Rear suspension removal question
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
Rear suspension removal question
Ok- I have the spring, halfshafts and strut rod bracket off and am soaking the trailing arm bolts and shims with PB Blaster.
My question is: Would it be easier to I try to drive the shock mounts out before or after the trailing arms are off the car? The castle nuts on the shock mounts were pretty frozen up so I suspect the mounts will be as well. I have the shock mount removal tool and just wonder whether it may be easier with the trailing arms off the car.
Thanks in advance.
My question is: Would it be easier to I try to drive the shock mounts out before or after the trailing arms are off the car? The castle nuts on the shock mounts were pretty frozen up so I suspect the mounts will be as well. I have the shock mount removal tool and just wonder whether it may be easier with the trailing arms off the car.
Thanks in advance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 997
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From: Columbus, IN USA
Re: Rear suspension removal question (R. Bruno)
If you have a way to secure them real well you can work on it easier off the car, but I did mine on the car. If they have been on a long time they are hard to knock out by hand. Air hammer will make short work of them if you have one.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,603
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From: San Francisco, CA
Re: Rear suspension removal question (BLT-71)
Thanks LT1. They have never been off the car as near as I can tell. I have an air hammer but am not sure what you mean. Do you mean use the hammer on the shims or on the shock mount? If you used it on the shock mount, how did you do it, seems like it would slip of the end.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 6,036
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From: Westfield Indiana
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Re: Rear suspension removal question (R. Bruno)
The key is being able to keep the trailing arms from slipping as you may have to hit the mount pretty hard to remove it (with at least a 2 1/2 lb. hammer). If you don't have a good vice bolted down solidly to a work bench, you may have trouble. Mine came out fairly easy, but the vette had not been in salt, snow, or sand and had relatively few miles on it. If they don't move very easy, spray with PB Blaster and hit them back in once you get them loose. That will help to loosen them up for complete removal. Once I got mine loose, I used a "pickle fork" ball joint tool to get them out the rest of the way.
Drifting
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,478
Likes: 38
From: Long Island NY
Re: Rear suspension removal question (sharklover)
I have to replace the strut rod bushings or entire strut rod. In order to remove shock/strut mount would applying heat be of any help along with hitting with a good size hammer?? Also, in the tech section, there is a makeshift tool to remove strut mount. Nut same size as castle nut along with a bolt. Screw new nut/bolt onto strut mount and there it is.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 3,992
From: Connecticut, USA
Re: Rear suspension removal question (Vettesic)
One thing to check WHEN you get the shock support out is the bearing support. These can crack and break if you hit them hard. You can try some heat on the bearing support arms to break loose and rust but watch where you hit things with that 2 lb hammer.
Gary
Gary
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,004
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From: Severna Park Md
Re: Rear suspension removal question (Vettesic)
I knocked mine out with the trailing arm still in the car. Its pretty easy to get a good swing on em with a heavy maul. If you dont have a big vice bolted on a heavy bench, definatly do it while they are the car.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 3
From: Wildwood IL
Re: Rear suspension removal question (R. Bruno)
I just removed my struts and shock mount last weekend for a strut bushing job. I made my own mount removal tool by drilling and taping one end of a 1inch diameter hardened steel rod, about 6inches long. One end screws onto the mount about 2inches, and allows you to whack the other end. As the mount comes out, unscrew the tool a little, and whack :smash: some more. I was lucky though... :blueangel: they came out easy. :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Westfield Indiana
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Re: Rear suspension removal question (Silvr77)
unscrew the tool a little, and whack :smash: some more.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,943
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From: Wildwood IL
Re: Rear suspension removal question (sharklover)
Just don't do this with the shock removal tool that you bought as you will kill the threads on the shock mount.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
Re: Rear suspension removal question (Silvr77)
Thanks all. I got one with a lot of PB blaster a lot of wacks with a 21/2 and later a 8-10 lb. sledge hammer and a pickle fork as suggested here. Those things are really stuck but I'm getting close to getting on to the trailing arm removal. That should be really fun!!! :smash:
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,892
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From: Pettis Performance 565 with two stages of Nitrous Supply nitrous 1.082, 4.61 at 155, 7.17 at 192
Re: Rear suspension removal question (R. Bruno)
I took mine out last month. On my 32 year old car they simply would not come out. I ended up destroying them (trying to get them out) and then cutting them out. I had to buy new ones. :chevy
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,603
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From: San Francisco, CA
Re: Rear suspension removal question (69 N.O.X. RATT)
Well 69 Rat, I may be going the same route w/ one of them. Got one out but I pounded the ZIP removal tool to kingdom come- until the threads stripped out of it, and I was tightening it often. The threads on the shock mount stayed on but the inside of the "tool" is smooth as glass. :eek: Did you cut them out with a cutting tool?
