1971 Rear Strut Replacement

[SteveJ]

Spent 4 hours today, and managed to get one replaced, and the other down to the gland nut on the strut insert. These things are on there. Time to head to the tool store to pickup the largest pipe wrench a man can by. I applied heat and penetrating oil over and over. Not budging. The first one took 30 minutes to loosen. I spent over an hour on the second and nothing.

Before I did my rear struts, I kept applying brake fluid via an oil squirt can around the gland nuts. When I went to take off the gland nuts, they came off fairly easily.

[djwarner]

There was a recent thread about using a 50-50 solution of ATF and Acetone to loosen frozen nuts. Worth a try.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/help-me/34955-penetrating-oil-research.html

[HuD 91gt]

They've been soaking in that concoction all night

[Carl Beck]

IMHO - anyone working on these old cars - should have a supply of Kroil Penetrating Oil in their garage. While ATF/Acetone may indeed work a bit better - I don't like the thought of using Acetone on anything. Kano Lab's Kroil is without question the best available Penetrating Oil that you can buy. That and it actually smells pleasant, while it won't destroy any painted surfaces.

Yes, it is a bit expensive when you have to pay shipping costs - Nonetheless if you use it, you'll not likely ever go back to anything else. It works wonders - far better than the stuff you buy at the AutoParts Stores. Kroil - Aero-Kroil is the aerosol can.

Try it "Risk Free" - with their current Buy One of anything - Get One Free.

Two Can's will last the average person a year to two.

https://www.kanolabs.com/orders/order_kroil.shtml

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Carl Beck]

Carl said: Irwin Vise-Grip Locking Wrench — 7in., Model# 04 | Locking Pliers| Northern Tool + Equipment

That's in ingenious tool my friend! Gotta get one of those ASAP!

I think everyone knows how hard - if not impossible - it is to get the Air Injection Tubes out of the exhaust manifold - without cutting them off etc. I soaked the flair nuts down with Kroil - for a couple days - then applied some heat - locked the Irwin Vise-Grips on the flair nuts and smacked it with a heavy brass hammer - broke every one of them lose - with out rounding them off in the process.

Someone else recommended them here on the forum a few years ago - so thanks to them!

Carl B.

[HuD 91gt]

I wish I had this advise last week. I've since sounded off practically every brake line in the system. Now in for a much larger job then expected.

But luck has it, an 18" pipe wrench finished the job today after a night soaked in my concoction of chemicals. Fronts are next.

[240260280z]

Be sure to fill the holes in the exhaust manifold where the pipes came through otherwise you will have a nice set of 6 whistles. This often happens if only the big threaded holes on the outside are plugged.

We just solved this problem on a car by drilling and tapping the narrower hole where the pipe fit. We then ran long ss bolts through from the outside and ground the ends flush where they protruded inside. If you tap for a large enough bolt, the head will cover the big threaded hole on the outside and the manifold will look mighty purdy.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Blue

[S30Driver]

Just wanted to say thanks to Carl B. for the tip on the great Kano Kroil 2 for 1 offer. A terrific deal.

It is $22 per can at my local nuts & bolts place, and I think the Kano deal is for the larger size can.

I order it last night

[HuD 91gt]

One last questions guys, as I think I screwed up.

On purchasing my 240z, I researched and ordered boxes of parts. There were two poly spacer looking things sitting in said boxes that I had no idea what they were. Well after doing my rear strut replacement, I took a at my online order, and it looks like they are rear upper struts spacers.

Where were these things supposed to go? I simply took out the old strut, replaced with the new struts. There was a ton of broken down rubber in the assembly which I assumed was from the missing bump stop (which I also replaced).

I searched all my manuals and none of them lost this rear upper strut spacer. Any help?

[SteveJ]

Pictures of the extra parts would be helpful.

[Captain Obvious]

From the description, I unfortunately believe they are supposed to go the same place the upper bearings go in the front. You don't need bearings in the rear, so they use fixed hard plastic spacers instead. If they're about the same diameter and thickness as a front upper bearing then that's what they are.

Did you put yours together without any spacers at all between the upper spring perch and the top mount. If so, you're going to have to pull them back apart.

[HuD 91gt]

Looks like I completely missed the part.

When I disassembled, the seat and the insulator come out as one piece, and looked to be in decent shape (I assumed they were one piece). The question is whether or not I should go it over again.