I purchased a 2005 Fiat Punto 1.2 8v Active a few months back and it was apparent from the time of purchase that the front suspension struts need replacing. I've purchased two new struts and dust covers for said struts but when the time to fit the struts arose I encountered that my nuts and bolts that join the lower section of the strut to the hub are completely rusted beyond use and have a tenancy to round when I try to remove them. I need two pieces of help. 1: How do I remove a rounded bolt and what is the easiest way to do so 2: What size are the nuts and bolts that hold the strut to the hub as I know that the current bolts cannot be reused on the new strut. I need this help asap. FYI: The abs cable bracket snapped clean off when I tried removing the bolt holding it so I need to source another one of those too. :bang:

Since you will not be reusing said bolts/nuts, get in there with a grinder. Regarding sizes, I suggest you visit your nearest Fiat garage, hopefully they will be able to help.

Fiat dealer will fleece you!!!! Go to a scrap yard and get all the bits, I'd imagine a tenner would be more than enough. Clean the thread on ALL bolts with a wire brush first before you try and loosen them, if they are that bad, a bit of heat and or WD40 or similar. A thread file is also a great investment, I've had the same Sykes Pickavant one for close on 30 yr and it had got me out of some very awkward situations.

you say you have new struts but i guess they arent complete with springs?
these need to be compressed when being swapped/fitted so maybe you need a little more help than you think?
if the bolts are manked then possibly as suggested grind them off or see if you can borrow a nut splitter
these bolts always were a pain to remove on many puntos as they were made of poor material
for the abs cable you could always use a tie clip round strut then a tie clip fastened to the tie clip then round the abs cable so long as cable can move in all directions when done without being stretched
the brake hose will need a proper fixing mind so if this shears then consider a replacement nut and bolt

will nut splitter work on a rusted bolt?

Search the forum, I posted a long and boring thread on suspension lower strut bolts sizes and strength class.
they're fine pitch, and you can buy the right part on eBay. Iirc, they're about £7 per nut/bolt pair. Read and weep.

You can cut these ones off, just be careful near brake hoses etc.

If you're really patient, you can get them off. Take a long time to clean all rust off, you'll have lots of scale that makes a "rust weld". You'll have to so this, or you'll just round the bolt head off. Keep going down to fresh metal.

The Irvin rounded nut removers are genius, but dear. And you'll need a 3/8 drive. Watch out for cheap 1/2 to 3/8 adaptors, they're made of cheese.

Btw, the top end can be a pain too. You'll need an offset ring spanner for top bearing nut. And watch out for rounding the female Allen out.

Are you sure you want to take this one on? As soon as you cut the bolts out, you're committed. Be prepared to swear a lot. Particularly after dropping all the ball bearings over the garage floor.

I must be lucky with my local Fiat garage, any time I require nuts/bolts for the likes of this, no high prices & no bother.

Euro car care stock the nuts and bolts

If theyve rounded then prepare for a fight
I spent 5 days gettin mine out in past
Got the nuts off but for life nore money coukdnt get the bolts out
A spent alot of time hammering them free......

Remember to copper grease the **** out of them on refitting
As for me it meant a **** easy removal next time

Ziggy

Ziggy122 said:

Euro car care stock the nuts and bolts

If theyve rounded then prepare for a fight
I spent 5 days gettin mine out in past
Got the nuts off but for life nore money coukdnt get the bolts out
A spent alot of time hammering them free......

Remember to copper grease the **** out of them on refitting
As for me it meant a **** easy removal next time

Ziggy

Click to expand...

For a while i was plastering my car parts with copper grease but copper is at the wrong end of the galvanic series. Copper will increase corrosion even if grease will majorly prevent corrosion. You can buy aluminium grease which i am supposing is a better choice than copper. Originally the cars had what looks like zinc paste.

You could use something like these

bolt remover

Here's how clean the threads would ideally be before removal

An impact wrench makes it easier. I guess you have spring compressors?

That's a spot on picture, that's what I meant be "fresh metal".

These nuts are particularly troublesome as there is a captive cup washer (you can see it in the image above). It just turns into one big ball of rust and sticks solidly. It also prevents getting your socket on properly.

Once it's this clean, and with the cup washer-to-strut, and bolt head, cleaned, they can come off OK.

judderbar said:

For a while i was plastering my car parts with copper grease but copper is at the wrong end of the galvanic series. Copper will increase corrosion even if grease will majorly prevent corrosion. You can buy aluminium grease which i am supposing is a better choice than copper. Originally the cars had what looks like zinc paste.

Click to expand...

Aluminium will also corrode the hot dip galvanising on these bolts. I take the point about the grease excluding an electrolyte.

Interesting to see if you can find the zinc grease....

s and b said:

you say you have new struts but i guess they arent complete with springs?
these need to be compressed when being swapped/fitted so maybe you need a little more help than you think?
if the bolts are manked then possibly as suggested grind them off or see if you can borrow a nut splitter
these bolts always were a pain to remove on many puntos as they were made of poor material
for the abs cable you could always use a tie clip round strut then a tie clip fastened to the tie clip then round the abs cable so long as cable can move in all directions when done without being stretched
the brake hose will need a proper fixing mind so if this shears then consider a replacement nut and bolt

Click to expand...

I do have the spring compressors and have done much research Including the purchase of the Haynes manual for the mk2 Just as a reference if needs be. One of my relatives is a grease monkey and has told me about coils going off like rockets if they aren't compressed properly so I will be super careful. In regards to the bracket It was in fact the brake cable bracket but I've loosely used a cable tie to attach it and it functions properly for now Till I get it done properly.