rear strut replacement
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 316
Likes: 1
rear strut replacement
I have a strut with a slight bend to it. while I'm at replacing my diff. fluid and the wheels off thought I would replace this as well. Looks easy but I Have read some real headaches getting the parts off particularly where the strut attaches to the shock mount. Also, cant get a socket on the inner strut bolt to put a breaker bar on it because the springs in the way and cant get enough leverage using a crescent which would fit (and this is the easy side from what I hear).
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 829
Likes: 131
From: Spartanburg SC
You will need to disconnect the end spring bolts and lower the leaf springs. These springs are under phenomenal pressure. You need to find some videos on YouTube showing how to do this, there are some good vids out there. You will need a 6 inch c-clamp and a block of wood. Then, remove the upper shock bolt, the lower shock bolt and get the shock off and out of the way. Now the fun begins, getting the shock mount off. Buy a couple of cans of rust penetrating oil and soak the mount every day for a week. Place the castle nut back on the mount and use a block of wood and a four pound hammer to pound out the mount. My car has spent its entire life in the south sitting in a garage, and was still very hard to get those mounts off. I know this sounds like a lot of work, but you can get everything off up to the mount in an hour. It's the mount that is so difficult. Might as well put new shocks on while you're at it. Oh yeah, before disconnecting the other end of the strut rod, mark the orientation of the camber bolt for re-assembly. You'll still need to get an alignment.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,539
Likes: 1,972
From: Temple Terrace Florida
Strut
There is a tool that you can buy for about $15 to $20 that screws on to the shock mount. The tool allows you to really smack the shock mount with a 5 lbs. hammer. If you hit the mount and nut and ruin the threads, you will be buying a new mount. I agree with the above about soaking the parts in Liquid Wrench or Bead Blaster days in advance to ease things along. Jerry
Drifting
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,542
Likes: 43
From: Plano TX
Keep in mind if you can't drive the shock mount out then cut through it beside the strut rod bushing (both sides). Bushing will be trashed anyway and remainder of mount will be rusted in bushing center tube.
Hope you don't have to do this but it works.
Hope you don't have to do this but it works.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 54
Likes: 2
From: Milwaukee WI
At ~$30 per shock mount this isn't the best option, but for me, it was the only option.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 232
Likes: 2
From: Langley B.C Canada
I have a strut with a slight bend to it. while I'm at replacing my diff. fluid and the wheels off thought I would replace this as well. Looks easy but I Have read some real headaches getting the parts off particularly where the strut attaches to the shock mount. Also, cant get a socket on the inner strut bolt to put a breaker bar on it because the springs in the way and cant get enough leverage using a crescent which would fit (and this is the easy side from what I hear).
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
There is a kit you can buy from napa for removing and installing harmonic balancers, foe engines, and that tool will thread straight on.
The trick is, once the tool is threaded on, you need to put a heavy object, like brake rotor or some heavy chunk of metal, on the back side of the ears, before! you pound the shock mount off. This allows the ears to not absorb any shock from when you strike it. If you do it this way, it protects the ears from breaking, and you don't loose any impact through the chassis or control arm, once struck, and use a good size sledge hammer. Don't strike it with ought a heavy weighted chunk on steel, on the opposite side. Trust me, works every time..
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
[/QUOTE]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 19
To the OP, if you're referring to the horizontal strut rods that control rear camber, this could be a big job. People bend those on purpose to get the camber correct. Usually due to worn side axles in the diff..
Your strut replacement could easily turn into a whole rear end build.
Your strut replacement could easily turn into a whole rear end build.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,451
Likes: 974
From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN
You don't need to cut nothing!, with the right tools, and some penetrating fluid, it comes out real easy if you use the right tools. I have a video on how to remove them, I have done it a few times now, never had a problem.
There is a kit you can buy from napa for removing and installing harmonic balancers, foe engines, and that tool will thread straight on.
The trick is, once the tool is threaded on, you need to put a heavy object, like brake rotor or some heavy chunk of metal, on the back side of the ears, before! you pound the shock mount off. This allows the ears to not absorb any shock from when you strike it. If you do it this way, it protects the ears from breaking, and you don't loose any impact through the chassis or control arm, once struck, and use a good size sledge hammer. Don't strike it with ought a heavy weighted chunk on steel, on the opposite side. Trust me, works every time..
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
There is a kit you can buy from napa for removing and installing harmonic balancers, foe engines, and that tool will thread straight on.
The trick is, once the tool is threaded on, you need to put a heavy object, like brake rotor or some heavy chunk of metal, on the back side of the ears, before! you pound the shock mount off. This allows the ears to not absorb any shock from when you strike it. If you do it this way, it protects the ears from breaking, and you don't loose any impact through the chassis or control arm, once struck, and use a good size sledge hammer. Don't strike it with ought a heavy weighted chunk on steel, on the opposite side. Trust me, works every time..
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
Correct! you do not need to cut anything...what you do need is patience, a little ingenuity, penetrating oil, the correct tools and the shocks and struts can be removed without destroying the mount....Replacing the struts is really not that bad a job...if you know what you are doing. Place a floor jack under the end of the spring on the side you are working on to relieve the spring pressure...make sure the jack cannot slip off the spring end. If you are replacing the stock type struts, do yourself a favor and use adjustable struts which deletes the camber plate and bolt for a solid mount (BTW OEM struts are weak and can bend from road hazards and do flex under load)...the actual strut rod or even better, competition adjustable struts with heim joint ends....these are the best. I have had the comp heim adjustable struts for years and they are so much better than OEM struts...stronger, Adjustable, NO BUSHINGS to flex which creates unwanted rear suspension movement...the rear feels solid and planted just driving down the road or carving up the twisties..little to no deteriotaion in ride quality as well.
Last edited by jb78L-82; Mar 20, 2015 at 09:13 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 316
Likes: 1
Where can I view the video?
[/QUOTE]
You don't need to cut nothing!, with the right tools, and some penetrating fluid, it comes out real easy if you use the right tools. I have a video on how to remove them, I have done it a few times now, never had a problem.
There is a kit you can buy from napa for removing and installing harmonic balancers, foe engines, and that tool will thread straight on.
The trick is, once the tool is threaded on, you need to put a heavy object, like brake rotor or some heavy chunk of metal, on the back side of the ears, before! you pound the shock mount off. This allows the ears to not absorb any shock from when you strike it. If you do it this way, it protects the ears from breaking, and you don't loose any impact through the chassis or control arm, once struck, and use a good size sledge hammer. Don't strike it with ought a heavy weighted chunk on steel, on the opposite side. Trust me, works every time..
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
There is a kit you can buy from napa for removing and installing harmonic balancers, foe engines, and that tool will thread straight on.
The trick is, once the tool is threaded on, you need to put a heavy object, like brake rotor or some heavy chunk of metal, on the back side of the ears, before! you pound the shock mount off. This allows the ears to not absorb any shock from when you strike it. If you do it this way, it protects the ears from breaking, and you don't loose any impact through the chassis or control arm, once struck, and use a good size sledge hammer. Don't strike it with ought a heavy weighted chunk on steel, on the opposite side. Trust me, works every time..
Any suggestions on this job or should I leave well enough alone?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Shock mounts are a complete roll of the dice when it comes to removal. Over the years I have seen everything from "the mount came right off" to "wouldn't come off with a sledge hammer". The latter was my experience.
If you need a tool to hit the mount you can by a pipe cap (5/8" NPT maybe) at the hardware store for a couple of $.
I got 1 of my shock mounts off but bent it. I sawed the other one apart and sent both trailing arms to Van Steel in exchange for rebuilt units.
Rick B.
If you need a tool to hit the mount you can by a pipe cap (5/8" NPT maybe) at the hardware store for a couple of $.
I got 1 of my shock mounts off but bent it. I sawed the other one apart and sent both trailing arms to Van Steel in exchange for rebuilt units.
Rick B.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
My tip: Put a C-Clamp on the arms from the bearing housing. That way you won't spread them as you drive the shock mount out. The housing is cast iron and I wouldn't want to chance snapping one of the arms off.