Lock washer for front struts????

[Blk95993]

How do I get this off and will the washer move as I rotate the bolt on the top of the strut?? Please help..Do I need to secure the top of the strut from rotating as I try to torque the nut loose?? ANy gotchas as I remove the strut.

[slodave]

I used a pipe wrench to hold the washer.

[Blk95993]

Will the washer move with the nut? Or is it fixed from keeping the nut from moving?

[slodave]

The washer will move if not held in place. The washer kind of holds the shock insert in place.

Dave

[Blk95993]

NEVERMIND....The power of a impact wrench!!!!

[slodave]

Yeah well, that'll do it too.

[Blk95993]

Also, the pipe wrench worked great!!! Got the new bilstein sports installed...old boge shocks were shot with oil spewin everywhere after I pulled them out..."101 prjects" didnt warn me about that. Anyway to drain the fluid without having to remove the strut assembly? Will it hurt anything to let it be??

[Blk95993]

Now to the rear shocks...any gotchas on thoses--the strut nuts in the engine bay seem to be a b$$$^ to get to...any helpful hints???

[randywebb]

air ratchet w/ looong (i.e. deeeeep) socket...

[slodave]

Bottom bolts should be a breeze with an impact wrench. Tops are easier if you have the a/c and heater stuff removed. Mine were Bilstein all around. The rears came off with two crescent wrenchs. new ones went in with one crescent and metric allen wrench.. Oh yeah, there was blood involved removing the left rear top, but seemed to come from a "rough" edge somewhere.

Dave

[randywebb]

if no impact, then get a ratcheting wrench - or just do a few dozen turns an hour in between beers.

[Blk95993]

Top left rear was almost worth lettin a mechanic deal with it....finally finished with all 4...much stiffer and more responsive. Next project is the torsion bars!!