Technical Driving Grande Punto with faulty strut mount
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Technical Driving Grande Punto with faulty strut mount
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Ill photo and measure both of mine shortly
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I'm currently looking for a tape measure, or ruler and having no luck!
lolOK I found a tape measure, mine are 16cm when compressed. So I think 24 cm wide compressors are ok after all, because I'm not unwinding the whole spring, just taking the mount off.
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That's a good idea. I do have an 18mm swan neck, so I'll give that a go tomorrow.
Spring compressors that were posted on that picture are perfect... About the big top nut, if you use inpact gun/inpact wrench you dont need to hold the bolt, you only put your socket on the nut and press the button.. maybe you can borrow it from neigbour or a friend... If you will be doing any kind of repairs in future it also pays of to have your own inpact gun along with a set of short and long hex sockets.
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I do have an impact, so thank you for the info, I will definitely give that a go. I haven't tried to repair any other makes or models of cars, but I'm tinking the Grand Punto might be particularly prone to rusted nuts and bolts.
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The impact gun did loosen itDont worry this big nut, will never rust to much for inpact gun.
Until today I hadn't realised just how powerful these impact guns are, they can crack just about anything it seems.I also loosened the drop link nut and two lower strut bolts, so all of the big nuts are cracked and will come off easily.
I don't have any more time for this today so I've semi-tightened the nuts, put the wheel back on and left this on its stands. I'd prefer to get it off the stands overnight. The 4 bolts are off fully tightened by one or two mm, is it going to be OK to lower it down?
If the strout with spring is in, and bottom two horizontal bolts even without all nuts, then yes, of course it will hold.. but there is other big issue about this. If the car is on ground on four wheels, somebody can come to it and assume it is driveable.. what if your wife or son goes driving? What if tow company comes and decides to move it.. what if something happens to you, you dont come back, and eventually somebody will want to move it - they will probably push it or try to drive it...The impact gun did loosen it
I also loosened the drop link nut and two lower strut bolts, so all of the big nuts are cracked and will come off easily.
I don't have any more time for this today so I've semi-tightened the nuts, put the wheel back on and left this on its stands. I'd prefer to get it off the stands overnight. The 4 bolts are off fully tightened by one or two mm, is it going to be OK to lower it down?
For this reason i would advise not to put wheels on, so it is clear for everyone not to drive it, or push it around.. only put wheels when it will not fall apart if driving, so when you tighten all nuts and bolts.
Dont worry about the neigbour, its normal that there is work being done, you dont need to put the wheel on to look better to the neigbour..
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The car is on a private driveway so it isn't in the way of the neighbours. Its a bit cold being sat on the floor but that's part of the fun
We have two other cars so my wife won't drive this one, even by accident. And beside there's only one key
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Okay, just be careful please, i know some friends who did similar thing, put the wheel on without any bolt, just to look better, and in next morning somebody moved this car.. lucky the wheel without any bolts stayed on for those few meters, but you can Imagine what would happen if somebody would actually went for longer drive than just few meters
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I can now see why this is a worry. I can also understand why someone who lives on my street always leaves his car up on a stand, sometimes for days on end. I regularly drive by and see it up on a stand and had always wondered why he hadn't taken it down.Okay, just be careful please, i know some friends who did similar thing, put the wheel on without any bolt, just to look better, and in next morning somebody moved this car.. lucky the wheel without any bolts stayed on for those few meters, but you can Imagine what would happen if somebody would actually went for longer drive than just few meters
It always felt safer to have it on the floor when in fact its safer in the air. Thank you for your concern
I'm going to leave it on its stands after all.
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I had another go at this today, but the drop link defeated me. I moved it a few more threads but then it seized up. A previous mechanic has had hold of the thread with pliers and wrecked it, so there is no realistic prospect of me getting that bolt off with the spanner and allen key I was using.
I could possibly buy a better allen key and 18mm spanner. I could possibly try to get a mole grip behind it, so I don't have to use an allen key, but I don't currently have a mole grip. I could cut the droplink off but I'm not convinced this would make the job easier, and I have no cutting tools.
So I'm currently having a think, any ideas?
I could possibly buy a better allen key and 18mm spanner. I could possibly try to get a mole grip behind it, so I don't have to use an allen key, but I don't currently have a mole grip. I could cut the droplink off but I'm not convinced this would make the job easier, and I have no cutting tools.
So I'm currently having a think, any ideas?
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I'm hoping to avoid buying an angle grinder because it may be a single use item, but if I can't get it off any other way then cut it will have to be.
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I found some mole/vice grips in the shed and managed to get the drop link off.
I've saved an Einhell cordless angle grinder in my Amazon basket, i'd really like to buy one because having seen them on YouTube they're looking really useful for multiple DIY tasks. They're also a lot cheaper than when I last looked at cordless items like this 10+ years ago.
So the spring and strut mount will be coming off Monday morning - unless its raining
I've saved an Einhell cordless angle grinder in my Amazon basket, i'd really like to buy one because having seen them on YouTube they're looking really useful for multiple DIY tasks. They're also a lot cheaper than when I last looked at cordless items like this 10+ years ago.
So the spring and strut mount will be coming off Monday morning - unless its raining
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The strut is off. I'm not sure how much more to tighten the compressor nuts before I try to take off the mount? I've pictured both sides.
The straps I bought are a lot more tricky than the compressors, so I can't currently get them on.
The straps I bought are a lot more tricky than the compressors, so I can't currently get them on.
