white venom
10-31-2002, 05:08 PM
:confused: does anyone have any suggestions for removing a 24yr old strut off of a 79 mustang??
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Jstas
10-31-2002, 05:24 PM
Really big hammer?
white venom
10-31-2002, 05:26 PM
tried that, anyother suggestions?
chris95svt
11-01-2002, 08:04 AM
Do you have an air compressor? If so, rent an air hammer, it'll pop right out.
white venom
11-02-2002, 08:21 AM
its not the strut itself, its the bolts that connect the stut to the wheel spindle.
see it was my grandmothers car, she bought it in79, its the ghia edition. when my sister turned 16, she got it from my grandma and down the road she snapped the camshaft, (no oil change for 15,000 miles:jawdrop: ) at the time i was only 12 so i didnt know anything about cars or i would have kicked her - - -. we couldnt do anything with it so we gave it to a family friend who restores cars. he fixed the engine and the doors but could not finish the car, he's really sick and gave it back to us. on 9-11-02 my grandmother passed away and we wanted to restore the mustang in memory of her. we are starting small, suspension, brakes ect. then metal work, and paint. the car only has 54,000 origial miles on it.
so anyway, the shocks, struts and just about everything else is 24yrs old and the bolts are badly rusted.
pls keep suggestions comming.
thanks.
see it was my grandmothers car, she bought it in79, its the ghia edition. when my sister turned 16, she got it from my grandma and down the road she snapped the camshaft, (no oil change for 15,000 miles:jawdrop: ) at the time i was only 12 so i didnt know anything about cars or i would have kicked her - - -. we couldnt do anything with it so we gave it to a family friend who restores cars. he fixed the engine and the doors but could not finish the car, he's really sick and gave it back to us. on 9-11-02 my grandmother passed away and we wanted to restore the mustang in memory of her. we are starting small, suspension, brakes ect. then metal work, and paint. the car only has 54,000 origial miles on it.
so anyway, the shocks, struts and just about everything else is 24yrs old and the bolts are badly rusted.
pls keep suggestions comming.
thanks.
rachrse
11-02-2002, 02:50 PM
Try some marvel mystry oil soak the bolts down for about a day then use yield nut buster and a breaker bar they should come loose. You might have to heat them up to get them to turn. I used this to loosen bolts on a 1964 and it worked. Rachrse
Jstas
11-02-2002, 04:29 PM
I was thinking about the heat thing too. But, if you soak it with some kind of lubricant, heat will ignite it.
If you have access to a torch, use an oxygen rich flame, bright, yellow flame not the tight whiteish blue flame used for cutting. A propane torch does not get hot enough though. Anyway, if you heat the bolt up with a torch and then give it a good smack, that should loosen corrosion. Wait for the bolt to cool before you go trying to remove it otherwise, you could snap the head off.
Gotta watch the flame though. If the strut is leaking, I'd advise against any kind of flame at all. The hydraulic fluid can be flammable and actully blow up the strut. That would be bad. Also, if you do use a torch, watch the suspension bushings, they can be burned to a non-useable point.
If you have access to a torch, use an oxygen rich flame, bright, yellow flame not the tight whiteish blue flame used for cutting. A propane torch does not get hot enough though. Anyway, if you heat the bolt up with a torch and then give it a good smack, that should loosen corrosion. Wait for the bolt to cool before you go trying to remove it otherwise, you could snap the head off.
Gotta watch the flame though. If the strut is leaking, I'd advise against any kind of flame at all. The hydraulic fluid can be flammable and actully blow up the strut. That would be bad. Also, if you do use a torch, watch the suspension bushings, they can be burned to a non-useable point.
Sharppony
11-02-2002, 06:02 PM
Soak every nut and bolt you want to remove for a few days with any good penetrating oil. When you are ready to attempt to loosen a bolt, smack on the top of the head of the bolt a few times with a good engineer's hammer ( a small sledge that weighs about 2 pounds ). :bash:
Make sure you hit the head directly on top so you don't flare it over. Use a 6 point socket or box wrench with a cheater bar on it. If it doesn't turn, give it a couple more shots with hammer. I've been using this method for years, I work in a chemical plant and was taught this method by a senior mechanic. It works and is safer than using a hot wrench. Another alternative would be to use an impact gun if you have access to one. Good luck!
Make sure you hit the head directly on top so you don't flare it over. Use a 6 point socket or box wrench with a cheater bar on it. If it doesn't turn, give it a couple more shots with hammer. I've been using this method for years, I work in a chemical plant and was taught this method by a senior mechanic. It works and is safer than using a hot wrench. Another alternative would be to use an impact gun if you have access to one. Good luck!
white venom
11-03-2002, 08:43 AM
thank you for all your suggestions, we finally got the struts out:bna we tried alot of your suggestions and after 3 cracked sockets finally got them out
thank you again.
thank you again.
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