Suspension / ChassisQuestions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?
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I'm new; I've got an '89 Formula with a 305 and a 5-speed; I've had it for 17 years now. It's relatively stock (Harwood cowl hood, Eibach lowered springs, Edelbrock TBS exhaust, that's about it). It's time to redo front suspension... Since I'm in there anyway, I decided to upgrade the strut mounts to the J&M ones. Therein lies my silly question. There must be a secret to getting the nut off the top of the strut other than, "use 2 wrenches to remove nut", like my Haynes manual says. Those things are on there like they're welded!! I just broke a cam-lock 10mm socket because I was using 3' breaker bars on both the nut and the strut rod, and I STILL can't get either side off. What's the secret to getting that nut off? Am I missing something? Car is still sitting on the ground at the moment; I was going to replace those 1st, then do ball-joints/etc. I wasn't planning to replace the struts, but at this rate, I'll have to junk the strut along with the stock mounts because I can't separate them...
I'm new; I've got an '89 Formula with a 305 and a 5-speed; I've had it for 17 years now. It's relatively stock (Harwood cowl hood, Eibach lowered springs, Edelbrock TBS exhaust, that's about it). It's time to redo front suspension... Since I'm in there anyway, I decided to upgrade the strut mounts to the J&M ones. Therein lies my silly question. There must be a secret to getting the nut off the top of the strut other than, "use 2 wrenches to remove nut", like my Haynes manual says. Those things are on there like they're welded!! I just broke a cam-lock 10mm socket because I was using 3' breaker bars on both the nut and the strut rod, and I STILL can't get either side off. What's the secret to getting that nut off? Am I missing something? Car is still sitting on the ground at the moment; I was going to replace those 1st, then do ball-joints/etc. I wasn't planning to replace the struts, but at this rate, I'll have to junk the strut along with the stock mounts because I can't separate them...
im gona be installed the J&M mounts tmrw... i had trouble with my stock ones too a while back...
i would try an impact gun. use lots of penetrating lube. could even try to heat it.
depending on how the struts are ur better off upgrading them now. ive heard the J&M mounts make an insane difference and since ur gona need an alignment anyway u might as well replace everything.
get some decent struts and get your moneys worth with the other upgrades. u will notice bigger gains with new struts.
I wrote up a whole deal about making a tool, but you appear to be able to get a good grip on it. You could always try a bit of liquid heat on the nut. If you happen to have a torch handy. You'd have to be pretty carefull, but it may be possible.
I believe I used a cheater on mine when I took them loose.
I'll rewrite my speal for ya.
1. Find correct socket size for nut. Need one that can be destryoed
2. Cut closed end off socket so you just have a 6 or 12-pt ring
3. Find a piece of metal suitable for a handle(at least 6", more if you need it)
4. Weld handle to top of ring so you can get down into strut mount(I used another cheap Chinese combination wrench as a handle that was laying with my Chinese socket)
You now have a strut nut wrench. This lets you use the cheater for your 10mm Craftsman socket on the strut rod.
Thanks for all the hints guys - I'll try some of them. I started thinking along the same lines as some of you last night - just take the whole strut/strut mount out as an assembly, and replace with new struts. I guess that makes sense, given that I have a whole poly bushing/rebuild kit from PST to go in at the same time... The old strut was the one peice I was trying to re-use, and I might as well bite the bullet and buy new ones...
PB blaster is worth it's weight in gold when you get to the really tough stuff. just wait til you get to the strut to spindle bolts/ nuts! i disassembled my whole suspension without air tools. just be sure to eat an extra bowl of wheaties!
oh, and don't be shy with the PB, soak several times over a few days and you'll be suprised.
Eric B
__________________ 86 camaro, 1984 383, pro topline vortecs with all comp.components,stainless valves, scat crank,wiseco forged pistons,9.5:1,6"scat I beam 7/16" capscrew rods,comp xs282s, performer rpm, 750 proform vac sec, msd in cap coil/module, no computer,hooker coated 2460's w 6767 y pipe,AJE K-member & a arms, coil over kyb agx,700r4,pioneer shift kit,corvette servo,2600 stall,'92 disk 10 bolt,
3.42 posi, poly suspension , hotchkiss lca's,275-60/15 mt et street radials on 8" weld pro stars
what worked for me was a monkey wrench small to grip the top stud, and put a closed end wrench on the nut, its a B I, but you'll get it, Remember, Monkey wrench use PB TOO WORKS
K i just got done doing this to my car. Put a breaker bar with a 10mm socket on it to the shaft of the strut. the mounting nut take if i remember right 3/4? or something. Hold the breaker bar stiff. then take the wrench holding the retaning nut and loosin it. make sure you are doing this right for a long time i was breakin wrenchs and hurtin myself and come to find out i was tightening it so. take the breaker bar and turn it left and the wrench right? i think if that doesnt help then try something new if your are replacing the strut just cut it off. hope that helps my cars has 125,xxx miles on it
Update: I finally did it! Sort of... I tried pretty much all the advice - soaked it in PB Blaster once a day for a few days, breaker bars on both the 10mm strut rod and the 13/16" nut, tried an impact wrench... All to no avail. Wouldn't move at all, and I was starting to round the hex head off the strut.
So I cheated... I took the strut-to-spindle bolts out (much easier), and unbolted the strut mount from the wheel well, and lifted the whole assembly out, since I'm going the J&M strut mounts and new KYB AGX struts anyway. And voila! Now I'm ready to keep going.
