HELP: Can't get 'other' rear shock off of my car!
I have a 1990 dodge spirit and I am trying to put new rear shocks on it. I have the top of it off but I can't get the bottom bolt out. I believe it is stuck in the round cylinder from the original shock and I don't know how to get it out. If you have any ideas please give me one.
0
-
Gas ax(cutting torch) if you have one, or a cut off wheel in a die grinder and cut the bolt off. 0 -
...If you have a propane torch, put some heat to it...[;)] 0 -
I don't have a cutting torch or a propane torch, I can buy a propane torch tomorrow, but what do I do once I heat it up. I still don't know how to put pressure to get that bolt out. It is I can turn it with the socket and all it does is spin the cylinder along with the bolt that I am turning. 0 -
Oil and a torch. 0 -
the nut on the left side is welded to the frame, the threads on the bolt are not touching that nut any more, I think the problem is that i have to pull the threaded part of the bolt through the cylinder, but I believe that is what is rusted. 0 -
...Heat it up good with a propane torch. Take a hand sledg or a good size short handled hammer and hit the bolt, not the nut...a LOT.
...For tonight I would soak a helluva lot of oil on it, a LOT! Before you hit with the torch tomorrow wipe off some of the excess oil. The heat should start everything to loosen. Keep putting heat on it and whacking it with the hammer until it does get loose.
...I have gotten WAY worse off than this! Not really, but I thought that might make you feel better...[:D]0 -
I personally would just cut it off with an a cutting torch but since you said you don't own one my second method would be a a sawzall with a metal blade. 0 -
can of gas + cliff = easy fix
Ive always wanted to try that.. [:D][:D]
No, but, sledge hammer + oil = off.0 -
Doesn't look serious ... the serious stuff always happened to me on the
side of a mountain or in the middle of a river! Just being able to get to
it and see it - it's gonna be a cinch!
Report back after you've triumphed!
[8D]0 -
Looks like the metal sleeve came loose from the rubber bushing of the shock and the bolt is rusted tight to it. Use lots of penatrating fluid, let soak for a while, maybe get some heat on it then use vicegrips or small pipe wrench on bushing to hold still while you turn bolt loose. 0 -
Hot wrench time 0 -
Do you have enough room to hit it with a hand sledge ??
Doug0 -
I'll keep trying to soak it with oil. If that doesn't work by itself I'll go buy some vice grips and a propane torch and work on it for a while, I'll keep trying to give it some whacks with a hammer to try to loosen it up as well. 0 -
nut splitter. 0 -
It seems that if I could just get a good gip on that cylinder I would be able to get it, I dont have and vice grips though. 0 -
I wouldn't worry about trying to get it of like you would be reuseing it. Just cut it off and put a new bolt on it when you install the shock. 0 -
Time to buy the Vise-Grips or cut both ends of the bolt inside the hanger with a hacksaw.
The fire wrench would be my first choice, but if you don't have a cutting torch, the other methods will work.0 -
Be careful heating the area up with a torch if the area is soaked with penetrating oil, it could catch fire. 0 -
Been in the same situation more than once. The bolt is rusted to the rubber bushing inside the bracket at the bottom of the shock. With no tourch you will have to use a hack saw and cut the bolt on both sides of the shock. If you have or can get a cut-off wheel or sawzall its a lot easier to cut it off. What happens is the bolt gets rusty and the rubber dries out and they sorta weld themselves together. Nearly impossible to get them seperated sometimes. You will need to buy a grade 8 bolt the correct diameter and length to replace the bolt you cut off. 0 -
Get a can of PB Blaster. 0 -
The steel sleeve the bolt goes through on the shock is indeed rusted to the bolt. Now, I have never in 25 years seen one that was not a split sleeve, meaning that if you look real hard you will see the seam running lengthwise down the sleeve body. Simply take a small chisel and spread the seam apart on the sleeve and the bolt will come out. Otherwise you will be cutting it out. Dave 0 -
go to the local muffler shop they will cut it out (torch) in one minute 0 -
Dang. Road salt? What does the body look like?
PB Blaster will probably do it.0 -
a smoke wrench is your only option. 0 -
I used a Sawzall on mine. The bolt was so hard that I used up 2 bimetal blades, but it came off. Darn rust. Good luck. 0 -
a product called PB Blaster [ autozone wally world advance auto parts etc. ] eats rust like nothing, it is a penetrating lube, spray it all over then the hammer to vibrate the shock to help penetration [use safety glasses at all times!] then spray it again then make sure you have a socket that fits looks like it has slipped off 0 -
if you use PB Blaster make damn sure you don't get any in your eyes ,
sounds to me like it would be cheaper and faster to just take it to a small shop and let them torch it off0 -
"The steel sleeve the bolt goes through on the shock is indeed rusted to the bolt. Now, I have never in 25 years seen one that was not a split sleeve, meaning that if you look real hard you will see the seam running lengthwise down the sleeve body. Simply take a small chisel and spread the seam apart on the sleeve and the bolt will come out. Otherwise you will be cutting it out. Dave"
Your right there is a split, I should have mentioned that before, I tried to spread it with what I've got but no luck. I will buy a chisel and see if that makes a difference. Right now I'm just waiting for Kragens to open so I can go pick up vice grips.0 -
Although I do not work on american cars I've towed in a number of cry/ply/dodge cars that the bottom spring perch has rusted and failed dropping the car down in the back .
Are you replacing do to shock leaking/wear or because of ride height ?
Take a good look at the bottom spring plate where it is welded to the swing arm , it looks rather rusty in your photos .
SxS0 -
quote:Originally posted by SXSMAN
Although I do not work on american cars I've towed in a number of cry/ply/dodge cars that the bottom spring perch has rusted and failed dropping the car down in the back .
Are you replacing do to shock leaking/wear or because of ride height ?
Take a good look at the bottom spring plate where it is welded to the swing arm , it looks rather rusty in your photos .
SxS0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
35 comments