Need help with strut/sping installation ASAP please!

[92ShoOff]

Okay so today started day 1 of my Intrax/Tokico installation. I have all of the parts... the struts, springs, bearings and the dust boots. The adjustable control arms and H-brace are on the way (just so you know that I realize I'll need other control arms for this install). Well after a **** of a time I finally got the right rear strut out and now I evidently need to swap out a few things off the old setup to use on my new setup. There's some sort of insulator/bushing (made of metal or aluminum) between the top strut nut and the strut bearing. I have a set of spring compressors hooked up to the spring right now and can't seem to figure out how to get the strut nut off... I turn the nut and the piston rod turns with it. I read somewhere in the Chilton's manual that I need to use a 10mm wrench to hold some other nut in place while I remove the top strut nut. Where's this nut??? Do I need to compress this spring down REALLY far to where I can drop the lower the bearing downward and get access to this 10mm nut? If not, how do you hold the strut piston in place while removing the strut nut?

I also happened to break the bolt head right off the pinch bolt on the left rear strut. Tried drilling it out already and no luck. Has this happened to anyone else, and if so, how did you end up getting the strut out? I don't want to have to replace the whole knuckle to do get this done!!

And lastly, how important is it that I replace the pinch bolts and the 3 nuts used for mounting the bearing to the strut tower?? I really don't see why you'd need to replace those 3 nuts, but I'm sure there might be a reason for replacing the pinch bolts. I'm going to have to make a run to AutoZone and order some parts here tonight so is there anything else I'll absolutely need to replace? Any help you all can give is as always, really appreciated!!

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[gomac1]

Been there, done that. A MAJOR pain. Broke the bolt and spent the next several days fixing it. First, went to Sears Hardware. Got a cobalt drill bit (sorry don't recall the size), and a 12mmX1.75 tap. Drilled the **** out of it, got the strut off, drilled a LOT more, and tapped it. I had already purchased new pinch bolts so I was all set right? Wrong. Had the same problem taking the strut apart. Back to Sears. Got a 13/16 spark plug socket (1/2in drive), brought it home and drilled (yes more drilling) out the square end until I could fit a thin walled deep 10mm (I think) socket through the hole. Now I could get a wrench on both bolts and it came apart easily! You can be sure I took a lot more time and care (oil and MAPP gas) to remove the pinch bolt on the other side! Now I'm about to attack the front struts... can't wait. Good Luck!

 

[Ishodu]

If you don't need to save the struts you can hold the shaft through the coils with a pair of vice grip or a pipe wrench. The top of the shaft is a hex. Your supposed to hold it there and turn the other nut not so easy sometimes. But if you take a 1/4 drive 10mm socket place it on there now put a 13/16 spark plug socket over it you can take a 1/4 inch extension and put it inside the 13/16 socket and hold that. Then take a wrench and turn the 13/16 socket on the top hex section. Like gomac said. As for the pinch bolt you can try to drill it out best way its to drill it to just about where the threads are then stop and drill from the other side. If you lucky it will catch and turn out. If not just drill it all out and use a bolt and a nut. Replacing the top nuts is just good practice its not required.

 

[92ShoOff]

Wow Gomac..... I sure as **** hope I don't ebd up needing to drill as much as you did. I think my dad has a set of cobalt bits, so I'm surely going to give that a try. Since I'll be swapping out the control arms I figure it'll be easier to to just disconnect everything and bring the strut and spindle up on my work bench and try to drill it out there.

Hopefully I also have a shallow well 1/4" drive 10mm socket with a thin enough wall to fit inside of a 13/16" socket. I have everything else, so hopefully I have the right 10mm. But I do understand exactly what you're saying Ishodu (nice name btw haha) and I'll give that a try tomorrow. Wouldn't have figured that one out on my own. But I did already get the pinch bolt out on the other side with a LOT of trouble. I used a big 1/2" ratchet with a 2.5' pipe and that bolt creaked it's way out after a while. That thing was SOOO stubborn until it was about half-way out. I just don't see how I'm going to get another bolt back in there without all that same trouble.

And what's this MAP gas everyone speaks of?? Sorry for the ignorance... just never seen this stuff before, I don't think. I should've thought of using the propane torch for all this.... probably wouldn't have ripped that pinch bolt head off. :cry: Well hopefully I can at least get the rear back together tomorrow or maybe even get close to completing the rear. I can't thank you guys enough for your help! And if anyone else comes across this post and has any other tips to throw in, please do!

THANKS!

 

[HerbieTheMisfit]

MAPP gas looks just like the little blue propane cylinders you buy for your torch - only they are yellow. MAPP gas burns hotter and is therefore better for loosening those stubborn pinch bolts.

When I broke one of mine off, I too drilled it out with a cobalt bit (3/8" I believe), and then just ran a Grade 8 bolt all the way thru and put a lock washer and nut (both Grade 8 of course) on the other side. Much easier than tapping. I know others have done this as well.

Jim

 

[luigisho]

The 10mm wrench is not for a nut but for the top of the strut shaft. It has a hex shape. You use an open ended wrench or crows foot socket on the strut mount nut while keeping the shaft of the strut from spinning using the 10mm wrench.

 

[92ShoOff]

So to the hardware store I go tomorrow. Luckily, I work at Lowe's. 10% of all merchandise I just hope we have cobalt bits in the Tools section! I know we have those little yellow bottles in there.

So yes, I do have the tools needed to remove the strut nut on my old setup. My 10mm fits just fine inside of my 13/16" spark plug socket. So that's what I'll tackle first thing tomorrow is getting that nut off. Only thing is that the Tokico piston rods don't use a hex-shaped head... but I'm sure I can use a crow's foot for the strut nut and hold the piston in place with whatever size wrench fits the end of the piston.

Well thanks guys!