I'm putting some new shocks in the front of the 71 and I'm having a bit of trouble getting the struts out, I have removed the 3 little nuts on the top, and the 2 on the side of the bottom and the little one right on the bottom. The strut still won't pop out of the bottom, any help would be much appreciated!

From memory, I'm pretty sure I wedged a breaker bar in between the swaybar and the castor rod(?) and pushed down. I had one of my mates holding the strut while doing this, ready to pop it out.

 

 

Oh yeah, hang your brake calipers up somewhere to avoid having it on the ground like I did :P

Edited December 24, 201213 yr by LongJohnSilver

Bolt the top of the strut back up before you crack the bottom apart as mentioned by LJS.

Success! thanks fellas

Ok now how to take the shock out of the strut? Haha

There is a nut at the top of the strut casingyou have to undo (the gland nut). To get the strut/spring top off you'll need a rattle gun (or do what I do and use vice grips on the shock piston, seeing as you're replacing them you wont have to worry about scratching the pistons). To tighten the strut tops back on the new shocks I use vice grips again but pad the teeth with something soft but grippy like some rubber to avoid scratches. Also grip the piston as high as possible.

Edited December 24, 201213 yr by B.L.Z.BUB

I've got everything apart, spring and top of strut off and nut undone on the shock I just can't get the shock out of the strut?

Ahhh, they are wedged in there good are they? You may need to put the piston in a vice and hit the strut in the opposite direction. And soak that bitch with WD40.

 

Or are these those weird ones you need to unscrew with a special tool. Is there two holes on the top of the shock on either side of the piston?

 

Pics?

Edited December 24, 201213 yr by B.L.Z.BUB

Ahh yes there are two holes, I just smashed them out and they eventually did come out lol, with king springs the closer coils go at the top?

with king springs the closer coils go at the top?

 

You are correct sir.

Cheers for your help guys! Other side took about half hour start to finish haha