Help with shock mount and strut rod removal
04-13-2004, 06:38 PM
#1
Heel & Toe
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Help with shock mount and strut rod removal
I started redoing my rear suspension yesterday what a pita this car wasnt taken care of and its only got 66000 miles on it but everything is rusted on it! I have a asymetrical lift, so car is in the air and thats a plus. I have been soaking everything with kroil and thats helped but the shock mounts dont want to let go Can i heat those? i put the solid nut on them and have been beating them with a brass hammer but no progress so far i dont know how hard i can hit them without doing more damage. They are still connected to trailing arm on car :smash: Also my side yokes move in and out between eighth and quarter inch is this to much & is there a way to tighten them? any ideas or tips would be helpful Thanks DRM78 :confused:
04-13-2004, 06:53 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
Re: Help with shock mount and strut rod removal (drm78)
OK - been there ... so my sympathies.
The yokes are pretty worn. Are they close to rubbing the dust shields on the
differential when in all the way? No adjusting .... gotta replace them.
An air hammer might have better luck on the knocker, but be careful
not to wack it too hard and break the bearing carrier arms that it goes through.
The shock mounts have likely rusted firmly onto the inner steel sleeve
of the strut rod bushing. Here is what I did ... opting to replace the strut
rods with adjustable ones from Vette Brakes and Products:
Using a air cutoff tool or 4" angle grinder, cut the area of the strut rod that
retains the bushing. Cut one side and pry the steel back, so that you can get
the end of the rod off of the bushing. Next, cut away all the rubber - revealing
the inner steel sleeve. Now, go in and slowly grind away at the length of the
sleeve until you have just cut through the length of the sleeve. Pry this off
with a couple big screwdrivers and/or vicegrips. Your shock mount should
come right out now with the knocker.
When you put it all back together, use liberal amounts of grease or anti-seize
compound between the bushing and shock mount.
:seeya
The yokes are pretty worn. Are they close to rubbing the dust shields on the
differential when in all the way? No adjusting .... gotta replace them.
An air hammer might have better luck on the knocker, but be careful
not to wack it too hard and break the bearing carrier arms that it goes through.
The shock mounts have likely rusted firmly onto the inner steel sleeve
of the strut rod bushing. Here is what I did ... opting to replace the strut
rods with adjustable ones from Vette Brakes and Products:
Using a air cutoff tool or 4" angle grinder, cut the area of the strut rod that
retains the bushing. Cut one side and pry the steel back, so that you can get
the end of the rod off of the bushing. Next, cut away all the rubber - revealing
the inner steel sleeve. Now, go in and slowly grind away at the length of the
sleeve until you have just cut through the length of the sleeve. Pry this off
with a couple big screwdrivers and/or vicegrips. Your shock mount should
come right out now with the knocker.
When you put it all back together, use liberal amounts of grease or anti-seize
compound between the bushing and shock mount.
:seeya
04-14-2004, 09:47 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Re: Help with shock mount and strut rod removal (NHvette)
Alternatively... if you want to save the existing strut rods.... cut the shock support with a sawzall if you don't have a torch.
If it's stuck that hard due to rust, it's probably rusted pretty bad and needs replacement anyways. The shock supports tend to rust pretty nasty under the strut bushing inner sleeve. Then, even with new struts/bushings, the clearance between the support and the bushing is excessive.
Price both the replacement strut rods and the shock support before hand to see what kind of cost is involved. This might determine which route you take. Both approaches are valid.
I soak them repeatedly and then try the tool. I use a small hand sledge, not a brass hammer. If that doesn't work, I use a oxy/acetylene torch and burn out the bushing, and heat up the sleeve until it yells uncle. You can get replacement bushings for the strut.
The shock support is also serrated to prevent rotating, and is a press fit in the spindle support.... so even when it's not severely rusted, it can be difficult to remove. As posted above... the ears on the spindle support WILL snap off if you man-handle them too hard.
If it's stuck that hard due to rust, it's probably rusted pretty bad and needs replacement anyways. The shock supports tend to rust pretty nasty under the strut bushing inner sleeve. Then, even with new struts/bushings, the clearance between the support and the bushing is excessive.
Price both the replacement strut rods and the shock support before hand to see what kind of cost is involved. This might determine which route you take. Both approaches are valid.
I soak them repeatedly and then try the tool. I use a small hand sledge, not a brass hammer. If that doesn't work, I use a oxy/acetylene torch and burn out the bushing, and heat up the sleeve until it yells uncle. You can get replacement bushings for the strut.
The shock support is also serrated to prevent rotating, and is a press fit in the spindle support.... so even when it's not severely rusted, it can be difficult to remove. As posted above... the ears on the spindle support WILL snap off if you man-handle them too hard.
