Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13613
started getting the drivers side strut out, got all the bolts undone by one, it’s the one right at the back on top of the strut
an irwin socket managed to get the other 2 x out but the back one is so tight it’s unreal
may i ask, any ideas plse getting this back nut off , short socket is no good, just can’t get the angle , doesn’t look like i can get to it from the top
any tips plse would be so appreciative plse
plus looks like the struts are at least 10 x years old
will finish off the dinotrol and intercooler hose as i have the inner arch out
many thks in advance
8th Jan 2018 6:11 pm
DN D3 Decade
Member Since: 24 Jun 2006
Location: W.London.
Posts: 2293
Can you get a combi spanner on that back nut ? Perhaps using another wrench, or some tubing to extend the moment of force Trust you have wire brushed the threads and applied penetrating fluid prior to ?D3 owned from new, P017 brake recall, BAS FBHIC, new FBH, LR013487 oil pump, new water pump. RRS front lower suspension arms. New suspension compressor/ relay. New Denso alternator. CuNifer rear brake pipes. New GKN rear propshaft. New HPFP belt & tensioner. New A/C Condenser.NO WARRANTY for many many years.
8th Jan 2018 6:28 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13613
hi DN
i did actually , with a small wire brush and put some plus gas on them a few days ago, even tried to link 2 x spanner's together but by christ it’s tight
tried short socket with a uj, maybe ur idea ref a combi spanner with a adjustable head might work
will have a look on ebay to see what’s available
had to stand on the breaker bar to get the bottom nut off
many thks once again, once i get that nut off i can drop the strut
8th Jan 2018 6:35 pm
G_Cam
Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2048
A L..O..N..G (15mm iirc) ring spanner usually does the trick with a bit of back and forward motion and some WD40 or WHY
Might be cheaper/Better to get a full set as they are often more cost effective when bought in a set!1 TR6 Rusting away quietly
1 FARR UTV SOLD
1 International Harvester SOLD
7 x D3 all SOLD
2 x D4 both SOLD
1 x Mrs D4 'Panther' SOLD
1 x Outlander van SOLD
1 continual stream of car parts and me living in the garage...
8th Jan 2018 6:59 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13613
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13613
Hi Dm
the heat shields must be in the way , for the life of me i couldn’t see a route down onto the top of the strut unless it’s easier to remove the aux battery tray and then remove the heat shields
thks again and will have another look , is that for both sides plse
8th Jan 2018 10:47 pm
G_Cam
Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2048
have also put some more plus gas on it over night , looks as though someone has tried before as the nuts at the front were rounded off
when i get the strut out i can also finish off the dinotrol treatment
thks again and very helpful
Yip - thats exactly the ones I was thinking of... good price vs quality.. vs the amount of use they will get.
Good luck with it.... Let us all know how it goes 1 TR6 Rusting away quietly
1 FARR UTV SOLD
1 International Harvester SOLD
7 x D3 all SOLD
2 x D4 both SOLD
1 x Mrs D4 'Panther' SOLD
1 x Outlander van SOLD
1 continual stream of car parts and me living in the garage...
9th Jan 2018 10:51 am
DiscoJeffster
Member Since: 27 Feb 2016
Location: Perth
Posts: 204
For the passenger side you can get to the rearward bolt on the strut but on my 3.0L D4 you can’t get to the bolt on the drivers (RHS) from the engine bay. I was able to get a ratchet spanner onto mine and slowly get it out. It was the hardest nut of the lot to access though. Some say remove the inner guard to make accessing the rear but easier but I didn’t need to.
Might I suggest you put the other two nuts back on and tighten in case you’ve got the whole weight of the strut on that one nut making it even harder to undo?
10th Jan 2018 12:34 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13613
have also put some more plus gas on it over night , looks as though someone has tried before as the nuts at the front were rounded off
when i get the strut out i can also finish off the dinotrol treatment
thks again and very helpful
Yip - thats exactly the ones I was thinking of... good price vs quality.. vs the amount of use they will get.
Good luck with it.... Let us all know how it goes
many thks and will indeed let u know how i get on
fingers crossed those long spanner’s turn up weds
10th Jan 2018 12:47 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13613
DiscoJeffster wrote:
For the passenger side you can get to the rearward bolt on the strut but on my 3.0L D4 you can’t get to the bolt on the drivers (RHS) from the engine bay. I was able to get a ratchet spanner onto mine and slowly get it out. It was the hardest nut of the lot to access though. Some say remove the inner guard to make accessing the rear but easier but I didn’t need to.
Might I suggest you put the other two nuts back on and tighten in case you’ve got the whole weight of the strut on that one nut making it even harder to undo?
hi , that’s very helpful and most appreciated , many thks
indeed has been a pig, just waiting for these longer spanner's and a set of ratchet spanner’s to turn up and can then start again , trouble is someone has also round the nut off, had to use an irwin socket on the others
i’ve left the bottom bolt in for now so after i undo the top nut it doesn’t drop , have just loosened it
fingers crossed getting the passenger side out may be a little easier, but going to also replace the intercooler hoses with some silicone ones whilst i’m there
when the strut is ready to come out i was thinking of using 2 x jacks, trolley on the wishbone and the scissor jack on the bottom of the strut so it doesn’t just drop down suddenly
i did fit a new front valve block and will also replace the voss connectors on the valve block and strut for some better brass pushfits
then lastly finish off doing the dinotrol where i’ve removed the inner wheel arch liner
thks again
10th Jan 2018 12:55 am
DiscoJeffster
Member Since: 27 Feb 2016
Location: Perth
Posts: 204
I didn't find the wishbone moved at all - static tension of the bushes, but yes, the strut will come crashing down when you release the bottom bolt if not supported. I used a trolley jack under it, lowering it through the wishbone to get the air line down far enough to undo. My struts came with new voss connectors in the top, so all I had to do was undo the connector on the old one, unscrewing it from the strut (not easy to do with minimal movement and not wanting to stretch the pipe!), removing the small brass collet (there's a split in it, so prise it apart, it will split and fall apart), then you can slip off the old screw in voss connector. Reinserting for the new strut is simply pushing the pipe into the new voss connector down to the limit point of the pipe. All things I'm sure you know, but helpful for those who might not that haven't tackled this yet.
10th Jan 2018 1:57 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13613
many thks, is always helpful getting info as it may just be that small bit of info which helps considerably
have got some brass pushfits for the struts to replace the voss connectors , had fun when i first saw them when i replaced the compressor , thought the pipe pushed into the white sleeving of the voss connector
looking at that back rounded nut i’m not sure yet if i will have to remove the air pipe first , to try and give me a little bit more room, got some brake line spanner’s , so should go over the pipe but will see more weds with these longer spanner’s
with them also being nyloc nuts and by christ they are tight , the struts are also the originals and think someone must have tried to replace them in the past by the nuts being round off
wasn’t sure about the jacks, ie if the wishbone would also drop but is great info
thks so much once again and fingers crossed can make some more progress and get this strut out
10th Jan 2018 2:22 am
DiscoJeffster
Member Since: 27 Feb 2016
Location: Perth
Posts: 204
So I found that there is a lot of corrosion on the threads and undoing the bolt was extremely difficult to the point i thought the threat might damage. For the subsequent ones I wire brushed the exposed thread on the three top bolts from every angle and applied WD40 before attempting to undo them. The difference was noticeable.
10th Jan 2018 2:26 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13613
hi
indeed used a small wire brush and applied some plus gas on the threads , the bottom bolt came undone easier than i thought , stood on a breaker bar
is always annoying knowing it’s just this one nut that i need to get undone and then the strut should then just come out
will see what happens with these spanner’s, hope i don’t have to try nut splitters or mole grips , time will tell
am hoping the passenger side will be abit easier , but then will attempt to replace the small turbo hose and expect a few scraped knuckles for that one
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Trust you have wire brushed the threads and applied penetrating fluid prior to ?
strut out
