GWagon hub and are torqued to the original values set by MB. They will not come off. When the wheel is remounted you use your original studs to then bolt the wheel to the spacer. Again you use original torque values.
From an engineering point of view view the greatest negative is that the moment arm of the wheel leverage is changed. This allows greater side load to be put on the wheel bearings and may cause premature failure.
For me this was such a small amount of an issue that I didn’t care. The leverage change IMO is so small that I cannot imagine the bearing load is affected. You of course will have to judge this for yourself. It is worth noting that when larger tires and heavier wheels are out on any OEM system that the load measurements change. I’m not aware of any great issues out there that have been caused by this.
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