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Remove struts? Bottoms on axle.


JustinVP
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I’m half way through a project to install 30mm strut spacers on my ‘16 Wagon. The service manual I have just says disconnect steering knuckle and the struts should be free to remove.

 

Well I can’t get the suspension low enough since the drive axle bottoms out on a frame piece, and there’s a good 1” of the strut left in the knuckle. Not inclined to bang on it while the axle it touching metal and do damage to shaft or CV or something.

 

Anyone do this and got advice? I’m a newb to this kind of thing on modern cars.  Spring compressor is my next option, but I need to rig up some spacers for the threaded rod since the rod sticks up too high to use it as-is. Not much room while strut is in the car. I’ll certainly need the compressor to get it all back together once I make it 30mm more difficult. 

 

This guy made it sound easy (I already got wiper motors out), so I figure I’m missing something obvious.

 

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I went for it, and got it off by throwing in a little muscle. Decided to trust the service manual. 
 

Definitely need to compress the spring to get it back on with 30mm spacer. 
 

Will hit the hardware store tomorrow and buy pipe to space the compressor here (Blue line) otherwise it hits top of shock tower. 
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Fun little conversation I’m having with myself ?

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9 hours ago, JustinVP said:

got it off by throwing in a little muscle

 

 

It was torqued on tight at the factory.  Sort of like the oil drain plug being tight on the 1st oil change.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, JustinVP said:

Fun little conversation I’m having with myself ?

 

Happens all the time.  When you do it in public, people call the cops.

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10 hours ago, JustinVP said:

 

D72C53CF-1046-44C0-A3EC-DF24C3A4D599.thumb.jpeg.ca09dcdb220c2143f09aeb5a427fdb71.jpeg

 

I was fixin' to say you need to spread the knuckle so it lets go of the strut, but I see you had it pulled almost all the way out already, lol. When I had to replace my struts, I ended up moving the knuckle/hub back and forth a bit in the wheelwell until I could get the strut completely free (jiggled loose) from the knuckle. Then jiggle everything back into place afterwards - although that will likely be harder with the spacer lift in place. 

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2 hours ago, jrm223 said:

 

I was fixin' to say you need to spread the knuckle so it lets go of the strut, 

 

I found a super easy way to spread it. See the bolt that fixes the strut to the knuckle? In the pic it's actually threaded in from the "wrong" side, and I put a washer in there so it pushes against the washer and spreads the joint.

 

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