Orange Terror

I'm in the process of changing front shocks, I got the assembly out, springs compressed. Got the nut off the shaft, can't get the damn upper spring perch to slip off the shaft. It should shouldn't it? Or is there something I'm missing? Somebody save me!!!!

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

Last time I did this, I had to cut the shock shaft below the perch and then drive the upper portion of the shaft out with a punch.

Orange Terror

Ok, well I think that's where I'm at. What did you use to cut it?

SteelBallz

Same exact thing happened to me.... I used a sawzall to cut the shaft (with the spring still compressed) and then I had to use a press to get the rest of the shaft out.... biggest pain in the ***!!!

Orange Terror

Wow, I didn't think a sawzall would cut those shafts, aren't they hardened? Almost seems like for the money and hassle it'd be faster and easier to get new ones.

Orange Terror

Anybody?

J. Brown

A friend and I just put my Koni's on........we didn't have any problem. Compressed the springs and removed the nut?

Orange Terror

Yep, did all that, had to grind the nut off cause it was rusted solid to the shaft and I couldn't turn it. Turns out the metal sleeve underneath that goes on the shock shaft is rusted solid to the shaft. This on a 68,000 mile 99 Camaro that's never seen winter to my knowledge. If I can cut it I will but those are hardened shafts and I don't see a sawzall working.

TA guy

iTrader: (1)

My passenger side did that too with only 25000 miles on the car. Anyway, I cut the shaft off as low as I could with my dremmel, then drilled a small pilot hole in the middle of the shaft, just deep enough to get the a larger bit started (be careful, don't break the bit! if you do you are screwed) and followed that with a bit the size of the shaft. It drilled out fairly easily. It seemed like the shock shaft was softer than the mount so keeping the bit in the center was pretty easy. If you have ever tried to drill out a bolt from a soft material (like aluminum), well, its easier than that.

01formula6

iTrader: (7)

If you don't have a recip saw, go buy one and some good blades. It will cut through pretty easy.

jeep0084

iTrader: (18)

i just did mine over winter, even with a crappy blade the 30 yr old reciprocating saw cut through pretty quickly, just be sure the spring is compressed good as when i finally cut it the spring gave a good jolt, and if you dont have access to a press thats where the ful came in, we actually put the assembly in a vice and drilled the entire center out....that took awhile, good luck

Orange Terror

Just an update. Thanks everybody, sawsall does wonders, lol. Got them all changed, thanks for the help.

SteelBallz

no problem....