So I put Powell's YYZ's on 2 weeks ago. Well I was getting some crazy noises up front after the install so tonight I finally had time to address the front suspension. My buddy helped me put them on a couple weeks back, he managed to cross thread the center nut on the top side of the god damn strut. So after driving for an hour to my friends work, a little blow torch action and I get the original stock strut off. I then go to the store to pick up 2 new front struts and strut mounts. I get home after a couple hours of circle jerking and pull the new struts out of the box, put them all together and go to throw it in and it doesn't line up. Like the strut is too long or sonething. So im guessing the dude at the store screwed up and possibly gave me the wrong front struts. Im so ******* frustrated at this point.

The struts I got front the store tonight were Monroe sensa-tracks. Does anyoneb have a part number for a correct strut or any info at all regarding after market struts? Im going to go see my buddy who works at a dealership to see what he can do for me.

 

What makes you think they're too long? I assume you mount the top with the three studs sticking out, and then what? You can't line the two at the bottom up? Did you let the knuckle droop down as far as it would go? Can you get even one in, and then pivot the knuckle on that to line the other up?

 

Yes, mounted the 3 studs up top, then I tried to line the bottom 2 holes up but they were 2-3 inches from the knuckle. I let the knuckle just kinda dangle there and every way I pushed, pulled lifted I couldnt get the holes for the bottom of the strut to line up, not even close.

Does having Powell's CABs have any effect on how far down the knuckle will droop?

 

You are going to want FE5 struts anyways those are pretty much junk and sub par even on FE1 suspension.

 

Yes, you have to take the bolt out to allow the arm to drop down farther. The spherical bearings don't allow the same movement the rubber bushings do.

 

Cobalt owners so cheap. Canadian tire special on a tc? Say it ain't so.

 

MONROE Part # 72179

shouldnt be any problems with the length though, i put them on my car and other then the fact that they ride like ****, they installed fine.

ACDELCO Part # 506684
ACDELCO Part # 506683

is what you want for replacement FE5 struts, they are 83 dollars a piece on rockauto.

 

Never downgrade on replacement parts. Unless you're trying to pass safety on a car you're selling.

 

Ok thanks for the info guys! I didnt know about taking g the control arm bushing bolt out. I got monroe sensa-tracks for the rear shocks last week from the dealership.

 

The 72179 part number is what I have. Going to eat and then get after this damn car and get it finished.

Was up til about 2am darting around with it

 

WHY are you putting Monroe shocks on a SS!?!??!?!?!

 

Well I really do not have a choice at thos point. I had to torch the top nut off of the stock strut and now my car is sitting in the middle on my buddies garage. Im going to put these monroe struts in for now and then later this summer get ac Delhi's or possibly koni front struts but for now this is my only option

 

I got everything back together. On of the trailing control arm bolts was finger tight. But now im getting a rumble from the strut on the passenger side. Driving on a smooth road is fine but when I gi over a bump I just a series of rumbles

The only thing I cant torque down is the center strut mount bolt. When ever I tighten it, the whole strut shaft just spins.

 

I got it. Total brain fart on my part. Thanks for the help everyone. Little spring chatter and my exhaust hits the rear dead axel but I can handle that.

 

You need an impact to tighten the top strut bolt.

Budget your $ next time and have a professional (guaranteed install) work on your car. "Install in my buddies garage" is becoming another way of saying I don't know what I'm doing

Edit: Glad you figured it out but I stand by my advice hah

 

Well I have done it before and didnt run into any problems like I did last night lol

Good thing my trailing control arm bushings were finger tight (thank you GM) so they were easy to get out. Its not that complicated of a process just a minor slip up with a cross threaded bolt, that was the pain in my ass

 

$200+ slip up isn't that minor, on a side note I figured out what one of my noises was that same bolt I can't get to tighten even with my impact gun, maybe take it somewhere to see what they want to just tighten that.

 

which bolt is it?

 

Exact same on on the passengers side top center of strut, it's almost all the way on. But when I had it on stands I was looking to see what it was (got under car rails now, yay) and that's what was moving around, maybe a 16th of an inch, my impact gun wouldn't do the trick.

 

they do make strut sockets,thats what i was looking at buying because at the time i couldnt get them tight but i drove the car for a little while came back and hit it with the impact gun and tightened them right up.

get the strut socket and then you can get a torx bit in there to hold the shaft while tightening it. im not familiar with koni's though..yet lol

 

Pretty much I have the valving adjusting knob where the torx bit would be so I'm SOL.

 

damn,that seems pretty shitty. theres gotta be a way to tighten that biatch

 

Yeah I'm kinda assuming my impact isn't working correctly, rated at 500 ft lbs but isn't doing anything to it. I'll probably just talking it somewhere tomorrow.

 

yea,thats weird man. i cant imagine any shop would rape you for tightening a nut or 2.

 

I'd imagine $20 and 5 minutes. It's been like this for a solid 6 months probably should have addressed it sooner but it was winter and when I turn up the music a bit you can't hear it.