CHEF_EG_1

I'm nearing completion of Project:Trailer Park.... but the goddamn frunt struts won't come off!


A friend of mine told me to put a jack under the strut assembly, undo all the bolts, and lower it down... using the car as a spring compressor. The top nut, holding the strut to the strut tower, is somehow stuck to the strut shaft. Tried breaking it free with an impact gun, and it ends up spinning the whole thing. ANd trying to get the bottom bolt of the caliper bracket? not with normal tools.... any ideas on that one?


I NEED to get these struts and springs on NOW.... but can't get them off! Any help?!

stinkfist

Are you replacing them? If so just put a pair of channel locks on the strut shaft to hold it and use the impact gun to knock it off.

Are you using a good 1/2' impact gun? thats what you need to spin the bolt faster than the shaft can turn. a cambell hausfeild won't do it. you need an Ingersol Rand or Snap On or something simular. Something with a lot of torque.

If you need too take the car up to a shop and have them loosen the nut. then hand tighten it and take it back where you need to do the work. They probably won't charge you.

Good luck,
Mike

wae

I'm not sure about removing the strut tower, however, for the calipers on my 85 -SE, I used a 14mm socket with a really long breaker bar. They came off quite easily, though, so you might check the inside of the caliper to see if the little rubber boot that goes around the thread-end of the caliper retaining bolt is damaged. If it is, there might be some buildup or corrosion that's holding the bolt in place. If you're going to replace the caliper, or re-build it, you can try to tear that boot off and put some penetrating oil in there, too.

MyRxBad

If all else fails, use (or rent) a nut splitter. SHouldn't cost you too much.

Rx7carl

Stinkfist got it right. To get the lower caliper mount bolt off, remove the rear strut to steering knuckle bolt on the bottom of the steering knuckle and loosen the front bolt. Then pivot the strut away from the caliper mount till you have enough room to get it off.