First off we got the backs in (i have a 2.2) but when going to insert drivers rear bolt to connect strut to axle the threading inside the axle is stripped and all we did was take out the bolt and it wouldnt go back in. any way to fix this or remedy it to make it work?





also wit the fronts were having a hard time getting some of th
e bolts out but i think its because of lack of tools, well see if we can figure this one out.




but basically i need some type of answer to get this bolt back in. any ideas?w

 

Tap? 1/4x20

 

you need an impact gun....

 

we have an air compressor but no tools. and i measured it and it came out to be 1/2x13 but ill try 1/4x20

theres no way its 1/4x20, you must be thinking of a different bolt. its the one at the bottom of the strut where it connects to the rear axle

 

Yeah that was just a guess. Go rent a tap kit from autozone for 20 bucks.

That bolt only has 13 threads per inch?

 

I don't mean to hijack, but since you already started a thread and I'm having trouble as well...I have an issue.

I am installing my springs today...Sportlines and I haven't touched the back yet (I know they'll be no problem), I'm working on the front...got the driver's side done (took a bit longer than I thought it would). I can't get the strut bolt out of the passenger side though. I'm using an impact gun, but no use so far. I don't have any other ideas...can someone tell me what may help? Would WD40 do any good? Is it ok to use for something like this?

I really need to get this done ASAP. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

Reach inside of the spring and grab the smooth shiny part. Let the gun impact away for like 2 FULL minutes. Itll come off. Maybe only millimeters at a time, but itll come off.

 

Appreciate it, I'll go give it a try.

 

Well did it work?

 

this is what i do. also helps if you give it a half a turn before you jack up the car, from the engine bay.

 

Really, you could almost just take the damn nut completely off and then jack the car up. The spring will decompress as the car is lifted. If something hangs up then I would put the nut back on and just remove it once you have the spring compressors on there.

 

ok i got everything back in but autozone doesnt have a tap and die set big enough to fit it. and i tried my dads and you couldnt get enough leverage or anything because theyre just is no room, the brake is in the way. but we got the bolt in hand tight and then had an electric impact gun that plugs into the 12v cig lighter and used that to get it very tight (its still not all the way in but its only got like 1/16-1/8 inch of space and i talked to a gm tech and he said that as long as its tight as **** it'll be fine



but right now everything is in and i gotta say, the ride is deffinatly not as smooth as 2.2 springs but it sure as hell handles better and more or less elminated body roll completely. love em!

 

im surprised no ones asked about how to get the sway bar link bolt off...thats the one i had trouble with

 

I just left the sway bar link bolts on and did it all inside the fender....quicker than messing with those two.

Sorry I didn't get a chance to post back, but everything was done...your suggestion did the trick, but it took more than a couple tries still.

I'll make a quick thread with pictures of before and after.

Thanks for the help.

 

I ran into the same problem on my passenger side back but it wasn't bad enough where i had to do what i'm about to suggest.

Master Thread Repair Kit. You can order them and they come with all instructions on how to do it.

Basically what it is is a Stainless Steel (304 stainless) spring looking thing that you insert into the hole, it is shaped like threads.

You will have to drill it with the included drill bit, then tap it with the included tap, and using the included driver tool, you will basically screw it in there then knock off the applicator flange that is inside of it. This technique is also used in engine blocks, engine heads, etc. for quick and reliable thread repair. It also goes by the name Heli-Coil. Figure out what size your bolt is and order that kit, the size of the bolt is the size of the kit. Works wonders, i have used these kits on fighter jets, cargo planes, cars, trucks, forklifts, etc. and they work really well!

 

Or you just buy a tap off ebay for $10

 

well i havent been online so i couldnt update but here it goes.


i drove the 3 hours to jersey and took a look down there just to make sure and the bolts on both sides were working there way out and had about an inch of space between the end of the bolt and the shock. so i was like oh **** and brought my car to the nearest shop (the only one i knew of cuz it was on the end of the street) and it was sketchy as hell. but i sat there in the shop and watched them do every little thing to make sure they didnt **** around and they were pissed that i knew what i was talking about lol. but anyways, they take it out and the dude was like you just put it in crooked, and he also said that all suspension bolts come locktited from the factory so he put a dab of lock tite on the bolt and put it in straight. now i understand that i may not be able to get it out anymore but w.e ill cross that bridge when i need because the bolts are stayin in there lol. oh and also someone asked me if when i was sscrewing the bolt in if it started easy and then felt like it just stoppped, which it did, and he said thats the bolt hitting the old lock tite so maybe it does come locktited. but either way the backs are set and the front i didnt have a problem with.







sorry for the super long post lol

 

to get the strut bolts off i used the car jack socket that comes with the car, it worked.. most car companies dont use stand nuts + bolts so that you have to take it to the shop to have it worked on by the ppl with the tools

 

A tap in some worse cases will not do anything. Most Threaded devices today that are tapped are running on maybe 70/75% Threads...yes that's right. So, if it's stripped, that lowers that chance of thread down to about 10/20%. Most times in that situation the tap will not be a tap anymore but more or less of a boring tool, Hence why i said thread repair kit. Hell, i have my machinery's handbook right here on my desk with me lol. But only in worst case scenario do the repair kit. Otherwise to clear gunk, dirt, grease, "loctite", etc from a tapped hole, then use a tap, or if there are metal burs in the hole. Otherwise don't do it, it will cause stress risers to appear in the metal which can/will lead to failure or cracking that causes failure.

 

Unfortunely this bolt sees shear loading, NOT axial. F=P/A so back to my original statement, use a tap.