Suspension Suspension

Post by **MoVolvos** » 05 Mar 2012, 21:06

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I got myself in a JAM literally. Read about the difficulties of removing the big nut on the strut that I thought it be easier to loosen it on the car. It was realllllyyyy easy. Curiosity got the better of me so I took everything off (nuts and washers etc...) to inspect and bounced the car. Lost one strut into the assembly below

A simple strut mount change is now... Forgot the OE struts were not pressurized!!!! Go ahead and laugh my cousin did.

What to do

Suspension Suspension!

Blessings,

BKM

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Post by **erikv11** » 05 Mar 2012, 22:13

I was going to say just get something up into the strut tower from the wheel well, it would be difficult but not impossible, to recover the shaft and push it back up into the mount. But are you saying the strut shaft just sunk, all the way into the strut assembly body? Wow, if that's the case, that strut is far, far beyond worn out. Time to replace, you will be amazed at the difference.

Even if the strut is not ruined like your post describes, you may well end up just removing it to get it back together. Just follow any one of the DIY threads for a strut job. Now that everything is disassembled from the top, you can just jack up the car, the spring will expand as you go but you should still be able to get everything out the wheel well once you get the car up on jack stands. Just make sure the spring is not under tension when you go to disconnect the strut from the steering knuckle.

At least you won't need coil spring compressors on that side, until reassembly!

Post by **MoVolvos** » 05 Mar 2012, 22:32

Thanks erikv11, but you don't realize that the strut is the guide and what keeps the entire assembly together. The spring is going every which way under tremendous pressure and can not be removed as the strut kept it short for removal. Still stuck, not sure what to remove without the spring exploding out the wheel well????!!!

Post by **erikv11** » 05 Mar 2012, 22:46

Actually, I do! Once installed the strut just slows down travel as the spring contracts and expands. Struts do not hold your car up, springs do. I understand the the spring has too much freedom now, but it is likely OK. Just stop compressing it (pushing down on the car); instead, release the tension.

Right now, the reason the spring is compressed is because of the weight of the vehicle. As you jack up the vehicle (use a hydraulic jack on the front of the subframe), the spring will slowly expand, and the tension in it will decrease. The higher you jack it up, the lower the tension.

Once the wheel is up in the air, I am pretty sure the spring will be fully expanded. All tension will be off, and you can simply remove it. People have posted about this idea before, avoiding the use of spring compressors by removing the spring seat retainers before jacking up the car. Pretty sure binglax has done it before.

But you are right there are safety issues here. It is hard to know what is going on from your first post, exactly which fasteners did you remove? Presumably you removed the cross-shaped nut (4) or you would be fine. So was it 1 and 4, or did you also remove 23?

Post by **MoVolvos** » 05 Mar 2012, 23:00

Yes, Unfortunately (4) and jacked up the car some trying to push the strut up with a long screw driver already popped off (6). I thought I could unloaded enough to pick the spring out

. The positive camber is so great that I think it might bend something and using the front cross member I have Max out the jack and the wheel is still not off the ground. I could not lower it like that so had to put a stand under and jack up the other side. Looks like the low riders with the lifts extended on the front wheels. To think I drove one in high school without the lifts of course. Black Cougar 1978 Cougar XR7 with Dual Exhaust Turbo Mufflers no CAT and Wide BFG's which screeched in 2nd gear from the Shift Kit for the Tranny. I will take a look at it during day light but I think there is not enough room to unload it.

Blessings,

BKM

Post by **erikv11** » 05 Mar 2012, 23:03

Sounds like a jack with more lift might help? I'd get a floor jack in there and lift from the center of the car (subframe), until the wheels are off the ground. Be careful.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 05 Mar 2012, 23:22

I will use a block of wood tomorrow and check the extension. Don't want that Neg Camber to go too far. Thanks. I will update.

Blessings,

BKM

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rmorse · Post by **rmorse** » 06 Mar 2012, 07:24

PICTURES!!!

Post by **MoVolvos** » 06 Mar 2012, 09:03

rmorse wrote:PICTURES!!!

NO WAY! A FAIL forum may get started here and it would be number one

Blessings,

BKM

Post by **matthew1** » 06 Mar 2012, 09:11

BKM, feel free to send pics to me and I'll put them in your posts. It'll even look like you did it

.

PM me or use the Contact page. Then we'll have each other's email addresses and you can email me the photos.