Front Strut removal

[johnny_H]

Hi Fellas,

I know this has been covered before and I've actually done this on my previous TR7 about 4 yrs back, but I'm having trouble getting the nut on the damper piston rod off. I've removed the strut from the car, compressed the spring, but when I try to turn the nut to undo it the whole thing turns (metal cup/disk it sits in and the strut/shock itself). I've tried all sorts of combos to counter it, but can't budge it. Any advice? My last resort is to take it in to have it removed, but I'm trying to save $$. Once I can get this bloody nut off the rest is fairly straightforward....[:0]

[Yoke]

I would recommend releasing the tension just a bit so you can get the nut to start to spin.

Second thought this should be the first question...... what are you using a wrench, ratchet or an air gun?????

If your using a wrench or ratchet loosen the tension just a bit so it bites again and you can start to turn the nut. Then re-compress and see if it comes off. If not find a pair of locking pliers and get a hold of the shock and go that route.

If that makes you nervous, borrow an air gun from a buddy and zing it off. If you don't have air just take it to a little shop down the street and ask them to do you a favour, most shops would do it for free, bring in some coffee and donuts goes a long way with mechanics [:D]

Then again I've got air and an impact gun so I've never had any issues. The above idea's have worked for buddies of mine.

[}:)]Yoke[8]




Can't save them all but I am trying!!!

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

<b><font color="red">Opps! Sorry, I was confused and though you were talking about the nut holding in the cartridge! If you are putting in a new cartridge and throwing away the old one, put a set of vicegrips on the shaft to hold it while you turn the nut. Not recommended on the new cartridge!</font id="red"></b>

Johnny H,

Clean the area around the nut with some fine sand paper or a wire brush from the edge of the nut to about down 1". What you are looking for is a small depression, looks like someone used a pair of pliers on the side of the housing. The factory dimpled the housing to keep the nut in place. When you find the dimple, use a 3/16" drill bit to drill it out. You don't have to go very deep. Now the nut should come off a lot easier.


I bet your nut has 4 groves in it. If so the shocks have never been changed. The replacement nuts only have 2 slots.



Check my web site for more info!


Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[Wayne S]

This IS very frustrating, we've all been there. My secret was borrowing an amazing tool called a Stilsons Wrench. http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=3706

They are like an adjustable monkey wrench and use these to wedge into the 2 grooves in the cup. You can finely adjust them to clamp tightly round the edge of the cup, then as you turn the nut with a socket they bite into the 2 grooves and lock it in place. It takes a bit to get to to bite, then the nut just comes straight off by undoing it locking the stilsons with one hand and undoing the nut with a 1/2" drive in the other. Your best bet is to clamp the strut into a vice while you do this but obviously be careful not to crush the tube.

Alternatively you can make yourself a tool out of a couple of bits of metal rod shaped to fit the grooves exactly and i know someone on here as made one and posted dimensions previously.

Good luck!!

Purple 2.0 Litre DHC Grinnal

[Hasbeen]

I may have been lucky, but I've found the nut is much easier to
undo, if you attack it first, while the strut is still bolted up in
place. I have done this at home once.

Now I get my local workshop to hit them with their big rattle gun.
Once they have been moved a couple of turns, [& almost re-tightened]
its easy enough to get them off, at home, later.

Hasbeen

[Launie]

Although a Stilson wrench is a very good pipe wrench, it is still just a pipe wrench. With luck and skill, you can use if for other things than pipes, but more likely you will just deform whatever you are turning with it (having done so many times - never learn[:(]. Not the most elegant solution in this thread.

Launie
'76 TR7 FHC (not running)
'86 Renault Alliance (daily driver)
'77 Chev Silverado (grunt work)

[Wayne S]

Do apologise my solution isnt up to your obvious high standards of "elegance" whatever that means but was merely offering a sensible solution to the problem.

I ve used this method many times and it has never deformed, marked or damaged in any way the retaining cup. All that tool needs is simple adjustment to efficiently grip the 2 slots on the cup, it just so happens its the right size for the job.

It works beautifully for me, if you want elegance have a tool specially made up and pay the price for it.

Purple 2.0 Litre DHC Grinnal

[john 215]

Hi,
Top nut i found is best removed with an air gun,not good news if you dont have a air compressor ect [:(]
As for the nut that holds the insert in, i have tightened this in a vice before and turned the hole leg to unscrew,this way there's no chance of damaging paint or the stut its self by clamping in the vice .
Cheers John.

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!
1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6 WILL BE ON THE ROAD VERY SOON!
Read My Blog http://www.waringstowntr7s.co.uk/blogs/ ... hp/John215

[FI Spyder]

I believe the top nut has a little depression that keeps it tight (as previously mentioned.) If this is drilled out just a little you can undo nut more easily. (compress spring a bit first and hold the top plate with locking pliers.) I didn't know this when I did it, I used an air gun. These are invaluable at getting tight nuts, rusted nuts and bolts off. They bang on the nut breaking the rust bond. You can get a kit with three air tools and all sorts of accessories for about $125.00. It doesn't take much of an air compressor to operate these tools sporadically like the home hobbiest uses them. I've used a $59 compressor although I have bigger ones. Should be in every shade tree mechanics/auto hobbiests arsenal.

The top nut in the tube I tapped out with punch and hammer on the inset groove with bottom lighly gripped in vise just to keep it from twisting and not doing any damage to tube/axle.

As the bottom of tube is open and there was a very light bit of surface rust I POR-15'd the interior of tube with toothbrush tied to bamboo shaft (I got a bunch growing in front yard). Might be a bit anal but what the hey.[:)]

By the way the cheap type of spring compressor with two opposing tightening nuts are a pain to use. The more expensive type with one central nut that can be used with air gun is much better but then how often do you use it. (I've use mine twice on TR7 and Tercel).



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[TR7_FHC]

Managed to get mine off with a £15 electric impact wrench, though the struts were changed 15 years ago so didnt have the dimple in the thread to deal with.

[Launie]

Sorry, no offence intended Wayne S. Whatever works is good.

I can't afford specialize tools, so I use whatever I can, pipe wrenches included. Sometimes with success and sometimes not. I merely wanted to point out that a pipe wrench might cause some grief.


Launie
'76 TR7 FHC (not running)
'86 Renault Alliance (daily driver)
'77 Chev Silverado (grunt work)

[Wayne S]

For pictures of a home made tool you can pop along to the TR Register forum for a second (dont worry you wont stay long as the wedge pages dont even compare to here) a guy show you dimensions to make a tool for damper nut removal:

http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/ind ... 05&hl=tool

Pics:

http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/ind ... st&id=2132

http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/ind ... st&id=2133

<b>cbr 600 says:</b> After struggling with removal and tightening of the damper nut, I decided to make the tool below to make life easier. A 1m length of 20mm x 4mm steel from B&Q for £3, a bit of welding and bobs your uncle, couldn't be simpler to tighten the nut to specified torque now!


Purple 2.0 Litre DHC Grinnal

[johnny_H]

Good news. Uncompressed the spring as suggested and then hammered a ball joint seperator (fork) onto the damper/shock/strut itself to wedge/stop it spinning with the nut. Held that and wedged the top plate still and wham bam thank you mam the nut loosened. Now I just need to get the strut out of the canister....thanks again for all of the replies. I think it's time to get an air gun .

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

There is an easier way to remove the ball joint. Email me if you want to know how to do it.

[LOUP]

i am planning to remove andreplace my front shocks absorbers,i have not bought the remplacement parts yet, please any one can give me the dimensions of the inserts : lenht and diametr? so i can find a pair at reasonnable price? thanks for all the help i got from this exellent forum.