Installing Strut Brace

[Phattey]

Just got my new strut brace in and couldn't wait to install it.

I popped the hood and began pulling back the carpet. Grabbed the appropreate t-handle allen wrench and that's where I stopped.

I couldn't budge those bolts on the shock tower. They're covered in black, thick, undercoating or something. I didn't know if I should cut and peal that stuff back too, or just "muscle" the bolts out without removing the black goo.

I do know that I'll have to use a breaker bar to losen those bolts up, unless the black stuff has kinda added a layer of lock to them.

Thoughts...??

Thanks...Phattey...

[Wil Ferch]

The black goo has to come off....a dull screwdriver tip works well.

Aftere you're done, it might be a good idea to reseal with at least "something"...since the gaps to the outside are real. Maybe something softer and more forgiving like black RTV.

--Wil

[Phattey]

Sounds good...thanks...

[Chuck Moreland]

Use a heat gun or hair dryer to soften the black stuff.

[chrisp]

I chipped mine away cold. It worked well. I used a wide flat head screw driver and a small hammer to catch an edge a tap away the black stuff. More often than not big chunks would come away. You could probably even tap the surface of it to shatter it and separate it from the painted surface. On my car the stuff was very hard and brittle....not unlike cold taffy or even glass.

[kqw]

That Black goo was from the factory when they aligned the car. It kept things in place. Most cars (used) will have that chipped away as your first alignment and resetting the caster required this stuff to be removed.