Mikey Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Ok, so here is my problem... The rear strut bolt, the one that is a part of the shock that holds the uppper mount in place is either stripped of the flat side or the strut mount is. When i try to losen the top nut the strut mount stays still and the shock is moving.. ♥♥♥♥ i hate the ignorant people who owned this car.. I need some ideas on how to get this thing out... Ive got the car on jack stands and it needs to be moved by morning. Its in the way.. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Impact gun. If you don't have one go to your local equipment rental and rent one. They have electric ones too if you don't have an air compressor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Impact gun. If you don't have one go to your local equipment rental and rent one. They have electric ones too if you don't have an air compressor. thats what i was thinking. Ill have to remove the whole strut assembly, cv shaft and all, witch i know is going to be a pain in the ass as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 It has nothing to do with who owned it before you. This is very common and as said earlier, the impact wrench will take care of it. If you could somehow grip the rod (do not scratch or gouge it), it won't take much grip to get the nut to release even without the impact wrench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Like everyone else has said, an impact gun makes easy work of it. I seem to remember something in the Tokico instructions saying not to use one on their shocks though. Depending on how long it has been assembled, I've had decent luck using cheap Northern Tool strap wrenches to hold the shock rod. If you're replacing them anyway, just use the impact and save the frustration for something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 It has nothing to do with who owned it before you. This is very common and as said earlier, the impact wrench will take care of it. If you could somehow grip the rod (do not scratch or gouge it), it won't take much grip to get the nut to release even without the impact wrench. Why im mad at the people who owned it before me is because they have ruined many things on this car already, all of the wheel studs had 150 pitch nuts on them on the 125 studs, so those were screwed. They tightened the oil filter so tight that i had to rip the outside of the filter apart using the screwdriver method for an hour. They stripped the oil pan drain plug so much that it was nearly round, i had to take my grinder and cut 2 sides down so i could slip a cresent wrench on it... And the strut mounts are brand new, or at least they look it, and the drivers side was unbelievably tight, with it bolted to the shock tower, i had my half inch ratchet on it with a 2 foot long pipe as a cheater bar and my friend helping pull, still took us multiple tries to get the thing to give.. Yeah so im not mad at them that its spinning, that they over tightened it and thats why i can get it lose without the impact gun, ive tried wrapping the shock with a old piece of inner tube and using curved lock jaw pliers to hold it but it just cant take the amount of torque that i need to remove it.. So ill be taking out the whole assembly and taking it to a shop today... Ill take pics of what the shaft looks like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver280zx Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Did you happen to try taking them off when the car had wieght on the strut? When i did my suspension, i loosened the nut before i lifted teh car off the ground, just kinda to breeak it loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver280zx Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Sorry my b, didnt read all the post. Thats good that you got it spinning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 uh, thats the problem... The shock is spinning with the nut.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I seem to remember something in the Tokico instructions saying not to use one on their shocks though. I can't really speak for Tokico, but knowing someone who put a 1/2" impact on their Illuminas and pulled the top of the shock right off overtightening it, I'm thinking they are warning against tightening the nut with the impact rather than loosening with the impact. I can't recall the torque spec for the bolt, but it should be something like 30 ft/lbs which is hard to do with a 1/2" impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Ok need help again... The bottom of the a-arm, the stud that goes through it... I know the center has that locking nut but i thought the bolt was supposed to come out.. Thats what im looking at... Should i just knock the thing out? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Do a search for 'spindle pin' - things are about to get fun Ok need help again... The bottom of the a-arm, the stud that goes through it... I know the center has that locking nut but i thought the bolt was supposed to come out.. Thats what im looking at... Should i just knock the thing out? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete280z Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Oops. heh... Considering I probably read that in the installation instructions, I'd bet you're right. I can't really speak for Tokico, but knowing someone who put a 1/2" impact on their Illuminas and pulled the top of the shock right off overtightening it, I'm thinking they are warning against tightening the nut with the impact rather than loosening with the impact. I can't recall the torque spec for the bolt, but it should be something like 30 ft/lbs which is hard to do with a 1/2" impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Yeah i read about them F@k that. I just took out the other end of the a arm. ITZ OUT! friggen finally. Do a search for 'spindle pin' - things are about to get fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Kinda like watching your own offspring explore and discover the challenges of life. :biggrin: :biggrin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 You really don't need to pull the arms at all if you're just changing the struts. Just disconnect the swaybars, brake lines, and driveshafts, lean the struts out from under the fenders and put your spring compressor on it right there. Too late for you, but hopefully somebody else will see this and save themselves some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 You really don't need to pull the arms at all if you're just changing the struts. Just disconnect the swaybars, brake lines, and driveshafts, lean the struts out from under the fenders and put your spring compressor on it right there. Too late for you, but hopefully somebody else will see this and save themselves some time. thats what i did on the drivers side.. I know better.. Just that right rear was a terror. So i took the ends of the a arms out and dropped the whole thing. Brought it to my familys shop and went and spun it off with the impact gun. The damn nut they put on the top was standard. Terrific. So i put a new nut on it and put it back together. Put her all back together and back down to earth.. YAY Few hard days worth, well done. Till next time z car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Unless you are done with the entire car may I say, easy there! YOUR car is yours and I understand you now love it. With that said, this is only the start and you may be flamming out too soon. Great car, it needs to feel your love and leave its past behind;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 Unless you are done with the entire car may I say, easy there! YOUR car is yours and I understand you now love it. With that said, this is only the start and you may be flamming out too soon. Great car, it needs to feel your love and leave its past behind;) Yeah, but flamming makes me feel better. Im sure im going to run into 20 other things that are going to piss me off because of ignorance or something. Just it feels good to yell in a direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 O.k. I see your point, just don't want you to burn out, or track down the previous owners and ............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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