Help with removing CV joint / steering knuckle
Discussion
My DIY skills are struggling with this one:
Need to remove a CV joint (to replace the reluctor ring, see different thread) and having trouble undoing the strut bolts.
Any help appreciated. I have a 2ft breaker bar, which has worked on the hub nut, and the steering tie rod nut, but I can't seem to shift these two, like the ones in this picture (below). Any merit in heating them up? Would I break something if I jump on the breaker bar? They are basically stuck with a couple of decades of rust.
Need to remove a CV joint (to replace the reluctor ring, see different thread) and having trouble undoing the strut bolts.
Any help appreciated. I have a 2ft breaker bar, which has worked on the hub nut, and the steering tie rod nut, but I can't seem to shift these two, like the ones in this picture (below). Any merit in heating them up? Would I break something if I jump on the breaker bar? They are basically stuck with a couple of decades of rust.
Master Of Puppets said:
Are you sure those nuts aren't captive spot welded on?, might be worth trying to loosen the bolts rather than the nuts,
but give the visible thread a wire brush and penetrating oil on both sides.
Hello, that's an interesting thought, thank you. I'll clean them better and have a closer look. I don't think they come as part of the strut (when I viewed an ebay replacement strut for comparison, I couldn't see nuts on it), so more likely to be separate, but another check seems a good idea!but give the visible thread a wire brush and penetrating oil on both sides.
Have you marked the bolt head position so they can eventually go back exactly as now, its entirely possible one or both the bolts themselves are eccentric for camber adustment, no harm done if they prove to be standard bolts.
Plus gas or similar releasing fluid over a period of time to allow soak in.
You do have 6 sided sockets?
Sometimes a rattle gun is handy, the hammer effect can help break the rust seal when you resort to leverage.
The strut nuts heads came undone easily on my 16 year old Forester but the bolts themselves were well embedded, spent some time twisting the bolts only a tiny fraction each way before attempting to remove them.
One other suggestion, would there be enough room to get the drive shaft out if you undo the bottom ball joint and steering knuckle instead and pull the strut towards you?
Plus gas or similar releasing fluid over a period of time to allow soak in.
You do have 6 sided sockets?
Sometimes a rattle gun is handy, the hammer effect can help break the rust seal when you resort to leverage.
The strut nuts heads came undone easily on my 16 year old Forester but the bolts themselves were well embedded, spent some time twisting the bolts only a tiny fraction each way before attempting to remove them.
One other suggestion, would there be enough room to get the drive shaft out if you undo the bottom ball joint and steering knuckle instead and pull the strut towards you?
Edited by Smint on Monday 10th June 07:23
E-bmw said:
Heat will make it MUCH easier, obviously just keep the heat away from the rubber parts in the area and concentrate it on the nut.
Ok, I tried more freeing oil, as suggested above, then a blow-torch. After that I was able to turn it, but found that the whole bolt was turning, so I wasn't undoing it!Better than it was though. Now it looks like I need another breaker bar and another hex socket on the bolt head (they are the same size), and perhaps supporting one of them on an axle stand.... this is getting worse.!! My 2ft breaker bar is bending a lot.
You usually only need a breaker bar on one side. Try to hammer on a ring spanner that you can jam against some nearby piece of the suspension to stop the bolt turning. Use a socket and T-bar or ratchet bar if you don't have a suitable ring spanner. If it isn't working straight away, be prepared to get creative about using jack handles, other tools, pieces of wood etc in the right place to block the spanner from turning.
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