Front Suspension Strut Rebuild

[callumyates]

Hello all and who can help the new lad who put the spanners on his stag for the first time in many years today,

Just been out in the garage rebuilding the front strut (did theother one 4 years ago)with new dampers and i'm not happy with the same. everything went well until the top nut went on and i cant get it on more than a couple of threads before the damper spindle starts to turn.

If I slacken off the coil compressors to get a bit of tension on the seat the nut turned another couple of threads but is very tight and a long way shortof the nylock zone!

Is there a secret to this or has the weight got to be back on the car to get a bite or have i just forgottoneverything i started with the stag nearly 20 years ago?

All the best,

Callum

[GDPR]

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First, welcome to the asylum.


I must assume that the nut and damper rod have the same thread?

Have you not got an Allen key socket in the top of the damper rod Callum? If so, stick an Allen key in the hole, and wind the nut down with a set of mole grips on the socket.

Good luck

Russ

[callumyates]

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Hi Russ and thanks for your help.

The damper insertsI used are Koni's and there is no allen key insert. There is a 7/16ths hex on the end butI can't get the nylock nut down far enough to get a spanniard on the end of it.

The threads are matching and run up freely on the bench before I put it together and its so long sinceI did the other sideI cant remember ifI had any problems there, but any more suggestions would be of great help.

All the best,

Callum

[Stagdad]

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When i put spax on mine last year the plan part of the shock was shorter than the original and so the nut just started to bite into the nylon part before it bottomed out on the shoulder the other side of the top mount ,i gave it plenty of thread lock just to be sure.

Cheers Steve

Stag looks v nice ,how long have you been restoring it?

[callumyates]

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Cheers Steve,

Iwill have a wee measure up and see what i can find but unfortunatelyI threw away the old shocks years ago.

Thanks again for your input

Callum

[whereufromnosecity]

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Callum

When i fitted my spaxs last year i had the same problem as stagdad,I to used plenty of thread lock

Your stag looks good mate

How much more work you got to do till your back on the road?

Stu E

[callumyates]

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Cheers St,

About another 20 years and i should be back on the road at the current pace. Seriously though i still have the last corner of the suspension to do, a bit of tidying up inside and a general sort out under the bonnet, but if work allows 2010 could be the year!!!

All the best,

Callum

[singapore stag]

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Nice garage, and what a transformation!!!! (before and after pics) well done, good to see a job done throughly.

Sukh.

[callumyates]

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Cheers Sukh,

We built the garage ourselves and I've been doodling around withthe stagfor years but i am a bit stuck with the suspension strut and think i will have to take it apart again as i cant get the top nut on!

All the best,

Callum

[V Mad]

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Do you have an impact driver? Is just did both inserts and had the same problem so Iused an impact driver to remove and refit the nut, no problems with that.