How To Remove R33 Boot Struts

[cobbadan]

I took my series 1, 33 coupe down to the strut people to see about getting the boot struts replaced or regassed and oldmate had a crack at getting them off, but stopped after a while and basically said ,, i don't want to brake anything.

I told him I'd try to find out whether the struts pop off the ball joint or not.

Common sense says they will just pop off with a bit of encouragement but as i said, oldmate had a crack and stopped because he thought he was about to snap the ball off the bracket.

What's the verdict ?

Anybody done it ?

Any trick to it ?

[cobbadan]

surely I cant be the only one who's boot struts have shat themselves.

[Daleo]

Do you want to take a pic of the stut ends, and we might be able to suss out how the struts come off?

It can't be that hard...

Edited September 6, 2011 by Daleo

[blk94r33]

It is.

From memory, when I replaced mine, the strut end (or one of them) is one-piece with the hinge and the ball is piened into the hinge where it joins. I ended up removing the hinges, cutting the ball off, drilling it out, and replacing it with a ball that has a nut securing it into place. This way the struts simply pop on and off if needed...

[cobbadan]

Cant really tell much from this pic but here it is anyway.

Edited September 6, 2011 by cobbadan

[drunkn snail]

so has anyone ever gotten them off, ive searched various forums and all the threads just go dead.

post #4 seems the only way to really do it

[blk94r33]

That's the only way I can see of doing it, or replacing the whole hing with a strut on it. Can get a photo if it helps?