Removing Struts Problem

Q: Removing Struts Problem

I’m dismantling my front suspension for painting. The problem is the shocks don’t fit thru the holes in the lower control arms, so I can’t remove them. Anyone had this problem ?? Is there a safe way to dismantle everything without pulling out the shocks and springs first. I should say that the subframe is off the car.

A: Normally just rotating the shock so that the flats line up with the flats in the control arm opening is enough to do it. I had a frame with “road leveler” shocks that had helper springs over the shocks. If you have those, you could find the end of the spring, get it started through the control arm, and rotate the entire helper spring through the control arm opening. Not fun. I was able to release the C clip at that top that held the two halves of the helper spring perch to the shock, and then remove the shock without the helper spring. If do you have the helper springs it may be easier to cut them apart in place.

A: The typical way to remove shocks is through the hole at the bottom of the lower control arm. I’ve never had a shock that would not fit through that hole. Unless somebody’s added a shock larger than that hole, you should be able to pop the clip nuts off the bottom of the lower control arm, then it should fit.

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