Shock ing news...

Topic: Shock ing news... (Read 1944 times) previous topic - next topic

Shock ing news...

February 06, 2021, 07:32:21 pm

About my shocks of course! Tried to remove the passenger side front wheel shock today without being able to budge the nut. Course I sprayed PB blaster on them and I waited a little while but still they are on solid. I have a half inch impact driver which didn't do nothing of course. I have three quarter inch drive made in China ratchet and breaker bar for the one and 1/8 in socket needed for these. Couldn't budget at all so I went to the driver side cuz it was in the shade and way cooler, and decided to pull the fender off this made it much easier to get access to the top nut. After a lot of work I was able to get the front driver side shock off and the new one on. Koni FSD's.
So I go to the other shock and again can't budge that nut at all. After feeling like my head was going to explode outward from all the blood rushing to it and my upper body strength pretty much gone I decided to call it a day. I've also tried a torch on it that didn't help and multiple springs and toppings with PB blaster. John 44 ( David ) has a 3/4 inch drive torque wrench that's longer and we're going to try that tomorrow. I also thought about using a pipe extension on the ratchet to apply more torque or to get a 3/4 inch cordless impact driver. David told me that those are at harbor freight for $280. I looked at it and it seems well liked by users. Course harbor freight is over an hour's drive from here but that's okay and they're open on Sunday.
So let's hear from you guys any ideas on how to bust a nut loose when you can't get it to move.... No pun intended...
And yeah and I know you can spend $150 an hour and have somebody else bust it up for you but that's not what I want to hear. I've got to justify having these tools somehow lol.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #1 – February 06, 2021, 08:11:36 pm

Get a 4-1/2" hand-held grinder at Harbor Freight and cut the nut off. I think they're $14.95 now.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #2 – February 06, 2021, 08:20:07 pm

And if there isn't room for a grinder, then do what I used to do on Chrysler products front shocks. I would center punch the nut, then drill all the way thru with a 3/16 drill bit, then a bit the same diameter as the shock rod.
Then whack the rod above the nut and everything falls out.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #3 – February 06, 2021, 08:35:20 pm

Don't abuse the torque wrench just because it is longer. Use the breaker bar or ratchet with a cheater pipe instead. Don't know why yours are so tight. My 1/2" drive Ingersoll Rand took mine right off.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #4 – February 06, 2021, 08:39:49 pm

Make sure that there is no" L" on the stud..

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Reply #5 – February 06, 2021, 08:52:39 pm

I had to undo 20 one-inch bolts and nuts when I replaced the suspension bushings on our previous coach. First one was easy. Second, third and fourth were brutal. Fifth through 20th, I cut the bolts with a grinder and thin disk, and knocked the pieces out.

New parts are easy and (relatively) cheap. So much nicer to work with too!

Matt B

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #6 – February 06, 2021, 10:08:35 pm

I have a Milwaukee Fuel 1/2 drive impact wrench and it takes my wheel nuts easily. Before getting this impact wrench I would
use a 3/4 drive ratchet with at least 5 ft of pipe to remove the wheel nuts. When I was changing the front air bag I removed
a couple of shocks as they were in the way with the impact and they came apart very easily.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #7 – February 06, 2021, 10:12:34 pm

Quote from: Journey, Roam, Explore – February 06, 2021, 07:32:21 pm

...get a 3/4 inch cordless impact driver. David told me that those are at harbor freight for $280. I looked at it and it seems well liked by users. Course harbor freight is over an hour's drive from here but that's okay and they're open on Sunday.

You just need a bigger and/or better impact driver. Seriously...don't blow out an aneurysm trying to do it with muscle and hand tools.

I had our shocks replaced at MOT. One skinny kid did all 8 of them in less than an hour. Those tight nuts spin right off with the correct tool. He did have one big advantage, though. Our coach was jacked up off the ground and all 6 tires were removed cuz they were doing the brakes at the same time.

Even though you don't like to hear it...sometimes it pays to pay someone else to do the dirty work.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #8 – February 06, 2021, 11:23:31 pm

I know a guy who broke off all 5 of the lug nuts on one of his car wheels before figuring out they were left handed threads.
A Dremel can come in handy where there is little room.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #9 – February 06, 2021, 11:35:37 pm

Mine needed to come off when I did my air bags. They were incredibly tight. They did however loosen with my Milwaukee fuel 1/2 impact gun after the initial cracking loose. But it took a lot of time and batteries. They fought all the way down the threads. In hindsight, that is a characteristic of red loctite.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #10 – February 07, 2021, 12:28:58 am

I bought a nine amp battery for my Milwaukee and it makes a difference for the power. This year I found a switch that I hadn't
seen before on it that gives it more power so when I'm putting my wheels back on, not to over torque the nuts.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #11 – February 07, 2021, 03:40:18 am

Thanks. All great ideas. I have a Bosch grinder 18V and cut off wheels but not looking forward to using it right over my face. It's very tight there with aqua hot exhaust. Tire is on and don't really want to remove it.
Mike, what does the L on the stud indicate?

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #12 – February 07, 2021, 04:31:55 am

Left hand thread! Look at you driver side lug nuts.

Left hand = right loose
Left tight

Right hand = right tight
Left loose

I was up.
Mark

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #13 – February 07, 2021, 09:58:18 am

Quote from: Journey, Roam, Explore – February 07, 2021, 03:40:18 am

Thanks. All great ideas. I have a Bosch grinder 18V and cut off wheels but not looking forward to using it right over my face. It's very tight there with aqua hot exhaust. Tire is on and don't really want to remove it.
Mike, what does the L on the stud indicate?

Another option is to hire the guy with the oxy-actylene torch to heat the nut and then hit it with the socket and breaker bar.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #14 – February 07, 2021, 10:05:11 am

With impact try tightening first, then try loosening it

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Reply #15 – February 07, 2021, 10:15:41 am

Heat on any old stuck nut/bolt will help loosen it. Heat guns(big hair dryer) work and don't have a flame. Still need a 3/4" air impact.

Pat

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #16 – February 07, 2021, 11:14:21 am

Quote from: pthurman48 – February 07, 2021, 10:15:41 am

Heat on any old stuck nut/bolt will help loosen it. Heat guns(big hair dryer) work and don't have a flame. Still need a 3/4" air impact.

Pat

But you agree that nothing beats orange hot for loosening bolts? Also that the speed with which you can apply enough heat to do the job limits the spread of the heat.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #17 – February 07, 2021, 11:38:55 am

I was never a lover of high heat or flames where something can melt or catch fire.

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Reply #18 – February 07, 2021, 03:06:36 pm

Quote from: Old Toolmaker – February 07, 2021, 11:14:21 am

But you agree that nothing beats orange hot for loosening bolts? Also that the speed with which you can apply enough heat to do the job limits the spread of the heat.

You didn't ask me, but I agree. If my IR 3/4" impact fed by my commercial air compressor wasn't enough then a glowing nut would soon follow. I might try a 3/4" breaker bar with a long pipe on it if there was room before getting the torch out.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #19 – February 07, 2021, 03:12:54 pm

Quote from: nitehawk – February 07, 2021, 11:38:55 am

I was never a lover of high heat or flames where something can melt or catch fire.

Yes Absolutely, But it does make a difference in hi torque/corroded fasteners. New design built impacts make unimaginable torque numbers. Fasteners will move or shear.
$339. Milwaukee 2767-21B M18 FUEL 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 1/2 in....
Yes it's crazy money, but it does so much. Use caution installing fasteners because you have no feel for how tight they are with these tools.
Scott

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #20 – February 07, 2021, 03:14:59 pm

Just a thought Bob, we stopped by Safe T Plus in Ga. and they removed and installed 8 new Koni FSD golds for free, as I purchased the shocks from them at regular Koni price and they installed their safe steer product to our front end as well. Did not help our wandering, but ..................you can't beat free!

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #21 – February 07, 2021, 04:07:41 pm

Here's a couple of videos that shed light on torque.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_dtpR_AlQI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtzAT4BYcgw

In my driving career, I've seen two "wheel off"incidents. Neither caused any damage as one bounded into the woods off I-90 near Syracuse, NY and the other flipped in a ditch along US 20, Geneva, NY

In the interest of full disclosure, I use a 1" impact to mount big tires, because that's way I've done it for decades. Right or wrong, it works for me.

jk

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #22 – February 07, 2021, 06:18:12 pm

At $50, you can't beat the torque multiplier. I bought the more expensive model with more sockets but the tool is the same even with the smaller kit. You can't use it if you have the stainless hub cover in the back unless you remove it first and that defeats the purpose of the torque multiplier. After you use the multiplier and loosen the nuts about one turn, then you an use the $39 HF 110V impact wrench to spin them off. After they are loose a turn, even a 1/4" 18V battery impact will finish taking them off.

I spin them back on with light application of never seize on the threads (never the mating surface) and then use a pipe over the breaker bar. It's 4 feet long so I use a bathroom scale and take the weight off or on my weight depending on which side of the wheel I'm on. 360 lbs at the nut would be 80 lbs added or subtracted from your weight on the scale.

Buy a quality breaker bar or T handle as the cheap ones can easily fail. You will still need a flip socket for the inside rear.

Here they are on ebay. All the same tool but different number of sockets. torque multiplier | eBay

I've got two nice stainless hub covers for free with only postage/freight needed.

Pierce

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #23 – February 07, 2021, 10:52:48 pm

Will get with the Roamer tomorrow and get the nut off with the tools we have here,will not be a problem,these are the shock nuts and bolts not the wheel nuts.

Re: Shock ing news...

Reply #24 – February 07, 2021, 10:58:00 pm

Welcome back, I myself was wondering about the 1" impact accessing the top shock mounts.

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