Strut Cartridge removal advice needed (ra40)

[MorgzMods]

hey all,

managed to undo my struts and get the spring out, but to avoid bleeding the brake line i've left that attached. i've also kept on the brakes and all the gear.

The issue i'm having is the brass nut? that holds the cartridge in can't be undone with any tools i have on hand.
said brass nut is coloured black in the photo linked below
http://www.autopartsnetwork.com/imag...1618648KYB.JPG

what are some suggestions? i can't get any leverage on it by sticking a screw driver in the gaps in the welding and hitting it with a hammer. and because the brake gear is still attached i can't fit it into a bench vice or the like.

If somebody can walk me through the process needed to disconnect the brake line and then how to reconnect and bleed the brakes i don't have a problem with doing it that way.

Cheers

[CELICASUPRA7M]

pull caliper off strut and leave brake hose attached.

put strut in vice and crack nut with a big shifter/pipe wrench.

or, bolt hub back to wheel, sit wheel flat on the ground and get someone to stand on the wheel and then use shifter/pipe wrench.

[MorgzMods]

My brake line runs through part of the strut, to have the strut free from the car i would have to undo the engine side of the hose on the strut.

The metal piece the hose runs through can't be unscrewed or belt to allow the brake hose out

[thechuckster]

- remove sliding caliper and hang with some wire/rope in the wheel arch (you remove the small wedges holding the piston unit to the sliding carrier. it then comes off leaving the mount behind, refitting is the reverse)
- mount strut in a vice
- use stilson (one of these) to undo large nut

Brake caliper in detail pic here.
There are small spin-pins at either end of part 47726 (the slider wedge like things). Remove those pins then tap out the wedges and the plates (part 47753). Cylinder unit can then be moved forward/backward to let you get it out and clear of the mounting. Don't let it (the piston unit) hang on the hose, just hook it up somewhere with some wire/rope.

The strut will also have two largish bolts at the base holding it onto the lower ball-joint/steering arm casting.

EDIT: if that tab doesn't have a split it it, you'll have to undo the hose there. For future ease of doing this, cut a slot into that tab so you can lever it open to remove the hose - or just delete it and use a decent ziptie to attach the hose at that point to the strut tube

[MorgzMods]

see above post Charles

eventually got the two lower bolts off. needed a massive mofo cheater bar though.

Also, i replaced the inner and outer tie rods with apparently suitable parts from autobarn, but it seems that together they are a bit too long (e.g. they push the rear of the rotor out a bit too far) i'll get the suspension back in before changing parts, but should i be worried?

[thechuckster]

if the tie-rods are too long you won't get the toe-in right (and it'll chew up tyres and drive like a gokart on acid)

sounds like you'll have to open that hose up if you are to undo that nut - pulling and stretching the hose (when trying to undo the large nut holding the insert in) will not do it any good.

If I read your post correctly, the hose joiner at the metal tab on the strut is un-doable? as in the nut heads ahev been rounded off? There's probably hoses on my RA40 wreck but age may be an issue.

[MorgzMods]

if i took it for a wheel allignment (which i assume is the adjustment of idler arm/tie rods/the main steering bar) would they let me know if the tie rods are too big? or would i be better off taking the tie-rods back to autobarn and saying they are too large? i've screwed them in until there is not any visible thread on either end and it still seems a little out. the old ones have 5-10mm of thread visible each side.

Regarding the brake hoses, i actually have replacements for the hose that runs from the engine to the strut. it seems to be possible to undo the brake hose. i just don't know if i need to plug the brake hose after removing or how to bleed it.

I won't be able to make any progress tonight without grabbing some new tools at least - i'll get a stilson wrench for decent grib and look into anything needed to change over the brake lines

[thechuckster]

one method for measuring whether they're too long is to measure the distance from the centre of the inner ball joint (on the steering arm) to the centre of the outer-tie-rod arm - using the old tie-rod ends. If the newer tie-rods won't give you that distance when fully wound up then replace them (or get a shorter centre section).

Out of interest - how much longer are they compared to the old items?

And yes, a wheel alignment shop would let you know if they're way too long- as the only things they can adjust on the front will be toe-in and castor.

If you've undone the brake lines and air has got in, simply re-bleed them after re-assembly. I'd block the hoses/holes off with something a soft (some small OD hose with something blocking the other end of the hose) unless you have some unwanted hard-line fittings that you can crimp the pipe on and then screw into the hose or caliper. If you leave the hose line drain free, it will empty the lines and the master cylinder.

[MorgzMods]

i've pulled the old outs out of the right side and the have fitted new ones to the left side, i'll take some measurements after i pack up outside and see how they go. even though they appear to be different lengths a quick eyeball of the ends shows they might be the same.

I haven't undone the brake lines yet - that'll be tomorrow's fun job. what is the normal procedure for bleeding brakes? when i've changed brake pads with dad we managed to do them without having to fully bleed the brakes so i've never seen it done before.

I think i'll also replace the suspension bushes while i'm messing around with the steering and suspension. Last ones i got were nolathane brand from autobarn. any issues with using those? are there a better brand to use? something more cost effective?

[thechuckster]

bleeding brakes is easy:
MK2 TSRM On-Line
start at step 3 but ignore the bit about putting the hose into a half-full bottle of fluid - EDIT: an empty bottle will suffice, just watch the pipe for bubbles.

nolathane would be fine, as would SuperPro bushes. They'll both give you a slightly firmer ride as they are less compliant than the OEM rubber bushes. Buy on price unless you're going racing and want to be at the pointy end of the field.

Would suggest using rubber bushes for the sway bar links (if you change them) as they'll last longer.

[MorgzMods]

thanks mate

regarding using the rubber bushes rather then whatever the new ones are, is that for the D-link insert as well as the the other bushes?

[thechuckster]

rubber for the link that goes from sway bar to lower control arm - part 48817 ('CUSHION, FRONT STABILIZER') - on this diagram.
ToyoDIY.com

The bushes that bolt the bar to the chassis - whatever you want.


edit: see previous post about using an empty bottle for bleeding the brakes - wasn't sure if it would be obvious to all.