Suspension Bolts

[scotty_d]

Hi I am About to replace my shocks and springs all round started the job a few days ago removing the old ones.

One problem, what is the best way to get the front bottom bolts out, the nut is off but it is very tight in there and can’t really get anything in at it.

Any advise appreciated Cheers Scotty.

[AntonyJ]

Use a ring spanner at a slight angle to "grip" the head bolt and then also pull in the direction of the travel required.

Make sure you use a decent spanner though!

[WOO5IE]

What shocks are you fitting . I will need to do this in the spring (no Pun ) as I have been told that my front springs are tad weak. There are a lot of different view points.

I have found a site that will supply a set of Gaz shocks for around £360 which seems on the face of it very reasonable

Be interested in how you get on. Some on here hate Gaz but others swear by them.


Trev

[spend]

If you mean the awkward one that the damper fits to on the bottom wishbone...

Make sure you wind the bolt to free it in the bushing, don't just wind the nut off! As the nut reaches the end of the thread on the bolt, use a pry bar or something on the nut to push the bolt out as you turn it. Once it is freed a bit you can take the nut off the rest of the way.

Its best with many of the suspension bolts to make sure you wind the bolt as well as the nut, and make sure you can tap the bolt out before you remove the nut. Once you have done a few of these you will realize why some of us are quite anal about copperslipping on assembly and greasing them at services just to avoid problems in the future

[penno]

I took the bottom wish bone off last night and I spent the best part 3/4 hour removing the nut/bolt of the shock.

To get the bolt out which was stuck tight I put a 19mm ring spanner in the gap. Put my foot on spanner and wishbone flat on the floor and moved the shock not the spanner more leverage. After a while it eased and the bolt started to come loose. Then I used an old srewdriver and hammer down the side of the bolt/holding location to open up a gap. Put a small open end spanner behind the bolt head used a hammer hit the spanner to pull the bolt out.

A right pig of a job.

[scotty_d]

I am just fitting standard GAZ. the car is a 98 and still on original bilstens thanks for that spend just a ae of a job to do and I will be copper slipping everything

Edited by scotty_d on Wednesday 10th December 11:55

[penno]

Spend,

Your right about copper ease when it goes back together I'm going to use a bit.

How tight my bottom bolt was I'm surprised the shock could move on the car.

Anybody got any tips on how to remove the track rod end nut when the track rod is sliping?

Steve

[spend]

penno said:

Anybody got any tips on how to remove the track rod end nut when the track rod is slipping?

Not sure which bit you mean? The track rod spinning or the taper?

[penno]

The taper part is spinning whilst trying to undo the nut.

[STEV8E]

I have just done all this last month. Found it all fiddly but didnt have any major problems.

Just wound the bottom damper bolt out not much bother, guess I was lucky.

And I you mean the track rod end retaining nut, I just held the old rod end tight against it (with mole grips I think) and wound it away with an adjustable spanner, again moved surprisingly easy.

HTH

[spend]

Tap it in & tighten it up again and the taper should bite. If you can't undo it then, try a nut splitter or grind/cut it off.. TRE's are not expensive and well worth renewing in most cases IMHO.

[STEV8E]

Oh the top nut, not the one on the rod, yeah don't you undo that before splitting the joint? That should come of easy I reckon.

[penno]

The taper split whilst undoing thus can tighten or undo. Tried holding it in. I think i will purchase a nut split this afternoon.