Removing front strut assembly - getting to my wit's end!

[deagle12]

About six months ago I asked for your guys' help removing the front strut to replace motor mounts.

https://gmtnation.com/forums/threads/motor-mount-replacement-issues.17012/#post-533796

Well.. I'm at it again. A friend's Envoy has the same symptoms I did, and since I had done it once I offered to do it for my friend.

This strut is EXTREMELY stubborn. Been at it for hours trying to get the lower strut yoke from the lower control arm. I have tried:

1) a puller (it broke on the first try - it was the exact same model I successfully rented before)

2) a pickle fork, hammering on it with a sledge hammer

3) the pickle fork stuck in there, prying on it for leverage, while hammering the stud (nut attached) with a sledge

(This whole time I have been soaking it with penetrating oil for a couple days)

I reallly don't want to take apart the whole strut (pinch bolt on the top of the yoke, sway bar, upper control arm pinch bolt for upper ball joint, etc)...

Any suggestions?

I'm thinking of jacking up the wheel/hub assembly at the lower control arm, to see if I can get the strut compressed in such a way to get that pesky middle bracket bolt out. Then return it to normal position and get the other two. Is this a bad idea?

 

[Sparky]

I could never get that off on mine. I had to get the shock off that lower mount thing with it still attached to the lower arm on the truck.

 

[deagle12]

Dang. What's the best way to do that? Remove all the stuff I mentioned basically?

 

[Reprise]

I just did this on mine - and I went down the same path that the OP did. The puller was the only thing that worked for me.

I used a ball joint / pitman puller (2 leg). Only one leg would fit well between the yoke & the knuckle, but that was enough - I was able to pop it loose on the first attempt, after trying pry bar, pickle fork, 3-arm pullers, and the BFH. With the 2-arm puller, I had to use 1/2" socket & ratchet - while the worm gear had a 3/8" hole to attach a ratchet directly, it wasn't moving with that alone.

Since I'm replacing my ball joints & sway bar links, I disconnected those. The lower arm can probably be left in place, if you get the yoke disconnected. I would recommend the upper arm be separated from the ball joint, myself, but I think the shock assy could be removed w/ the upper arm in place if you manage to separate the yoke from the knuckle.

I would *not* recommend removing the center nut until the shock is out of the vehicle & the springs compressed. If you remove the nut beforehand, the spring is still going to be under > 3000lbs of tension when you attempt to remove the assembly - with nothing holding it back (actually making it *harder* to remove, IMO (as well as putting yourself at risk.) You could attach the compressors to it before removing, but that is a bit chancy - plus you'll have less room to maneuver with them attached. BTW, the shock will *not* disconnect from the yoke with the pinch bolt intact - it is similar to the upper BJ and arm.

If you go with Sparky's method - removing the shock from the yoke, leaving the yoke connected - I think you're going to have to drop the lower arm (disconnecting the sway link would be sufficient). Otherwise, I don't know how you'll have the room to get the assembly disconnected from the yoke, much less removed from the truck. Mine was rusted in place, so it was the yoke or nothing for me.

I could have taken the recip. saw to the bottom of the shock between the spring and the yoke, but that would have been a mess (the stockers are oil-filled). If the puller didn't work, that might have been my next step.

Of course, Sparky may have a better method - he often comes along and 'cleans up after me' after I've posted something incorrectly...

 

[Sparky]

To get it off the yoke you'd have to disconnect the upper ball joint so the knuckle can swing outward and away. I would pull the brake hardware too and hang the caliper out of the way with some wire, as it will make it easier without all that weight hanging off of it. Disconnect the sway link. Then you can push the lower arm down enough to get the assembly to swing outward. It is easier with two people though, because to get that heavy spring/shock assembly out you need to keep the yoke pried open with something while lifting the shock straight out of it, and keep it pulled outward as the bushing will want to rotate it back under the truck. It is a bit of a pain.

You might have to take the tie rod end off the knuckle also to gain a bit more space.

Good thing is, none of the stuff you're doing will affect alignment as you're not playing with anything that adjusts that.

 

[6716]

Pitman Arm puller worked for me. Well, plus a breaker bar. It took some effort but then it just "BANG!" broke loose and went.

 

[deagle12]

Thanks guys, got it removed and got the job done!

I rented a pitman arm puller and it was too small. Rented another one that was just almost too big, but it worked! Glad to have avoided all the extra work

 

[gmac310]

Heat it with a torch, not only will the metal expand but it will help the penetrant soak in better.

 

[Mooseman]

I've also had good luck just whacking it with a BFH, like I do for ball joints and tie-rods. The vibration alone breaks them loose. I tried the Pitman arm puller once and ruined the threads on the stud. Air hammer is also another good option.

Heat from a torch might destroy the rubber bushing portion in the arm if it gets hot enough so I'd be careful with that unless you're replacing the arm.