kurtyb 1 Report post Posted July 22, 2009 i am lowering my car and the lower control arm and steering rack that is attached to the shock is not coming out? iv hit it many times and used crc? but still no luck!? and suggestions? please help? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*Glenn* 854 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 Use a bigger hammer... eat Weetbix... and dont hit the ball joint or ball joint boot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 Search. This has been answered several times before with detailed insructions. When you find one post in it and I'll pin it. (I was going to say make it sticky, but that sounded wrong...) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
323e30 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 As glen said, Just keep the top bolted in so you dont have all the weight on the control arm, Then turn the wheel inwards towards the headlights you will see a sort of flatter spot on the strut there (this is where you hit it with the hammer). Also keep the nut loosely on the control arm ball joint so that if you do somehow hit it you dont damage the thread. Hit the strut not the control arm. easy as pie after the first time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FrantiC Report post Posted July 23, 2009 Pickle fork? Ball joint breaker? Don't hit the threaded bit, Unless you want to spend some good time "refining" the smashed up threads to be able to put nuts on them again...Worst case you pull the strut out with the control arm and put it into a vice. Then teach it who's the boss. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kurtyb 1 Report post Posted July 23, 2009 i hit..... and hit.... and wadaya kno! i broke 2 of the 3 studs that mount the shock to the body in the engine bay! classic huh! soooo ummm any one got a set of standard front shocks out there? i need my e30 on the road!!!! grrr! oh ya i didnt even end up putting the springs in! wat a 3.30itus moment Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FrantiC Report post Posted July 23, 2009 Pull the control arm out with the strut. The shocks sit inside the struts, the top hats are replacable if you broke the studs off them. Just get a second hand one, easy as piss. Take the control arm and strut out, do the shocks and springs that way. Can be hard to put back in but yeah sounds like your control arm and strut housing > you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites