Shock absorber seized bolt

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philsefo

Active Member
Posts
287
Location
Manchester/ wirral
Hello,

I've read through a few posts with similar problems but still stuck.

Tried removing the front shock absorber but the top bolt is completely seized.

I've soaked it in WD40 but just can't get enough leverage on it.

Anyone have any ideas?

Its this type

iu
 
philsefo said:
Nah - need to replace the turret. Got a whole in the back.



I can turn the bolt - but the screw (and the whole shock) turn with it. It has a 8mm square head on the screw but its hard to get leverage on that.
Click to expand...

Go & buy a small gas heat torch
Clamp the lower 8mm head with good mole grips
Heat up nut & unscrew as far as you can
If its still tight clamp the body of the shocker (on the shoulder next the weld) & remove it.
 
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Unless the shock is new I would just replace it. For all the effort it is to dismantle to the point you currently are I would always replace both the turret and the shock as "one" item. Neither are expensive if you are using standard spec parts, and it save having to dismantle it all again in 12 months when you need to replace another part.

If heat and an impact gun wont release it, you may also have no other option!
 
I had assumed you had already removed the shock turret and were not trying to remove the shock from it. As @wattfield says if you undo the lower shock nut and undo (inevitably shear) the turret ring nuts the turret and shock can be removed as a single unit. I then replace both pieces as previously mentioned.

If you have not removed it from the vehicle yet I would do that first as it will make working on it easier.

To undo the bottom shock nut I use a chain wrench (example: link) to hold the shock still to undo the nut

To replace the turret ring which will have sheared during removal you will need to jack the chassis as high as possible and support and lower the axle as far as possible to allow you to remove the spring. The turret ring then sits in the upper spring mount on top of the spring. (this can also be achieved using spring compressors, but it is possible to do it without as described if you do not have a set).
 
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kevstar said:
Go & buy a small gas heat torch
Clamp the lower 8mm head with good mole grips
Heat up nut & unscrew as far as you can
If its still tight clamp the body of the shocker (on the shoulder next the weld) & remove it.
Click to expand...

Was thinking of buying a blow torch - thinking i'l try this next.

wattfield said:
Have you got the bottom nut off? If so the turret and shock should come out together (once the turret ring bolts are off, natch!)
Click to expand...

After struggling with the top nut i didn't even attempt the bottom one.

I do have a chain wrench - i used it to grip the other side when the bolt got towards the top and couldn't use the 8mm spanner anymore.

I'll try removing the bottom nut and lifting the turrent and shock as one - should be easier on the bench.

dag019 said:
To replace the turret ring which will have sheared during removal you will need to jack the chassis as high as possible and support and lower the axle as far as possible to allow you to remove the spring. The turret ring then sits in the upper spring mount on top of the spring. (this can also be achieved using spring compressors, but it is possible to do it without as described if you do not have a set).
Click to expand...

I replaced the other side this weekend - managed to get the spring out with spring compressor. Annoyingly i had to take it all apart due to a sheered bolt. When i got it all back together one of the bolts on the ring spun freely.
 
philsefo said:
I replaced the other side this weekend - managed to get the spring out with spring compressor. Annoyingly i had to take it all apart due to a sheered bolt. When i got it all back together one of the bolts on the ring spun freely.
Click to expand...

I have been there and done that. Even the "heavy duty" Turret rings are awful. Definitly disposable items, and one fo those whings similar to caliper seal retaining rings, that you usuall yneed spars of to do the job :mad:
 
I hacked through the bottom nut with a sabre saw (cheapo from Aldi I think) 5 mins tops.
As said, undo the 4 nuts on turret ring (they will probably snap, have new ones to hand- cheap enough)
And lift the damper out with turret complete, easy to cut the top nut off with a grinder then if the turret is good. Beware that the brake pipe may be fixed by a steel clip with a completely inaccessible self tapper on the rear. I used a long old flat blade screwdriver to break it off and didn't replace.
 
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dag019 said:
One of my rears is on the way to that, so it is on my list to weld a repair into it. Only thing putting me off is the acess to grind/file the weld smooth afterwards :(
Click to expand...
I made the repair piece larger than necessary so the raised weld is outside of where the damper bush/washer sits. No need to grind it. You must do a flush repair though, any increase in the steel thickness means you probably won't have enough thread protruding to get the damper nut on! It's hard to do as it is.
 
Gottschalk said:
Get a galv replacement shock turret, not much more but will last a lifetime! :)
Click to expand...
That unfortunatly is not true :mad:
The problem is the galvanised shock turrets are of such poor quality they are only slightly better than standard items. Mine are already rusting after about 5 years of fitment. Having said that for the price difference I would fit galvanised ones over standard. May be worth fitting tubular ones as this should remove some for the dirt/water traps which encourage the rust but I have no experience with these.
 
Flossie said:
I made the repair piece larger than necessary so the raised weld is outside of where the damper bush/washer sits. No need to grind it. You must do a flush repair though, any increase in the steel thickness means you probably won't have enough thread protruding to get the damper nut on! It's hard to do as it is.
Click to expand...

I had already worked out it would need to be flush. Usually for things like this I would weld some washers each side but that will not wok for a shock! I will get around to it at some point, will have to measure the steel thickness and rummage around the scrap pile.
 
dag019 said:
That unfortunatly is not true :mad:
The problem is the galvanised shock turrets are of such poor quality they are only slightly better than standard items. Mine are already rusting after about 5 years of fitment. Having said that for the price difference I would fit galvanised ones over standard. May be worth fitting tubular ones as this should remove some for the dirt/water traps which encourage the rust but I have no experience with these.
Click to expand...

If you get a britpart item I'm sure that's true, but if you get one from Richards chassis or a similar specialist the galv will be good, I go galv every time when replacing parts like this
 
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