W221 4matic air strut removal help
09-09-2016, 08:03 PM
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09 S550, 08 Charger Srt8, 63 Ford Galaxie 500, 07 GSXR1000
W221 4matic air strut removal help
Hey guys, I am trying to remove my front driver air strut to send off to get rebuilt. I have every bolt off and electrical connections disconnected. Only problem I have is the lower part of the strut I can't get off. Here are the pictures.
Trued using ball joint seperator fork and it still won't come out. Any ideas?
Trued using ball joint seperator fork and it still won't come out. Any ideas?
09-09-2016, 11:03 PM
#2
It is frozen. Very common. The dealer will have a special tool- separator. You probably don't- there might be a similar one at your local harbor freight store. Ymmv.
As a last resort- Apply ample penetrating oil and let it soak for few hours. Then reinstall the nut to be flat with the end of the bolt and bang it with the biggest hammer you have. Don't be shy and It will come out.
As a truly last resort cut bolt and drill through.
As a last resort- Apply ample penetrating oil and let it soak for few hours. Then reinstall the nut to be flat with the end of the bolt and bang it with the biggest hammer you have. Don't be shy and It will come out.
As a truly last resort cut bolt and drill through.
09-12-2016, 11:06 AM
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09 S550, 08 Charger Srt8, 63 Ford Galaxie 500, 07 GSXR1000
It is frozen. Very common. The dealer will have a special tool- separator. You probably don't- there might be a similar one at your local harbor freight store. Ymmv.
As a last resort- Apply ample penetrating oil and let it soak for few hours. Then reinstall the nut to be flat with the end of the bolt and bang it with the biggest hammer you have. Don't be shy and It will come out.
As a truly last resort cut bolt and drill through.
As a last resort- Apply ample penetrating oil and let it soak for few hours. Then reinstall the nut to be flat with the end of the bolt and bang it with the biggest hammer you have. Don't be shy and It will come out.
As a truly last resort cut bolt and drill through.
09-13-2016, 05:52 PM
#4
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11-03-2016, 09:38 PM
#9
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Castrodan,
There is a "mounting plate" on the top of the strut. It is angled (wedge shaped) and needs to be removed from your old strut and transferred to new. If they rebuilt your actual strut (and didn't take yours as trade, while shipping you a rebuilt unit) then you have that plate somewhere. Maybe it fell off in shipping either way, or it's under your car somewhere.
If you don't put that plate on, you'll have exactly the problem you're having.
Separating the suspension is best done with PB Blaster. Spray both sides generously, insert your pickle fork and bang it hard with a big hammer 3-4 times to get some vibration in. Then come back a few hours later (over night is better!) and thread the nut on the bolt until the end is flush (so you don't whack the threads with the hammer and mess them up). Whack hard with a heavy sledge hammer and it will come apart. If not, repeat with PB Blaster and try again. The key is to get the parts to vibrate a bit after spraying the PB, so it can penetrate.
By the way who rebuilt your struts? That ball joint on mine (at the bottom) is clunky on both sides, but the strut is perfect. Hate to throw them away and buy a set of expensive rebuilt Arnott struts if someone can replace just that ball joint for me. Arnott does it as part of the rebuild process, but you can't get the ball joint separately from MB. So any rebuilder should easily be able to do it.. just need to find someone!
There is a "mounting plate" on the top of the strut. It is angled (wedge shaped) and needs to be removed from your old strut and transferred to new. If they rebuilt your actual strut (and didn't take yours as trade, while shipping you a rebuilt unit) then you have that plate somewhere. Maybe it fell off in shipping either way, or it's under your car somewhere.
If you don't put that plate on, you'll have exactly the problem you're having.
Separating the suspension is best done with PB Blaster. Spray both sides generously, insert your pickle fork and bang it hard with a big hammer 3-4 times to get some vibration in. Then come back a few hours later (over night is better!) and thread the nut on the bolt until the end is flush (so you don't whack the threads with the hammer and mess them up). Whack hard with a heavy sledge hammer and it will come apart. If not, repeat with PB Blaster and try again. The key is to get the parts to vibrate a bit after spraying the PB, so it can penetrate.
By the way who rebuilt your struts? That ball joint on mine (at the bottom) is clunky on both sides, but the strut is perfect. Hate to throw them away and buy a set of expensive rebuilt Arnott struts if someone can replace just that ball joint for me. Arnott does it as part of the rebuild process, but you can't get the ball joint separately from MB. So any rebuilder should easily be able to do it.. just need to find someone!
11-11-2016, 02:00 PM
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09 S550, 08 Charger Srt8, 63 Ford Galaxie 500, 07 GSXR1000
Castrodan,
There is a "mounting plate" on the top of the strut. It is angled (wedge shaped) and needs to be removed from your old strut and transferred to new. If they rebuilt your actual strut (and didn't take yours as trade, while shipping you a rebuilt unit) then you have that plate somewhere. Maybe it fell off in shipping either way, or it's under your car somewhere.
If you don't put that plate on, you'll have exactly the problem you're having.
Separating the suspension is best done with PB Blaster. Spray both sides generously, insert your pickle fork and bang it hard with a big hammer 3-4 times to get some vibration in. Then come back a few hours later (over night is better!) and thread the nut on the bolt until the end is flush (so you don't whack the threads with the hammer and mess them up). Whack hard with a heavy sledge hammer and it will come apart. If not, repeat with PB Blaster and try again. The key is to get the parts to vibrate a bit after spraying the PB, so it can penetrate.
By the way who rebuilt your struts? That ball joint on mine (at the bottom) is clunky on both sides, but the strut is perfect. Hate to throw them away and buy a set of expensive rebuilt Arnott struts if someone can replace just that ball joint for me. Arnott does it as part of the rebuild process, but you can't get the ball joint separately from MB. So any rebuilder should easily be able to do it.. just need to find someone!
There is a "mounting plate" on the top of the strut. It is angled (wedge shaped) and needs to be removed from your old strut and transferred to new. If they rebuilt your actual strut (and didn't take yours as trade, while shipping you a rebuilt unit) then you have that plate somewhere. Maybe it fell off in shipping either way, or it's under your car somewhere.
If you don't put that plate on, you'll have exactly the problem you're having.
Separating the suspension is best done with PB Blaster. Spray both sides generously, insert your pickle fork and bang it hard with a big hammer 3-4 times to get some vibration in. Then come back a few hours later (over night is better!) and thread the nut on the bolt until the end is flush (so you don't whack the threads with the hammer and mess them up). Whack hard with a heavy sledge hammer and it will come apart. If not, repeat with PB Blaster and try again. The key is to get the parts to vibrate a bit after spraying the PB, so it can penetrate.
By the way who rebuilt your struts? That ball joint on mine (at the bottom) is clunky on both sides, but the strut is perfect. Hate to throw them away and buy a set of expensive rebuilt Arnott struts if someone can replace just that ball joint for me. Arnott does it as part of the rebuild process, but you can't get the ball joint separately from MB. So any rebuilder should easily be able to do it.. just need to find someone!
I went with a company out of Miami. rebuildmastertech.com
