quickstrut install - separate from lower mount?

[TexasMustang]

I'm trying to put Monroe QuickStruts in my 2005 Rainier. With the quickstrut I was expecting a quick and easy job with no springs to mess with...... WRONG

I'm struggling to get the old strut separated from the bottom mount. I've removed the nut/bolt all the way and have used a pry bar to spread the sides apart. I've let it soak with PB. And I started off with my small hammer and then upgraded. Nothing!!!!!

Any tips......

 

[newfie6719]

I'm trying to put Monroe QuickStruts in my 2005 Rainier. With the quickstrut I was expecting a quick and easy job with no springs to mess with...... WRONG

I'm struggling to get the old strut separated from the bottom mount. I've removed the nut/bolt all the way and have used a pry bar to spread the sides apart. I've let it soak with PB. And I started off with my small hammer and then upgraded. Nothing!!!!!

Any tips......

remove the bolt holding the arm on then remove the complete arm and strut together then try tapping the arm off

Strut and Shock Install - Truck Test Digest

 

[meerschm]

I'm trying to put Monroe QuickStruts in my 2005 Rainier. With the quickstrut I was expecting a quick and easy job with no springs to mess with...... WRONG

I'm struggling to get the old strut separated from the bottom mount. I've removed the nut/bolt all the way and have used a pry bar to spread the sides apart. I've let it soak with PB. And I started off with my small hammer and then upgraded. Nothing!!!!!

Any tips......

I took one of mine to the back of a local Pep Boys sweet talked a mechanic and gave him $20

use a wedge to open a bit, and whack it with a hammer. the mechanic held a ball peen hammer and whacked it with a two pounder a few times.

it was off the vehicle, and I held it upside down while he hit the top of the upside down shock would have been better with a vise, but it worked ok, he never did hit me with the hammer

Just want to double check, you do have it off the vehicle, right? in the photo you have it still installed. and why do you have the boot pulled off the inner tie rod?

 

[Lima Tango]

Assuming you have removed the whole apparatus including the strut mounting arm pictured from the vehicle, it's doable with enough encouragement. I had one that wiggled off easy, another took me 20 minutes of PB blaster, driving a wedge into the seam; and whacking it with various hammers to get it to slide off. Made progress in tiny fractions of an inch but finally got there.

If you are trying to do this without removing the whole thing, you're working way harder than needed.

 

[TexasMustang]

I took one of mine to the back of a local Pep Boys sweet talked a mechanic and gave him $20

use a wedge to open a bit, and whack it with a hammer. the mechanic held a ball peen hammer and whacked it with a two pounder a few times.

it was off the vehicle, and I held it upside down while he hit the top of the upside down shock would have been better with a vise, but it worked ok, he never did hit me with the hammer

Just want to double check, you do have it off the vehicle, right? in the photo you have it still installed. and why do you have the boot pulled off the inner tie rod?

I found the tie rod boot like that when I pulled the tire off......... Not sure how long it has been like that but I reattached it today.

I do still have the struts on the car. I'll pull them off and then try to separate. I'll need tie rod separator to remove the lower part of the control arm from the truck?? I can borrow/rent one from autozone, but any shortcut without one?

I have already put it back together with the old struts for today and am done for now - I'll fight with it again next weekend...... Good thing about struts I can drive it as is.

Last weekend I spend less then two hours to replace the leaking airbags with arnott and replace the rear shocks..... The fronts are payback for how easy that was.

 

[Lima Tango]

Remove that 24mm nut on the strut mounting arm to the lower control arm connection then use a pittman arm puller, usually for rent from your auto parts store. I fought with the thing forever trying to use a pickle fork but the puller did the job in 2 minutes.

 

[anthonyl79]

Remove that 24mm nut on the strut mounting arm to the lower control arm connection then use a pittman arm puller, usually for rent from your auto parts store. I fought with the thing forever trying to use a pickle fork but the puller did the job in 2 minutes.

I just had mine off today. I installed a 2.5" lift and the front took me all of an hour. No pitman arm puller or pickle fork. Take the 24mm nut off and then rethread it till the threads are flush with the end of the nut. Unbolt the top two bolts and then smack the 24mm nut a couple of times just to loosen it. I also smacked it with a 3lb sledge a couple of times right where you circled on your drawing and they both came out. No need for tool rentals.

 

[6716]

Yeah, take it to somebody with air tools, give 'em $20 to bust that thing loose. Have them put the new strut into the yoke while they're at it, too.

I banged on that for waaaaaay too long before I brought it to a shop that had it done in 20 minutes.

 

[ScarabEpic22]

Ive done it both ways, made the idiotic move about 3-4 years ago when I did my drop install on my 02 to torque the crap out of the lower yoke bolt onto the lower control arm so they dont separate anymore. I have been able to remove the shock from the lower strut arm 2x now, just takes me sitting on the rotor assembly and someone else prying the lower end of the shock out.

If you can, PB Blast the lower control arm nut, remove it and use a pitmann arm puller or picklefork to pull it. Then you can swap the lower strut mount to the new strut and slap it in.

 

[TexasMustang]

OK - I got it done yesterday. It took about 2 1/2 hours and I had my seven year old daughter helping.

I used the fork borrowed from auto-zone and it wasn't too bad getting it separated. After getting the assembly off of the car it was easy from there.

thanks for the help.

 

[JerryIrons]

I know I am replying to an older thread, but in case this helps anyone else here is some info. I am changing out my struts with quick struts, and what I did:
- leave top nuts in strut tower loosely on to keep strut from falling out on you when it comes apart.
- pay attention to how the strut and yoke are aligned, you will need this when you put back together.
- removed pinch bolt. I was able to remove nut, and then thread nut back on until threads level with bolt, and then used a hammer to push the bolt out some. Then I used a metal chisel to widen up the crack enough to get the bolt out if needed.
- leave the strut in the yoke for now.
- removed yoke using pittman arm puller. Put on penetrating oil, remove nut. Then pounded on a pittman arm puller using a hammer, snugged it up tight but not tight enough to break it. Then pounded from the other side with my 3lb sledge and a piece of black pipe. Also I pounded around the sides of yoke. After a few pounds I tightened up the pittman arm puller and eventually it popped off. This sounds like a lot of work but in all honesty wasn't bad at all. I have worked with much much harder pittman type pulls. (can anyone say ford f150 steering gear connection!)
- removed strut and yoke together, and then laying on garage floor pounded in a metal chisel into crack of pinch part to widen up the hole. Then used a hammer on bottom of strut to pound it up and out of yoke.
- when installing new strut, put in yoke first, and then install in vehicle, this worked for me. I have done one side and 2nd side will be this evening. I remember having to use the jack to raise and lower control arm with steering knuckle to kind of get things arranged for space. I also took off the axle nut and used a drift to move the cv shaft out of the hub so I wouldn't screw up the axle stuff. (and moved brake caliper and caliper bracket out of way first)

-Jerry