Remove aluminum 'part' in rear strut mount?

[fatak]

Remove lead 'part' in rear strut mount?

I removed my rear drivers side strut assembly today to begin installation of Tokico/Eibachs. I have read MANY posts in these forums about how to remove the top strut nut while holding the strut rod. Many posts say to use a crow's foot wrench and there is another method of using a deep 13/16" socket in combination with a 10mm - 3/8" drive socket used to hold the strut rod. I used the deep socket and 10mm socket and it worked beautifully to remove the original strut.

However, now I need to put the Tokico back in and have discovered a problem. The strut rod nut that comes with the Tokico struts is not 13/16" as original, also the top of the strut rod only has flats instead of the hex head of the originals. The 10mm socket will not fit onto the Tokico strut rod end and I cannot find a deep socket for 22mm that has flats (like a spark plug socket).

As I read more and more on this forum I noticed that many people say the crow's foot works but there is ABSOLUTELY no way it will come close
to fitting in the cavity where the nut goes. Then it occurred to me that maybe people either do not have, or have removed, the original lead part that fits between the strut mount and the strut rod nut. If I were to remove this a crows foot would fit no problem. I cannot figure any purpose that this part serves or any harm that would be done by removing it but there must be a reason it was installed. Can someone help me? What is this round lead piece for and is it safe to remove it.

Pictures

 

[shojuan]

Crow's foot worked fine for me. I never worried one second about any of this stuff you mention on removal or installation. I bought a cheap crow's foot set from autozone. Maybe some people have crows feet that are too long? Why not get a crows foot that fits before removing parts that you think are just getting in the way?

 

[pjtoledo]

It isn't aluminum,,it's lead. It's only purpose is to dampen vibrations.


Perry

 

[fatak]

The diamater of the hole that the nut fits into is approximately 1-5/16". The strut rod nut for Tokicos is 22mm. That leaves approximately 1/4" between the nut and the part for a tool to fit into. I have looked for a 22mm crowsfoot that would fit but after doing the math anything that could be found wouldn't even have a 1/4" drive because there isn't the clearance for the extension. I can't envision a 22mm crowsfoot with less than a 1/4" drive that I would trust to torque to 70 ft-lbs. If you know of one tell me where to get it. I think the answer is to replace the part with a washer as suggested here.

 

[pjtoledo]

There are two other solutions. If you have the entire strut assembly off the car use an impact wrench. Several short bursts will run that nut down, you won't even have to hold the shaft. Another option is to use a hi-offset boxed end wrench..That's what I have used, but I did have to carve some of the lead out for better angle.

Perry

 

[fatak]

Pjtoledo - you're right they are lead, guess my arms weren't too well calibrated after taking the suspension apart last weekend. This weekend was another story. All four corners are changed and I just took out the lead dampeners in the rear and replaced with the washers that come with the mounts. Just had my first ride and what a difference from the original struts with 93K on them!