bear strength for front strut removal?!

[eric_edge]

wtf?! im doing this rn with a friend (were by no means small guys) and i swear i cant get anything loose by hand:mad: do you actually HAVE to have a rattle gun to do this? :iono:

[eric_edge]

not that it would help for the top of the strut which requires the hex wrench to remove...couldnt get a gun in there anyways...

[cali yaris]

^ Sure you can, just remove the cowling. It's in the repair manual to do it that way.

Otherwise, you have to use an OFFSET box wrench with the Allen's together.

[eric_edge]

the wrench was bending with the two lower bolts on the wheel :laugh:

[staticorex]

Yeah I broke a craftsman wrench loosening a bolt on the rear wheel to replace the spring. These cars are welded together. :laugh:

[WeeYari]

An electric impact wrench. One of my best purchases EVER!

[eric_edge]

these cars were assembled by japanese robots, werent they :frown:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oDZwk6r5oBk/S22osDFakCI/AAAAAAAAAEA/hmOWex43nhA/s400/grey_mech_rawwad_copy.jpg

well, we got the rears done in 10 mins. looks like im taking the fronts to the neighborhood mechanic :rolleyes:

thought the diy would save $$$ but im pretty sure i spent more just in buying the necessary tools :rolleyes: oh well, fun afternoon with a pal :drinking:

[MUSKOKA800]

thought the diy would save $$$ but im pretty sure i spent more just in buying the necessary tools :rolleyes: oh well, fun afternoon with a pal :drinking:

IMO, you can never go wrong buying tools, quality tools that is. You`ll have them forever.
And yes, it's much more fun and educational than $helling out to a $tealership and kicking your ass later.

[rningonfumes]

+ 1 on the quality tools.

I used a long angled box wrench, allen key, a thick pipe to extend the allen for leverage, some oil like liquid wrench, gloves, yes patience.

I had to walk away and come back. It wasn't from anger but more in frustration.

I eventually did it twice each front end with patience and leverage. ---I had to go back in the second time because I cut the bump top wrong!

[toy_toronto]

You gotta give my buddy a call next time, lol :biggrin:

http://medextremes.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/biceps-extreme1.jpg

-toy

[victorddr]

I just put my stock spring back on my 07 HB last week. All you need is an OFFSET wrench and a 6mm hex-drive which hold by a breaker bar. (Offset wrench is a MUST to prevent nut stripping)

You shouldn't be using much strength as the top nut only installed @ 41 ft.lb if it never been taken off from factory.

A Friendly reminder: Only take off the FIRST nut to dismount it from the chassis. You will need a spring compressor to safely remove the SECOND nut on the strut. (Unless you don't want your fingers...)

[eric_edge]

yeah but it wasnt just the top of the strut, even the bolts attaching the unit to the wheel were mind bendingly difficult :mad:

oh well, taking it in to the neighborhood mechanic tm. hopefully it wont cost too much :rolleyes:

[bankrobber]

a kid in shop class way back in high school tried to remove a strut. He got it loose and tried to push out bolt with finger. Out went bolt...off went finger

[victorddr]

True, the two bolts connecting the steering knuckle is hard to remove unless you have an impact wrench. However, it still can be done by using a 19mm wrench holding from 1 side and a 19mm socket with a long breaker bar to remove both of them.

*** BUT, I would recommend you to remove the sway bar linkage bolt first and leave the top strut bolt to the last. It will make your life a lot easier.....

[Toolaholic]

These wrench extenders would help removing the top strut bolt. You woud essentially couple another wrench on for added length! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007QV5WG8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Toolaholic]

If top nut doesn't budge try using ez red wrench extenders and add another wrench for more leverage.

[mitchell12]

Another pro tip, If you are only lifting one side of the car at a time then the sway bar endlinks might end up being difficult to reinstall. I found it easier with the car on the ground to reinstall the lower end links.

Offset wrench and 6mm hex bit made it super easy to get the tops off. one big thing to add, if you dont want to run into issues stripping out the endlinks (salt belt people with older cars) then clean the visible threads on the endling and soak em with a good penetrator for a long time before you even touch em.

When I took the bolts holding the strut to the knuckle out it took 2 breaker bars (36inch) and 2 mechanics heaving with all we could to break em loose. Same story on those. Soak em overnight with a penetrator, If we had done it at work I would have just heated em up red hot and wacked em off with the gun but I didn't :(

[Exiwolfman]

Heat & gun works best on all lol

sent from my S4 on Mars