Can't put strut back

[silviaz]

 

I don't know how this is even possible. I removed the strut to do some work (it came out fine, and keeping in mind that I didn't put things back in the same order, but did this on purpose because I was supposed to remove the strut originally instead I tried to remove other shit first which made things a head ache) but now the problem is that it won't go back in. The alignment between where the bolt hole for the strut is and the j arm where the strut slides onto is way off, about a 10cm difference or more. In order to make it fit I'd somehow need to push it up. I tried to compress it with a spring compressor and install it but the compressor was getting in the way and there was no working room.

On the photo you can see the difference between the shock and the thread that it's supposed to go on.

The only things I removed in total were

- the top bolts for the j arm but I didn't remove the actual j arm

- the 3 bolts that hold the plate for the brake lines

- the sway bar link (this bolted on back fine)

- the strut/shock absorber

[Duncan]

undo the sway bar link, put it on last.

put a jack under the outer ball joint on the lower control arm to raise the hub and off you go

[silviaz]

2 minutes ago, Duncan said:

undo the sway bar link, put it on last.

put a jack under the outer ball joint on the lower control arm to raise the hub and off you go

Ok will do, I think I originally had 1 bolt off for the sway bar on when I took off the strut but will give this a ago. Thanks Duncan! My sway bar has play also when I move it around, hoping that's the source of my squeaking because I can't find anything wrong elsewhere

Edited December 8, 2024 by silviaz

[silviaz]

55 minutes ago, Duncan said:

undo the sway bar link, put it on last.

put a jack under the outer ball joint on the lower control arm to raise the hub and off you go

One question before I make a bigger mess potentially, do I need to undo the nut on the outer ball joint? 

[GTSBoy]

This an R34? It shouldn't matter though - it should be the same as on any of the others, and by "any of the others" I mean R32, because that is the car that I have had the front end apart on about 50 times this year.

Sometimes, it is much easier to get the lower shock eye onto that pin when:

a) you have the upper shock nuts backed off a few turns so you can wiggle it a bit more freely. When they are tight the bottom of the strut is much harder to move that _leeeetle_ bit you might need it to to win the fight.

b) you have the outer bolt(s) from the FUCA out and so you can move the lower pin around freely too.

Then, all you have to do is put the upper arm back on when you've got the rest back together, and this is where jacking under the balljoint can help.

[silviaz]

19 minutes ago, GTSBoy said:

This an R34? It shouldn't matter though - it should be the same as on any of the others, and by "any of the others" I mean R32, because that is the car that I have had the front end apart on about 50 times this year.

Sometimes, it is much easier to get the lower shock eye onto that pin when:

a) you have the upper shock nuts backed off a few turns so you can wiggle it a bit more freely. When they are tight the bottom of the strut is much harder to move that _leeeetle_ bit you might need it to to win the fight.

b) you have the outer bolt(s) from the FUCA out and so you can move the lower pin around freely too.

Then, all you have to do is put the upper arm back on when you've got the rest back together, and this is where jacking under the balljoint can help.

Yep it's an r34. Usually people remove struts without removing the front upper control arm (fuca is what i assume this is?) So not sure why mine wouldn't fit. I know on my other car I did a similar job and it wouldn't fit until I removes the ball joint nut even though I didn't remove it prior.

 

The upper arm doesn't seem to be in the way (the part that's bolted to the chassis. The part that's bolted onto the j arm I'll check that out though.

 

I was going to compress the spring and put it in with the compressor attached but not sure if it will work

 Haven't seen anyone do it.

[silviaz]

2 hours ago, Duncan said:

undo the sway bar link, put it on last.

put a jack under the outer ball joint on the lower control arm to raise the hub and off you go

One other thing worth mentioning when I did this job I only jacked up the driver side as I was only doing work there, but from what I understand both wheels should be in the air when removing the sway bar links?

[GTSBoy]

48 minutes ago, silviaz said:

but from what I understand both wheels should be in the air when removing the sway bar links?

Yes, and you will never get the shock to go onto the pin with the ARB loaded across the car like that. Too much force.

[silviaz]

Thanks @GTSBoy & @Duncan you legends! I got it back on. Moving the bolt out of the j arm which allowed me to swing it gave heaps of room to put the strut in. Unbolted the sway bar to and put it on last.

Edited December 9, 2024 by silviaz

[GTSBoy]

:thumbsup:

[32.det]

Went through this pain last week when my FUCA snapped and had to change one for the first time, im glad I had a friend with me otherwise I think I would've struggled to get it back together. It ended up with me standing on the hub to push it down while he was trying to whack the bottom of the shock back onto the spindle 🤣

[MBS206]

On 12/9/2024 at 2:59 PM, silviaz said:

Thanks @GTSBoy & @Duncan you legends! I got it back on. Moving the bolt out of the j arm which allowed me to swing it gave heaps of room to put the strut in. Unbolted the sway bar to and put it on last.

All of your suspension bushes/bolts etc, should also only ever be tightened when the car is sitting with full weight too.

 

IE, jack it back up, shove a heap of stuff down so you can lower the wheels onto so the car is "on the ground" but you have room to get under it.

 

It's why when properly done, you should be able to remove the shock and spring, but the arms won't go to 100% droop.

If you don't do the above, you'll destroy your bushes.

[silviaz]

1 hour ago, MBS206 said:

All of your suspension bushes/bolts etc, should also only ever be tightened when the car is sitting with full weight too.

 

IE, jack it back up, shove a heap of stuff down so you can lower the wheels onto so the car is "on the ground" but you have room to get under it.

 

It's why when properly done, you should be able to remove the shock and spring, but the arms won't go to 100% droop.

If you don't do the above, you'll destroy your bushes.

How'd I do this if it's on a hoist or if it's on the ground with the wheel in the way? Don't see how it's possible. Unless I misunderstood what you meant. I tightened all my bolts with both wheels off the ground. Including the strut bolts, upper control arm, j arm, lower bolt on strut, sway bar.

 

There was a lot of f**king around lining up the j arm with the bolts because I had to hold the strut because it kept spinning. Had to do stuff you normally shouldn't have to do.

Edited December 20, 2024 by silviaz

[MBS206]

1 minute ago, silviaz said:

How'd I do this if it's on a hoist or if it's on the ground with the wheel in the way? Don't see how it's possible. Unless I misunderstood what you meant. I tightened all my bolts with both wheels off the ground. Including the strut bolts, upper control arm, j arm, lower bolt on strut, sway bar.

You do as I said. Make some platforms that the cars wheels will sit on when the car is lowered.

Imagine even just some concrete blocks all stacked up. But you need it to be damn stable!

[GTSBoy]

1 minute ago, silviaz said:

How'd I do this if it's on a hoist or if it's on the ground with the wheel in the way? Don't see how it's possible. Unless I misunderstood what you meant. I tightened all my bolts with both wheels off the ground. Including the strut bolts, upper control arm, j arm, lower bolt on strut, sway bar.

Exactly how he said. Place blocks under the tyres to lift the car while the wheels are still carrying all the weight. It only needs to go up 6-8" to give sufficient clearance to get to most things.

Or.... 4 post hoist rather than 2 post. I don't trust 2 post hoists at the best of times.

Or, a pit. Pits a re good. I grew up in the '70s, in pits. f**k the OH&S rules. Pits rule.

[silviaz]

Just now, MBS206 said:

You do as I said. Make some platforms that the cars wheels will sit on when the car is lowered.

Imagine even just some concrete blocks all stacked up. But you need it to be damn stable!

Ah ok I see. I still don't see how I am going to tighten the j arm bolt for example when the gap between the wheel and fender is thin.

[silviaz]

6 minutes ago, GTSBoy said:

Exactly how he said. Place blocks under the tyres to lift the car while the wheels are still carrying all the weight. It only needs to go up 6-8" to give sufficient clearance to get to most things.

Or.... 4 post hoist rather than 2 post. I don't trust 2 post hoists at the best of times.

Or, a pit. Pits a re good. I grew up in the '70s, in pits. f**k the OH&S rules. Pits rule.

If I'm using a 4 post hoist, won't I need blocks on all 4 wheels so it applies pressure evenly? I'm having a hard time visualising this

Edited December 20, 2024 by silviaz

[silviaz]

6 minutes ago, GTSBoy said:

Exactly how he said. Place blocks under the tyres to lift the car while the wheels are still carrying all the weight. It only needs to go up 6-8" to give sufficient clearance to get to most things.

Or.... 4 post hoist rather than 2 post. I don't trust 2 post hoists at the best of times.

Or, a pit. Pits a re good. I grew up in the '70s, in pits. f**k the OH&S rules. Pits rule.

Possibly why my bushing was creaking again because the wrong preload was applied? 

[silviaz]

@GTSBoy @MBS206 I just did some research and watched some videos. I think I know what you mean now. If I can't reach the bolt when the wheels are on, Is it enough if I take off the wheel and jack it up by the lower control arm to add some load instead?

Edited December 20, 2024 by silviaz

[GTSBoy]

2 hours ago, silviaz said:

Is it enough if I take off the wheel and jack it up by the lower control arm to add some load instead?

Yes, if you set the "height" right so that it's basically where it would be when sitting on the wheel. It's actually exactly how I tighten bolts that need to be done that way.

However....urethane bushes do NOT need to be done that way. The bush slides on both the inner and outer. It's only rubber bushes that are bonded to the outer that need to be clamped to the crush tube in the "home" position.

And my car is so full of sphericals now that I have very few that I need to do properly and I sometimes forget and have to go back and fix it afterwards!