Need Some Help - Suspension Disassembly

[adamgoli36]

Hi all,

Very much appreciate any help here.

I have just bought an 85 NA racecar. I found that it has one of the early offset hollow spindles so am replacing it with an 86 solid spindle to avoid the failure issues common among track folks. To do this, I also need to replace the strut housings, as it turns out the previous owner put on Turbo struts, along with what appears to be an early Ground Control coilover conversion kit. I was hoping I could just remove the strut and slide the red threaded sleeve (shown in picture) off for use on an 85 strut, but even at this point of disassembly that red sleeve is not moving one bit even though nothing else seems to be obstructing its movement. Am I missing something, or am I correct in thinking this red sleeve won't come off?

Also tried to get the strut insert cap off, but it won't budge - I'm thinking this is due to what I'm seeing about the turbo struts not having removable strut inserts and therefore not having removable strut insert caps, but perhaps I'm wrong there too.

Quite a novice with these things and feeling like I've gotten myself in over my head a bit, so any help here will go a long way. Thanks in advance.

[adamgoli36]

[v2rocket_aka944]

the cap has to come off - otherwise they wouldn't have gotten the red sleeve on. you may have to rig up a spanner wrench or wacky socket to fit the cap nut.

those red sleeves often have a set screw to pin them in place but they also usually have 1 or 2 o rings between them and the strut housing so they don't wiggle around/rattle. you are probably fighting the o ring friction.

if you run the big red coilover nut all the way down until it bottoms out on that weld, and then keep trying to turn the nut down, it might just start to push the threaded sleeve UP...