there should be a hex, hex key hole or TX hole in the top (depending on manufacturer) to stop it rotating while using a ring spanner,
Technical Strut top question!
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Technical Strut top question!
I think the G-camp is to go over the ball joint to add some friction so the centre of the ball joint doesn't spin with nut.
I find that if the hex key will not hold it nothing will
if they been on for like 15 years and the exposed threads weren't greased, it's easier to chisel the nut off. Being a nyloc nut heat here will make it worse
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Ah, worked it out. So there you can see how I used the g clamp, and it worked perfectly! The pressure stopped the tread turning, and there was room to get the spanner on the nut. The track rod end is still serviceable. Result!
However, that's the end of the good news.
The 2 bolts holding the hub carrier to the strut are totally solid, and I can't get them off in a month if Sunday's. Now you can all shout about heat/grinders etc, but I just don't have the equipment.
The other problem is the drive shaft, which has helpfully shared it's CV grease with the world. Yet strangely the boot isn't split, and there is still quite a lot in the joint.
But there seems quite a looseness about the joint - there is about 4/5 mm of free play backwards and forwards - is that normal, or severe wear?
And the bearing in the hub doesn't grate, it's actually quite smooth but quite hard to turn. The one one the second hand hub I bought is smooth and quiet but also turns very easily. So I dunno which is better. Sigh.
As always, answers from the collective appreciated!
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just changed a strut a couple of days ago
done them before with no bother
this time I cut through the nut with a club hammer and chisel
in the past I found there is just enough room to use a junior hacksaw along the bolt taking a wedge out of the nut just get about 95% down and it will unbolt easily, use a decent saw blade and it will take less than 5 minutes, pound shop ones and you will be lucky to ever finish. Watch the back of the strut there's a little lip. When you are down to the last few millimeters you will have to shorten the stroke
here you can see how little the head is on the bolt side. Stupid design, just in case I needed to undo it in the future I replaced it anyhow. I doubt it would stand a second try
You can cut down here with a junior hacksaw, It doesn't take long, no mess, sparks, noise, I have thought about buying a reciprocating saw but for the odd occasion manual / cheap does me fine
its as quick as heat,
I fitted mazda/ford pinch bolts (£2.40 Inc VAT each). There coated, High tensile and the right lengths, diameters. Stocked by most motor factors. The only downside is the thread pitch is different. I can't recommend using them as they aren't the same as the OEM but if you are stuck they do fit.
done them before with no bother
this time I cut through the nut with a club hammer and chisel
in the past I found there is just enough room to use a junior hacksaw along the bolt taking a wedge out of the nut just get about 95% down and it will unbolt easily, use a decent saw blade and it will take less than 5 minutes, pound shop ones and you will be lucky to ever finish. Watch the back of the strut there's a little lip. When you are down to the last few millimeters you will have to shorten the stroke
here you can see how little the head is on the bolt side. Stupid design, just in case I needed to undo it in the future I replaced it anyhow. I doubt it would stand a second try
You can cut down here with a junior hacksaw, It doesn't take long, no mess, sparks, noise, I have thought about buying a reciprocating saw but for the odd occasion manual / cheap does me fine
its as quick as heat,
I fitted mazda/ford pinch bolts (£2.40 Inc VAT each). There coated, High tensile and the right lengths, diameters. Stocked by most motor factors. The only downside is the thread pitch is different. I can't recommend using them as they aren't the same as the OEM but if you are stuck they do fit.
are you sure its not been repaired in the past
is this either side the joint or slop at the tyre and so on
are the drive shafts still connected. There's a fare bit of drag from the gearbox on the front wheels
also are the brakes dragging ?
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Thanks Koaler.
The suspension is stripped right down, brake caliper removed, hub pulled off drive shaft.
So the hub bearing can be turned by hand, but feels like it's in treacle.
The CV joint on the end of the driveshaft, the part that goes into the hub, has noticeable side to side play along the line of the shaft, several mm, when pushed/pulled backwards and forwards, but no discernible rotational play. And yes, someone has been at it previously, because the boot was secured with a cable tie.
The suspension is stripped right down, brake caliper removed, hub pulled off drive shaft.
So the hub bearing can be turned by hand, but feels like it's in treacle.
The CV joint on the end of the driveshaft, the part that goes into the hub, has noticeable side to side play along the line of the shaft, several mm, when pushed/pulled backwards and forwards, but no discernible rotational play. And yes, someone has been at it previously, because the boot was secured with a cable tie.
I would say 5mm is worn but acceptable. There is a little play from new. I don't know what the official tolerance is but all mine have been around that much
I don't worry about it. The shafts are normally still good for another 200,000 miles plus
I don't worry about it. The shafts are normally still good for another 200,000 miles plus
the drag question is hard to answer. The bearings are in grease so aren't free spinning. So do feel "like it's in treacle." How much drag is acceptable to me is hard to convey in words and is not something I have ever measured. If it spins freely then most of the grease has been lost. Sound to me like your replacement could possibly be worse than the original ?
every wheel bearing I have replaced has been fairly obvious at this stage, not rotating smoothly, gritty or notchy.
maybe others could chime in
every wheel bearing I have replaced has been fairly obvious at this stage, not rotating smoothly, gritty or notchy.
maybe others could chime in
Side to side play, so you are talking about being able to "plunge" the shaft in and out of the joint? As you think the shaft has been out of the CV at some time - and, as you say that cable tie on the boot is a bit of a give away - then maybe the shaft has not been thrust into the CV enough to allow the spring circlip on the end of the shaft to engage with the central "spider" of the CV? The shaft needs to be quite vigorously seated into the CV. Of course maybe there's no circlip or maybe the circlip is broken? As Koalar says above it's usual to be able to detect a small amount of "in/out" play on the CV due to tolerance between the inner cage, balls and outer housing. Basically if it doesn't click and rattle when driving on full lock it's probably Ok.
Yes, difficult if you've not felt a good few during your life, to tell what feels right. As you say the bearings are prepacked with grease so shouldn't spin too freely, if new this means they won't "spin" at all, and gearbox drag will reduce spin too. When getting on a bit in age the grease tends to become moved out of the direct path of the Balls in their races so "spinning" becomes more possible. If they're not noisy and there's virtually no play when the hub nut is fully tightened (grip the wheel at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock and rock) then I wouldn't worry.
Just a thought, but as you have the hub separated from the shaft and it seems very likely that the CV boot has either been off or renewed in the past, I would be removing the boot and dismantling the CV, giving it a good clean out, inspecting the grooves and balls for damage/wear and reassembling with a good quality Moly HMP grease. This will also give you the opportunity to check the condition of that circlip too. I'd probably just chuck a new boot at it too unless the one on it just now looks to be nearly new.
View attachment 407162
Ah, worked it out. So there you can see how I used the g clamp, and it worked perfectly! The pressure stopped the tread turning, and there was room to get the spanner on the nut. The track rod end is still serviceable. Result!
However, that's the end of the good news.
The 2 bolts holding the hub carrier to the strut are totally solid, and I can't get them off in a month if Sunday's. Now you can all shout about heat/grinders etc, but I just don't have the equipment.
As always, answers from the collective appreciated!
Regarding those two bolts which secure the bottom of the strut to the hub. When I did Becky's (2012 Panda 1.2 with 64,000 miles on the clock) front end rebuild a couple of years ago all 4 bolts (2 per side) fought me valiantly! I soaked them with Plus Gas for about a week before starting but two of the bolts (one each side and both top ones if I remember) simply snapped their bolts. The other two did unscrew but all four then took considerable time with hammer and punch to get them out. Even once they started to move I found twisting them with a spanner and spraying more PG in between hammering at them was very beneficial. I wasn't too worried about ruining them as I'd read on the forum that it's a good idea to always renew these bolts anyway so I'd already got new ones waiting to go in on reassembly. By the way, I think they are "harder" than the more common 8.8 grade bolts so be sure to get genuine items. I got mine from S4p who I like and use a lot for my parts. I could have got them a bit cheaper elsewhere but I was ordering struts, springs, top mounts etc so it was easier to just get the bolts and nuts at the same time.
Edit - PS thanks for the picture of the G clamp in use. That was how I imagined you might do it and I guess you used the open end jaws of the spanner? I'd imagine it would be less easy if the nut was really tight and you needed to use a ring key or socket? I'm just so used to doing it with my big lever and it works well for me so I'll just carry on that way.
Edit - PS thanks for the picture of the G clamp in use. That was how I imagined you might do it and I guess you used the open end jaws of the spanner? I'd imagine it would be less easy if the nut was really tight and you needed to use a ring key or socket? I'm just so used to doing it with my big lever and it works well for me so I'll just carry on that way.
correct 10.9 grade
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On my car, one of the old strut bottom bolts was so seized, it sheared off. I replaced them all with zinc plated 10.9 grade and anti seize end to end. I also fitted plastic caps over the exposed threads. It's probably not necessary, but it might be me doing the job next time.
For seized track rod end nuts, I use a slitting disc on the angle grinder. Take care as slitting the control arm would be a very bad idea. There is no need to go all the way down the nut. The smaller fragment will break off but the heat generated is enough to shift the seizure.
The strut top nuts can be too tight to remove. If you done have a power impact wrench, drill a 3mm hole down the threads between nut and strut top. The nyloc keeps the drill from slipping. To avoid the drill breaking, spin it fast and use gentle pressure. The nut will now unscrew easily. The strut top threads get damaged but you are replacing that anyway.
For seized track rod end nuts, I use a slitting disc on the angle grinder. Take care as slitting the control arm would be a very bad idea. There is no need to go all the way down the nut. The smaller fragment will break off but the heat generated is enough to shift the seizure.
The strut top nuts can be too tight to remove. If you done have a power impact wrench, drill a 3mm hole down the threads between nut and strut top. The nyloc keeps the drill from slipping. To avoid the drill breaking, spin it fast and use gentle pressure. The nut will now unscrew easily. The strut top threads get damaged but you are replacing that anyway.
