Rear strut attachment

BAR-AIR

Well-Known Member
Afternoon,
Check your rear strut bolts???
B5B2F929-ABB3-4D14-9739-91433A93DB8A.jpeg
This is what they should look like.... with about this much thread sticking out.
C4A0D1AF-C598-489B-B008-B42912A7DC9F.jpeg

This one here is not correct (you really have to play with it so that the upper spacer (aluminum supplied with kit) slides onto the strut piston. Never liked the limited amount of thread on “BLUE” (BARAIR’s build) ends up even after driving it was not all the way on the spacer???
AA28EA88-CEC9-4381-9295-DF0B7B04907B.jpeg

Here it is with the spring compressed and the spacer seated correctly...
 

TheNuker

Goblin Guru
Yeah, That was a pain in the ass, I would say that both of mine have about 1 inch of thread sticking up above the nut.

Nuker-
 

JSATX

Goblin Guru
Well ****.
8E20D705-B72A-4556-95B0-FBB01BC3DF75.jpeg


I musta posted this picture 5 times in different threads no one ever said anything.
 

Lonny

Administrator
Staff member
Justin,
I think yours is correct . You are using the stock nuts which are taller.
 

BAR-AIR

Well-Known Member
Justin,
I would agree with you. About 1” of thread showing. If you only have about a 1/2” showing the spacer is not seated into the strut shaft. Been running the “BLUE” goblin the entire time without the spacers being seated correctly. One of Nate’s spacers seated right away that’s the only reason we knew there was an issue with the other ones.
Bruce
 

Swift06

Member
Where are the instructions regarding this part of the build??? How do you remove the strut nut to cut the coil springs and insert the spacer? I see the allen key inside the bolt, but how do you use that to back the bolt if the entire thing is recessed inside of the metal plate? I haven't seen them in a video or the forum text instructions.
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
There are no specific instructions to take the shocks apart and install them.

When you take the nut off the end of the shaft, it all comes out. You might want to use spring compressors to compress the spring to make it easier, but you don't have to. Use an allen wrench on the top of the shaft and a spanner wrench on the nut to tighten/loosen.

You WILL have to use compressors to get it all back together. It takes a bit of trial and error to get the compressors in the right spot so they don't interfere with your wrenches while you tighten everything.
 

Swift06

Member
What do you mean by spanner wrench? I'm guessing a special socket is needed to get that deep on top of the strut. This is what the top of my strut looks like:
 

Attachments

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
Ah, I see your issue. I used a high speed air impact to remove that nut when stripping the donor. The shaft didn’t have time to spin. Otherwise you will need a socket much like spark plug sockets that have a nut on top for a wrench instead of using a socket wrench while holding it with an Allen.
 

Swift06

Member
My strut just looks completely different compared to the red frame above. Do we take the top pedestal off and then flip it upside down or something? I really don't understand how people know what to do here. I have an 05 SS/SC btw. Are base model struts supposed to be used?
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
Take the nut off and that will release the top bracket in your photo. That is not used. I removed the strut from the donor car by taking the nut off and dropping the strut it the bottom. That top bracket stayed on the donor car by the three bolts you removed.
 

Swift06

Member
Okay I removed the top of the strut tower by just holding the shock with channel locks and the nut just spun off with an impact. The spring was already broken so it went well.

I guess the next question is what kind of donor does the photo above mine have? If it's a base model then that would explain the different part. The SS models have the FE5 suspension parts, so that could be the difference.
 

Swift06

Member
Alright I'm just going to rent some compressors and give it a shot. My strut still doesn't look like the black frame because it doesn't even have mounting studs and mine just looks taller overall because of the dome design towards the middle of the nut.
 

Bretter

Well-Known Member
So how do we install the strut? i.e. we have spring compressors and will use them for the install but in the picture below, when I cut the wire holding the strut compressed, it is going to spring up very fast and hit the upper mount. How do we do that in a controlled manner?

Put compressed spring on, dust cover, then cap plate, aluminum spacer - then guide strut shaft through spacer into aluminum top mount plate. In a controlled manner?

IMG_0355.JPG
 

RichRich

Well-Known Member
That shouldn't be charged. Your spring does the force, the shock just stops any bouncing so it creates resistance in both directions. You will physically have to pull it out once you remove the wire. You shouldn't need to even cut the wire, you should be able to just slip it off the top. If you look at the wire it isn't actually secured, just slipped around the top
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
Rich is correct. The strut should be fully extended and only the coil be compressed. With the coil compressed and over the strut, feed the strut bolt through the top and put the nut on. Make absolutely sure you have got the strut in the round aluminum spacer completely and correctly before you let go of the compressors.
 

Bretter

Well-Known Member
Thanks! Well now I feel silly... Hmmm - wonder where I got the idea that shocks/struts were pressurized in one direction.
 
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