Front strut cartridge removal

[BDJeff]

I'm going thru the front suspension of my '71 Series II and am having trouble figuring out how to remove the old strut cartridge.  I've searched and mostly get that I need to remove the big nut (I have) and the cartridge will slide out.  It may be original so it may have 46 years of inertia holding it in but perhaps I'm missing something.  No access from below, all the instructions seem to say I just pull it out.  I've soaked the area with Aero-Kroll but no luck.  Any suggestions?  What am I missing?

[grannyknot]

You're missing heat, sometimes those inserts can be real buggars to get out.  Get yourself a bottle of MAP gas and put some heat into the tube,  once it is good and hot spray it with your Kroll or WD40 around the top lip to cool it quickly.  3-4 cycles of that routine should get it moving, you can also give it some wacks with small hammer but not enough to dent,  you are just trying to break up the corrosion.

You appear to be a diy guy so I won't go into all the usual disclaimers.

[Patcon]

I have at times had to hook a slide hammer to the strut end and chain the strut to a tree to get them to move. They can be stubborn

[BDJeff]

Excellent, thanks for the tips.  I hadn't considered heat but I was considering a slide hammer.  The main point is I have all the retaining stuff out of the way and it's only stuck by "habit" :-)

I also read someplace about what appeared to be a strut without the cartridge, just a spring and damper fluid with seals on some of the very early models.  What's that all about?

[gnosez]

or you could just hang the shock from something, soak the shock with oil and then tap the strut

[grannyknot]

1 hour ago, BDJeff said:

I also read someplace about what appeared to be a strut without the cartridge, just a spring and damper fluid with seals on some of the very early models.  What's that all about?

The very early original shocks used the tube and a seal under the top cap to hold the damper oil in, they had a lot of problems with them failing so they were phased out, however they came out easily every time so they had that advantage. So when you do finally get those shocks out, before you install the new ones clean the insides of the tubes as much as you can and pour in a little less than an oz. of any oil you have handy. You won't need much, ATF, 10w30 whatever you have, it will not only transfer some of the heat to the outside of the tube but more importantly it will help keep the new shocks from ceasing in the tube. Sort of paying it forward.

[BDJeff]

OK, this isn't cooperating at all.  I've tried the MAPP gas but am probably being too timid with the heat.  I guess I should be heating the whole length of the tube?

Conceivably I'm fighting 48 years of corrosion between the tube and the strut, correct?  Just to be sure, once I remove the gland nut, there's no cir-clips or hidden set screws I'm missing?  Nothing holds the cartridge in the tube other than the big nut, right?

[Patcon]

14 minutes ago, BDJeff said:

OK, this isn't cooperating at all.  I've tried the MAPP gas but am probably being too timid with the heat.  I guess I should be heating the whole length of the tube?

Conceivably I'm fighting 48 years of corrosion between the tube and the strut, correct?  Just to be sure, once I remove the gland nut, there's no cir-clips or hidden set screws I'm missing?  Nothing holds the cartridge in the tube other than the big nut, right?

That is correct. Gland nut and corrosion. I would heat the whole tube then add some penetrating oil. You will be hard pressed to damage the strut with MAP gas.

[BDJeff]

Success!  "Well there's your problem!"  Looks like I was battling 48 years of rust.  Lots of Kroll and I finally manned up with the MAP gas.  I made a sleeve out of heavy wall PVC and used an impact wrench to try and pull the strut up the tube.  Sort of working in the blind and the strut rod spun until it all tightened up but it worked.  Now I have to figure out how to clean the tube, probably with a wire wheel and a drill extension.  Thanks for all the suggestions and support.

[Mark Maras]

 I remember a fellow who made a long rotary wire brush using a length of wire rope (cable) to clean the interior of a piece of tubing. He taped around the cable about 2" up from the end and frayed the cable end out to around 45`. He chucked the other end of the cable in his drill motor and scrubbed out the interior of the tube until it was shiny.

[BDJeff]

Do the early series II have boots over the struts?  I can't tell from the diagram

[grannyknot]

3 hours ago, Mark Maras said:

 I remember a fellow who made a long rotary wire brush using a length of wire rope (cable) to clean the interior of a piece of tubing

Mark, was this it? I posted this about 5 yrs ago

Edited January 19, 2019 by grannyknot