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URGENT help needed with shock absorbers

 
 
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durknp
Winch Assistant


Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Odometer: 59
Location: Cambridge


1990 Land Rover Range Rover

PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:42 pm    Post subject: URGENT help needed with shock absorbers Reply with quote

Hi. I have got myself into a spot of bother. I have some new front shock absorbers to fit to my discovery 1. I have started to take them off and have undone all the bolts apart from the lower one on the end of the shock absorber where it bolts onto the axle. These ones are proving impossible to get loose. One of them the stud is bent and so that is not coming loose and on the other it just seems to be rusted solid. Does anyone have any ideas as how to get these loose, or is there anyone in aberdeen with a oxyacetelene torch that could help me out to chop them off. I am wanting to go to the forrest drive on sunday but it is looking very unlikely that is going to happen now. Or does anyone know of a little garage or engineering type place where someone could do it on the cheap. All the places ive come across it has to be booked in and they want to do the whole job which is too expensive. Any help would be very much apreciated as i only have saturday now to get the damn shocks off!

Nick
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DD
Mud Obsessed


Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Odometer: 9761
Location: Aberdeenshire


1986 Land Rover Defender

PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yup, always impossible to get the lower ones off.

Option is to either use a hacksaw in there and cut it off at the stud closest to the shock body. Easiest option I had there was use a reciprocating saw.

Oxy would work though! Twisted Evil

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Disco 'DD' Don
90 v8 for fun
110 XS CSW daily drive
'I came, I saw, I locked the diff'
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Cagey
Off-Road Guru


Joined: 20 Jan 2004
Odometer: 1380
Location: Banchory (The frozen North)



PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could also try to clamp the nut with a Vice Grips & turn the shock with a stilson, usually works for me. I normally change shocks & springs at the same time, cutting the springs down with a grinder to get at the shocks, makes life easy. Alternatively, cut the bottom nut with a hammer & cold chisel. (With the weight on the shock, that way it shouldn't turn)
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Another BORDC'er
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durknp
Winch Assistant


Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Odometer: 59
Location: Cambridge


1990 Land Rover Range Rover

PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

both excellnt ideas. i think i will go to speedy hire tommorow and see if they have a recipricating saw that i can take on a day hire. that should make things easier. if not i will get out the hacksaw and give that a whirl. i did have a little go with my hacksaw but to not much avail. ive phoned a few places up still and they all say we dont do oxy, when asked why they dont seem to have any reason. i find it fixes everything.
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james_hillerby
Mud Obsessed


Joined: 26 Sep 2004
Odometer: 3316
Location: Aberdeenshire


1989

PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

depending on how rusted they are there should be a little bit that sticks out the bottom of the threaded bit with two flats on that you can get a spanner or something on to hold the shock still.

A cold chisel and a hammer also works well if you get a good one and give it some good smacks, it should split the nut clean in half! My favourate new method for removing bolts the grinder wont reach!

A hacksaw might work but as you cut through the rubber is compressed and will pull upwards trapping the blade and making it quite hard!

Another option might be to try and safely jack the vehicle up high enough to be able to pull the springs outwards and then pull them off allowing you plenty room to be able to get something on to turn the shock while you have a spanner on the other end.

Good luck!! Laughing
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DD
Mud Obsessed


Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Odometer: 9761
Location: Aberdeenshire


1986 Land Rover Defender

PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stuff hiring one, I got mine at B&Q for 20 quid (for exactly the job you're wanting to do).

Cut through in 1 minute each side.

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Disco 'DD' Don
90 v8 for fun
110 XS CSW daily drive
'I came, I saw, I locked the diff'
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durknp
Winch Assistant


Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Odometer: 59
Location: Cambridge


1990 Land Rover Range Rover

PostPosted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 1:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ive got it fixed!! I went to speedy to hire a saw but they say that they dont do them because they are not worth it, although they do have it on thier web site? So i took james idea and got myself a cold chisel but that still didnt work. so the only way left was with the hacksaw. I eventually did it by cutting out the rubber with a knife so i then had room to chop the stud off just above the nut. Ive only done one side so will do the other on monday after the drive tommorow. Thanks everyone for all your help.
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