Stag front strut inserts - what tool ?

[franksm]

Hi folks

Am re-doing my front suspension with new bearings, bushes and shocks. I have one of one shock off the car, spring removed, and ready to dismantle - the shock insert is bolted down with a large  threaded plug with four slots.

Using a drift is going to screw up those slots, so what tool is recommended ? It would have to be a multi-pronged spanner that comes in from the side or else a large socket that goes down from above.

The Sealey catalog lists every tool imagineable, but nothing suitable for this :-)

Thanks

Frank

[StagNL]

My problem was the same.  One advice I read was to take a length of pipe that fits over the fastener, cut sections out of the end to make 4 pins to engage in the slots.  I added a big washer and a nut to the top for an air impact wrench.  
It took a while to come loose and the custom tool might need fixing halfway through.
One tip, first make sure the top of the strut interferes with the fastener.  Often a top edge has been peened in to secure it.

[StagNL]

699 wrote:

One tip, first make sure the top of the strut interferes with the fastener.

Ah, make that:

One tip, first make sure the top of the strut does not interfere with the fastener.

[shenderson]

You can clamp the fastener in a large vice and twist the damper body to release it.  Put a bar through one of the lugs at the base to increase your leverage.

Steve H

[stag_ste]

I would have thought that a simple device could be contructed that fits over the the damper rod fairly snugly and has pins that locate in the insert cap. The reason for snugness over the rod would be aid alignment onto the pins and to help prevent twisting and dis-engagement of the pins in the cap slots.

[GreenV8Machine]

I just used a chisel and a big hammer.

[StagNL]

shenderson wrote:

You can clamp the fastener in a large vice and twist the damper body to release it.  Put a bar through one of the lugs at the base to increase your leverage.

That is not possible if you still have the originals on your car.  The fastener is flush with the top of the strut housing meaning it is not possible to clamp it anywhere.

stag_ste wrote:

I would have thought that a simple device could be contructed that fits over the the damper rod fairly snugly and has pins that locate in the insert cap. The reason for snugness over the rod would be aid alignment onto the pins and to help prevent twisting and dis-engagement of the pins in the cap slots.

That is pretty much what I made in order to replace mine.  I used it with an air impact gun and even then it took a while before budging.  I can imagine that with an ordinary socket wrench and lots of WD40 it would be hard work.
A chisel and BFH may well work on yours, but not on my car.  Needed the above mentioned brainy thing rather than brute force and ignorance.

Oh, and when you get it off and remove the internals, do bear in mind that the original setup is not a sealed insert like the replacement.  Keep upright while pulling the lot out or you'll have a lot of oil splashing about.....

Another thing is the dust boot.  My new ones are from a reputable supplier but after 5 months have already split in numerous places.  I hope yours last longer.

[Richard B]

699 wrote:

Another thing is the dust boot.  My new ones are from a reputable supplier but after 5 months have already split in numerous places.  I hope yours last longer.

They're shite!  

Does anybody sell good ones that last?