Suspension and Chassis Questions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?

top strut plate removal

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Old 11-29-2009, 01:02 PM
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Car: 1984 chevy camaro
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top strut plate removal

hey guys im redoing my engine compartment, and i wanna remove the plate in the engine bay that the struts on. how do i remove that plate? i see three bolts. will that remove the plate?
Old 11-29-2009, 03:15 PM
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Re: top strut plate removal

Depending on how long you will have the plates off you will either have to compress and remove the coil springs or place a jack under the control arms for some time while you do the work. After you decide which one you will do the next few steps are easy..
1. Remove cover from upper strut mount.
2. Use 2 wrenches to remove the nut on the strut.
3. Remove 3 nuts which you had referred to. ( take off plate and retaining bracket)

Thats it. 1 thing you have to remember is that you are going to have to either scribe around the strut mount (before you remove it) or put it back on and have a shop get it to its original mount location.. Seeing as you want to redo the engine bay im assuming you will paint, so if you scribe it you might not see your marks once painted unless the scribes are really deep..
Old 11-29-2009, 05:10 PM
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Re: top strut plate removal

im thinking of taking them off sandblasting em, painting them aluminum and reinstalling. if i prload it with a jack would it be alright that way?
Old 11-29-2009, 05:55 PM
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Re: top strut plate removal

If the engine is still in the car you could do that, if its not i would compress the springs and pull them so your not jacking the control arms up and lifting the car off the stands and possibly risking dropping the car if for what ever reason the jack(s) gives way and the car falls and doesnt drop on the stand right. Its more your preference, whatever you feel comfortable with. Id compress the springs regardless (my preference). Just remember you have to get those mounts lined up to where they are currently.
Old 11-30-2009, 06:48 AM
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Re: top strut plate removal

Originally Posted by billybob6110
im thinking of taking them off sandblasting em, painting them aluminum and reinstalling.
If the OE mounts have never been swapped out (they'd be 25 years old or so), you might consider purchasing new. Should you come to that decision, you'll need new retainers as well:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...elp-quick.html

JamesC

Last edited by JamesC; 11-30-2009 at 06:52 AM.
Old 11-30-2009, 08:38 AM
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Re: top strut plate removal

Sedond that, I'd go with new. There's a rubber bushing inside that will wear and fail.

I've swapped them out before without compressing the spring, body not jacked up, resting on suspension. Done it with engine in and engine out. Had to use a jack to lift the body slightly to re-install but 99% of the upwards pressure on the mount is from the strut charge (strut wanting to extend) not spring pressure.
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