Good news: got new struts/shocks & rear hatch shocks.

Good /Bad: While attempting to remove the driver side strut, noticed a break fluid leak in the line. better to find now than when driving.
Bad/Good: The spindle showed scoring marks on it, so new bearings & seals all around. Black grease didn't help anything either.

Bad: How the h ell do you remove those damned lower bolts on the struts?

The big nut on the top of the strut was no match for the electric impact gun . When the nut was removed, the strut retracted on its owned fully. at least the rotor can be turned.

 

GEt a breaker bar and a pipe. Not to long or you may not have enough room.

Don't heave on it. Use steady presure. it will take a few moments but the bolt will start to come lose.

Use the new uper nut that comes with the struts. do not use the old one.

Make sure you tourqe all nuts to the proper spec. First tourque to 60 or 90 Ftlbs. then torque to spec.

 

found out things work better when using the correct tool for the job. i.e 24mm socket insted of 15/16 & vise grips & hammer. Surprisingly the nut wsn't rounded out more :lala:

also got new bearings & seals, grease. ball joints are next, fun loooking @ the haynes

 

Glad to hear they came off okay. 200 ft/lbs of torque is a pain to break free, eh? I love having a socket that fits snugly on a nut/bolt head... compared to the wrecked sockets I used to have! Balljoint's arent that bad, from what I see. Did you pull the knuckle (spindle) yet? You need a balljoint separator (pickle fork) for the balljoint, but don't need a tie rod separator.

To separate the outer tie rod from the spindle, remove the cotter pin from the castellated nut. Remove the nut. Screw the nut back onto the tie rod end "upside-down", so the castellations face down. Don't tighten the nut down. Screw it on so that 3/4 of the nut is "filled" with the stud. When looking at the top of the castellated nut, the stud should be sligtly LOWER than the top of the castellated nut. Got it? Okay. Now, whack the nut with a hammer. Your tie rod end will pop out.

We re-install the castellated nut upside down so the threads of the tie rod don't get damaged when we use the hammer. It also saves the tie rod end from falling to the ground. A tie rod separator can tear the dust boot.

REmember to use new cotter pins! Now might be a good time to move to synthetic chassis lube, too.

 

Dude; I just found this page on the Suspension/Chassis board, it shows you (with pics) how to do the balljoints!!

http://www.fbody.com/members/david88.../balljoint.htm