Front suspension fork...

[Perch - Tsi]

Ok, trying to replace the shocks, rears are done, fronts giving me a hassle though
Pulled the link bar and lossened the clamp nut on the top of the shock fork,
i cant see anyway to get the socks out without pulling the bolt out of the bushing on the bottom of the fork, and well, ive run out of bigger hammers to hit it with.
anybody find a workarond this in doing their own, or figure out a better way to get the little bastard out of there? it feels like its galvanized into the bushing...

i hate snow

 

[jtmcinder]

Sorry. I've never been able to get a front shock off without removing the fork which requires that you remove the bolt completely. You can have someone stand on the hub to get more room, but this could break something, so that is not advice with a guarantee.

Can you put a nub on an air-hammer and bang it out?

- Jtoby

 

[Tevenor]

Remove the bolt in the fork connecting it to the lower compression arm. Then drop the fork over the axle with the I-link connected. The shock should come out easy then. Install is reverse.

 

[DG-FNR]

What I always do is:

1) Remove the sway bar end link

2) Remove the pinch bolt at the top of the shock fork It has to come all the way out

3) Give the wheel a shove downward. The shock should pop right out of the fork.

DG

 

[ACM]

What I always do is:

3) Give the wheel a shove downward. The shock should pop right out of the fork.

DG

Only if you've replaced the factory bushings, otherwise it'll bounce back and smack you


If the bolt has seized in the bushing your best shot is an air chisel with the attachment that looks like a cylinder head valve. I have this problem on my 98 regularly.

Replace the offending bolt with an OEM Mitsu bolt - the OEM replacement hardware is plated like the early 95 factory parts, which (so far) have not given me any problems.

Charles

 

[Perch - Tsi]

i suppose lakevilles not on your way anywhere is it?

j/k

yeah, i tried a big gear puller from autozone to try to shove her out of there after i got out of work, thing keeps slipping around, i stopped while i still have ten fingers, frostbitten though they may be.

btw, the snow shovel has made it to the official list of tools i need to work on my car.
you guys in florida suck, just know that...

DG-FNR: is this safe? call me lazy but im all about the quick fix.
though after i get the shock out and the new one slapped together, i still gotta get it back in there, im guessing getting it in is gonna be more injury prone than gettin it out like that.
i can just see myself winding up with my thumb as a permanent bumpstop somehow...

 

[ACM]

FWIW, those OEM lateral arms are only $30 each from JNZ, so it may be worth your while simply to replace it rather than spend $50 on beefy pullers or shop labour to beat the bolt out.


Charles

 

[Perch - Tsi]

Does anyone remember if this things got splines on it? or is it smoothbore all the way trough after the threads?
i cant even turn it in relation to the fork, if its not splined in, and is rust welded on this bad, its gonna have to get cut off.
ive never had this much of a problem with a single friggin bolt...

as a sidenote, are oem bushings good enough to replace with, or should i look around for some aftermarket ones, im guessing theres gonna be enough heat going on to facilitate a new set....

ACM: where can i find listings for "jnz", im not familiar with them...
im gonna need the bolt bushing and shock fork as well from the looks of it.

how much you wanna bet i hit the same problem with the other side....

 

[Terror Rising]

There are no splines on that piece. Are you using a torch to heat it up and free the bond at all? I know when I did my suspension I used a torch and PB Blaster like they were going out of style. Also, how big of a wrench are you using? Breaker bar?

 

[ACM]

No splines, just a sliding fit.

Once you get the pinch bolt out use either a flat blade screwdriver or a cold chisel and tap it in between the bolt ears to widen the clamp - that will break the rust loose and allow you to tap the fork off the damper. Of course if the bolt is seized in the lateral arm tapping the fork won't help - try hitting the lateral arm with a large mallet.

Leave all the bushings alone - it's not worth it. All that will do is screw up the ride and wear parts out quickly. Besides, you can't get replacement bushings anywhere as cheaply as a new arm ! In any case, Energy Suspension and Prothane are way too stiff for this.

JNZTuning.com - Josh, the Mitsu parts guy from Conicelli; explain your problem, he'll sort you out.

Does anyone remember if this things got splines on it? or is it smoothbore all the way trough after the threads?
i cant even turn it in relation to the fork, if its not splined in, and is rust welded on this bad, its gonna have to get cut off.
ive never had this much of a problem with a single friggin bolt...

as a sidenote, are oem bushings good enough to replace with, or should i look around for some aftermarket ones, im guessing theres gonna be enough heat going on to facilitate a new set....

ACM: where can i find listings for "jnz", im not familiar with them...
im gonna need the bolt bushing and shock fork as well from the looks of it.

how much you wanna bet i hit the same problem with the other side....

 

[Perch - Tsi]

Ok, definately broken any and all rust between the suspension fork and the bolt, used pb blaster, propane and a 5 pound hammer,
now, i think im rusted into the sleeve in the bushing, pb blasters workin it now, but its hard to get any hammer force in there because the rusted area is insulated in the bushing from the shock...
how much at all heat can i put on that bushing sleeve to open it up and break the rust without totally f-ing the bushing?

the chaos continues.... apparently one of my neighbors decided to be a good doobie and snowblow out my work area for me....
snowblower came up with can of pb blaster that got buried in the last 3 or 4 inches of snow
i wish i had a digital camera, giant gash in the side of the can, the whole street and half my front yard is day glow orange from when the can blew up against the blade.
i wish i had been home, snow blowing up orange in front of your snow blower has gotta be some scary shit... gonna try to get my hands on the camera, you guys gotta see this....



ok, went outside, got pissed off at said bushing and discovered to my dismay that propane > rubber....
oh well

http://www.dsmparts.com/customer/product.php?productid=382&cat=108&page=1

 

[THE_ARTIST_]

i just removed the whole thing made it alot easier to get out, the lower bolt of the fork assembly is easy to get back together (at least mine was). that damn pinch nut is driving me crazy i cant get the hole to line up for shit

PB blaster works good too