Stripped Front, Lower Shock Mount Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 2
From: Houston TX
Stripped Front, Lower Shock Mount Question
So I'm changing the shocks on the '73 this morning.
Rears were a little challenging but I got them swapped out. Fronts came out with no problems.
I was pleased with myself in using a length of yarn tied to the top of the front shock post to pull it up through the upper hole. Top nut tightened with no problem. First bottom bolt tightened with no problem.
2nd bottom bolt tighted up just fine but right as I snugged it one last time, I felt the sickening reduction of pressure indicating the hole was stripped out (or on its way there).
At some point before I die I plan to upgrade the springs but I'm not ready for that.
Questions:
1. What is on the inside of the arm? Welded nut? Nothing but just a plate or something with a threaded hole? I can't see it.
2. Options are to (i) let it ride, (ii) drill it out and re-thread the hole to take a bigger bolt or (ii) maybe something like a heli-coil.
I realize all of these are not perfect but I'm not ready at this point to take the front end apart.
Any thoughts? Also, does someone have a picture of the inside of the lower arm?
Thank you.
LarMan
Houston, TX
Rears were a little challenging but I got them swapped out. Fronts came out with no problems.
I was pleased with myself in using a length of yarn tied to the top of the front shock post to pull it up through the upper hole. Top nut tightened with no problem. First bottom bolt tightened with no problem.
2nd bottom bolt tighted up just fine but right as I snugged it one last time, I felt the sickening reduction of pressure indicating the hole was stripped out (or on its way there).
At some point before I die I plan to upgrade the springs but I'm not ready for that.
Questions:
1. What is on the inside of the arm? Welded nut? Nothing but just a plate or something with a threaded hole? I can't see it.
2. Options are to (i) let it ride, (ii) drill it out and re-thread the hole to take a bigger bolt or (ii) maybe something like a heli-coil.
I realize all of these are not perfect but I'm not ready at this point to take the front end apart.
Any thoughts? Also, does someone have a picture of the inside of the lower arm?
Thank you.
LarMan
Houston, TX
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,301
Likes: 4,389
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi LM,
There's 2 welded in place nuts in the spring seat of the lower a-arm for the shock absorber bolts.
You can certain use a slightly longer bolt to go through the stripped weld nut to an additional nut.
The access to the nut isn't a snap but you should be able to get it into place.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
The nuts are square as most (maybe all?) welded nuts are.
There's 2 welded in place nuts in the spring seat of the lower a-arm for the shock absorber bolts.
You can certain use a slightly longer bolt to go through the stripped weld nut to an additional nut.
The access to the nut isn't a snap but you should be able to get it into place.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
The nuts are square as most (maybe all?) welded nuts are.
Last edited by Alan 71; Apr 10, 2015 at 03:08 PM.
