Strut removal problem
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Junior User
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Strut removal problem
I have a 97 Mercury Mystique that I am trying to change the front struts on.
I have gotten one almost off but the upper mounting nut is seized on beyond belief. I tried penetrating oil, air ratchets, and some elbow grease. None of these worked so i was left to use an air chisel to obliterate the nut. Well I destroyed about 1/2 the nut but the strut still will not come free.
I haven't tried getting the other strut off yet but am worrying that it might have the same problem.
I was wondering for the other strut, if it is seized, is there anything else I could possibly do that would get it out easier?
Thanks
I have gotten one almost off but the upper mounting nut is seized on beyond belief. I tried penetrating oil, air ratchets, and some elbow grease. None of these worked so i was left to use an air chisel to obliterate the nut. Well I destroyed about 1/2 the nut but the strut still will not come free.
I haven't tried getting the other strut off yet but am worrying that it might have the same problem.
I was wondering for the other strut, if it is seized, is there anything else I could possibly do that would get it out easier?
Thanks
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Racine county, WI
Do you have the assembly out of the car or am I reading that you're trying to release the spring while it's still under the car? If it's under the car you remove the whole bearing plate and bring the assembly out in one peice, if out of the car I hope the spring is compressed for safety. Good luck.
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The strut is still attached to the car. I have coil spring compressors already in place so i can remove it safely.
It's just the top of the strut where it's threaded for a nut that is keeping the whole thing in.
It's just the top of the strut where it's threaded for a nut that is keeping the whole thing in.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
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From: Marengo, Iowa
Well, you want it out of the car completely for safety, not in the fenderwell. The way I have usually dealt with that kind of problem was to put a pair of vise grips on the shaft to at least slow it down so the nut will come loose. Trust me, you want that baby out of the fenderwell to work on it, much easier. As long as the compressors are on right, it will be safe, if not, well, you'll have some work to do getting it compressed back down enough to get the nut started again. The best compressors are the ones that just slide in on each end and squeeze it down, but those cost dearly. Otherwise, the ones I use have 2 hooks on each end, not the cheapies with a hook on one end and 2 on the other, they slide too easily and tick me off..
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2001
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WAIT! You take off the three smaller retaining nuts around the outer perimeter of the strut and the entire strut assembly comes out as a unit. (Yes, those three little nuts do hold the entire upper strut in place - along with a formed well. This will become self evident once you have the strut unit out.)
Don't take off the middle nut until you get the strut assembly out. Clamp the lower strut section that bolts to the spindle in a vise and THEN you put the coil spring compressor on to release the tension on the middle, coil spring retainer nut. The nuts is likely not seized, just under tremedous pressure from the coil spring. Of course, if you have air chiseled the heck out of it, getting the nut off will be interesting.
(This is also assuming you have removed the lower portion of the strut at the pinch clamp where it attaches to the steering knuckle (spindle). Use wire to hold the knuckle and keep it from flopping outward against the brake line after you detach the strut.)
Don't take off the middle nut until you get the strut assembly out. Clamp the lower strut section that bolts to the spindle in a vise and THEN you put the coil spring compressor on to release the tension on the middle, coil spring retainer nut. The nuts is likely not seized, just under tremedous pressure from the coil spring. Of course, if you have air chiseled the heck out of it, getting the nut off will be interesting.
(This is also assuming you have removed the lower portion of the strut at the pinch clamp where it attaches to the steering knuckle (spindle). Use wire to hold the knuckle and keep it from flopping outward against the brake line after you detach the strut.)
Last edited by aerocolorado; Sep 25, 2006 at 05:51 PM.
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