ONE MORE TIME......was: Re: [Shotimes] halfshaft removal from the knuckle

[George Fourchy]

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 09:37:40 -0500, Justin Schick wrote:

>I'm helping Rich (remember the Help in KC post?) replace the struts on
>this 95 ATX. We got the front passenger side done last night, and the
>driver's side 95% disassembled. We had to quit as we were unable to get
>the strut out of the knuckle with the halfshaft still connected. We
>barely got the passenger side out in the same manner; the only reason we
>could come up with is the driver's side has a shorter shaft between the
>joints, thus giving us less range of movement.

You guys........   sigh  ...........

PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!

NONE of that stuff has to come off....the lower control arm from the subframe, the
axle from the tranny, the axle from the knuckle, or any of those other big parts.

Fronts....

0. Deal with the rust.....(not required in California)    
1. Remove the sway bar links from both struts and fasten them and the bar out of the
way.
2. Remove the antilock sensor from the knuckle.  
3. Remove the pinch bolt from the knuckle.
4. Remove the nut and rear bushing from the knuckle end of the tension strut.  Slide
the whole thing (strut and knuckle) back about an inch away from the front bushing.
5. On top, loosen the big nut in the center of the strut.  Then loosen but do not
remove the three nuts that hold the strut to the tower top.
6. Using a stubby screwdriver or metal wedge that will go into the pinch (or both),
spread the pinch about 3/16ths of an inch.
7. Push the knuckle down with both hands, arms locked, putting tension on the top of
the knuckle to keep it parallel with the strut.  Keep it from becoming cocked, or it
will jam and give you the kind of trouble you are expecting.   ..fronts and
rears....

It will slide off and be held in place by the axle and the loose tension
strut....remove the top nuts and remove the strut.

Rears...

0.  See '0' above.
1. Remove the brake line bracket from the strut.
2. Remove the sway bar connectors from the struts (both now).
3. Remove the pinch bolt.
4. Remove the tension strut nut and the rear bushing.  Slide the knuckle back.
5. Inside the trunk, use a 13mm ratchet box and loosen the three nuts that hold the
top.  Remove the harder to reach ones, and leave the near one.  Use a bar to pry up
the seat belt retractor to make access to the far two nuts easier.
6. Spread the pinch and slide the knuckle down and off the strut.  Keep it parallel
to the strut for an easy slide.
7. Remove the last nut and remove the strut.

Assembly is the opposite in both cases, except for the rears REMEMBER to route the
brake hose correctly, because if you don't, you'll be removing the strut again.  Do
the rear sway bar connectors the very last thing on both sides....they are tough if
you try one at a time.

George

I'm thinking of requiring mechanics I know who do their own work (Kegel!!) and those
I don't who ask these questions to demonstrate their abilities before I'll let them
come to the '04 convention!!

;-)