please help losing my temper now

[savagewomble]

hi all I am trying to remove the top nut on my front shock on a '73 and getting furious. I think I have tried absolutely everything is there anything anyone can suggest before I cut it off. ( tried tins and tins of penetrating oils all different types, Impact wrenches, heat, brute force and down right ignorance ) thanks all

 

[38F3E1]

It's a pain to remove. Trouble is that when you try to turn it the strut turns underneath. Usually the combination of an impact gun and somebody holding the strut under the front wing will loosen it. Do you have a friendly local specialist who would loosen it for you?

Ian.

 

[savagewomble]

thanks for the reply I thought it was just me being an idiot but you have reassured me that they are that stubborn
just asked a friend at work and he has an enormous set of pipe wrenches I will take them home tonight and try again with the impact wrench and hopefully these will get a better grip on the strut below without doing too much damage ( I hope the wife is feeling strong )

unfortunately new to the area and not got a local garage on board yet but no doubt I will soon cos I am doing a complete nuts and bolts restore. Not going too well so far stuck on a suspension strut haha. ( I have started at the top and working down though so not far to go on the strip down )

again thanks for the help

 

[911hillclimber]

The piston top that the pesky nut is on should have a 'key' to get an allen key or some form of special tool onto to prevent turning.

My Bilstiens have a simple keyway in them and I mad a tool to go around the top with a square to locate in the keywat all on a long handle. It all came undone easy.

I think Koni/ Boge have an allen key in the top used to prevent turning?

You will certainly ruin the hard chrome plating on the piston if you use a tool on them. Fine if they are scrap already.

The factory would not struggle to assemble them so there must be a way to hold the piston shaft and do the nut up/off.

Sorry to be 'awkward' but you have opened flat the thin locking tabs (no wise crack / insult intended)

 

[38F3E1]

Yes don't use pipe grips on the strut.

If you are removing the suspension anyway you can just undo the three bolts holding the plate in that has the big rubber bush in it. The whole assembly will then come away into the wheel arch and you can tacke the nut on a bench once you have the whole strut removed.

Ian.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Hi
I had a similar problem and bought an external drive, large hole in the middle, socket set (wanted one anyway!) and with an Allen headed conventional socket going through the new one, the job was straightforward.
But as you're stripping' I'd do as Ian says.
If you're around Leicester you are welcome to borrow the external drive set, my no is on the bottom.
Mike

PS I'd love to see it!

 

[ronsurf]

My 2p worth:

From years of experience keeping a 40 year old VW split bus on the road, a trick I was told is to tighten stubborn nuts/bolts first before undoing them. No idea why it works, but it does. You can give it a good yank tightening it - it sort of breaks any bond the nut may have, and you can undo it with less force usually. Another thing to check is left handed threads. They can really ruin your day!

 

[Pete917]

ORIGINAL: Ian McLeod

Yes don't use pipe grips on the strut.

If you are removing the suspension anyway you can just undo the three bolts holding the plate in that has the big rubber bush in it. The whole assembly will then come away into the wheel arch and you can tacke the nut on a bench once you have the whole strut removed.

Ian.

+1

 

[savagewomble]

thanks all so much for the feed back I have finally got it off

you will all be pleased to know I didnt use the pipe grips

I used a combination of all your tips

I rechecked that the locking tabs were folded down fully ( thanks hillclimber )
I then tried to tighten it to see if it broke the seal at all ( thanks ronsurf )
I then put a whole tin of freeze and release ( thanks halfords )
then got my impact wrench on it ( which didn't work again )
then got a breaker bar and with a lot of swearing of it popped hooray

after that I thought I would tackle the others which all came off no problem, I wish I had started on the other side


cheers all

 

[911hillclimber]

Ronsurf:

Good to see you have a good taste in Lambrettas..

Graham
TV175 Series 3 for restoration[8D]

 

[Pete917]

ORIGINAL: savagewomble



after that I thought I would tackle the others which all came off no problem, I wish I had started on the other side


cheers all

Thats working on cars for you! there's always a stubborn nut that doesnt want to come off

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: 911hillclimber

Ronsurf:

Good to see you have a good taste in Lambrettas..

Graham
TV175 Series 3 for restoration[8D]

Graham ...are you offering a TV175 for sale ? I've been promising myself a series 2 Li for years but a TV would be real special.
Can't believe I left a garage with 2x Li's and stacks of spares in 1969 [] .