Front Shock, Control Arm Mounts

[dgs]

Those who've changed the front shocks, did you have trouble with the 'nuts' attached to the lower control arm coming loose? I've pulled on shock and it was a bear as the 'nuts', inside the coil spring, had come loose from the control arm. I had to wiggle some needle nose pliers in there through the coil spring to hold it and get the shock out.

Now I'm wondering how I'm going to mount the new shock.

Any one come across this and solve it?

[bcomo]

I did mine 2 weeks ago and did not have that happen. I thought that those nuts were tack welded in there.

[dgs]

I think that they once were welded, but they certainly aren't now. They are not meant to come out, that's for sure. They are smooth and round with some ears on the bottom, presumably for welding.

Hopefully the other side won't do that. We'll see what it looks like one I get the control arm off, assuming I can get the ball joins loose. Man, they just won't budge.

[Guest]

Loose Shock Nuts

Mine did the same thing. The tack welds on one broke and my shocks would end up dangling out of the bottom. I eventually did front end work and re-welded the nuts. What proved to work OK was getting nuts (I don't know the tech name) that have a flanged bottom and spiral grooves in them to grab into what they touch so you you don't need the pliers to tighten the, just to get them started. -LEON

[Guest]

Ball Joints

As for those buggers, I ended up using the biggest mallet I had and a good strong pickle fork. I was afraid to hit too hard. It took all I could give to get them to pop.

[dgs]

Mine did the same thing. The tack welds on one broke and my shocks would end up dangling out of the bottom. I eventually did front end work and re-welded the nuts. What proved to work OK was getting nuts (I don't know the tech name) that have a flanged bottom and spiral grooves in them to grab into what they touch so you you don't need the pliers to tighten the, just to get them started. -LEON

So, you didn't weld anything back in, you just used some serrated flanged hex nuts:



Interesting idea, I hadn't considered a solution that didn't involve welding.

As for those buggers, I ended up using the biggest mallet I had and a good strong pickle fork. I was afraid to hit too hard. It took all I could give to get them to pop.

Yeah, I was banging away at the pickle fork and getting nowhere. Then I noticed that there's a flange on the lower control arm just inside the ball joint. Sure enough, the pickle fork was up against that flange on the other side of the ball joint, preventing it from going any further. Adjust the pickle fork a bit and whack at it a couple more times and POP.

Once I got that I had the rest of the driver's side and the passenger's side apart within a couple of hours.

[Alexander]

They sell repair kits at any auto parts store for those lost tack welded nuts. It is a nut with a U-shaped metal sleeve that fits on the control arm. A hole is in the sleeve so the bolt can go through both the control arm and the nut.

[dgs]

They sell repair kits at any auto parts store for those lost tack welded nuts. It is a nut with a U-shaped metal sleeve that fits on the control arm. A hole is in the sleeve so the bolt can go through both the control arm and the nut.

I've asked at Autozone, Advanced Auto and Pep Boys. No one has seen or heard of such a thing. They scratch their heads and look at em like I'm crazy. I still have to try NAPA. Any other ideas?

[bcomo]

Doug:

Alexander may be speaking of a "Caged Nut" -- like those that hold the wheel well to the inner fender splash guard.

Only problem is that a caged nut requires a "square hole" so that it doesn't turn when the bolt goes through it.

See if this will work:

http://www.boltproducts.com/tinnerman/nut-bolt-standard-retainer.html

[Alexander]

It does not require modification of the hole. The u-shaped piece slips onto the control. One half of the "u" has the nut and the other half has a hole, so the bolt can go through.

[Alexander]

Go to http://www.restorationspecialties.co...atalog2003.pdf

Scroll on the left of the page.

They are called extruded "U" nuts.

[dgs]

Are you thinking of these:



Or maybe these:



I'm wondering if I can use these:



I've just got to find a place to buy 2 of them.

[Alexander]

These are the nuts I used in the past for the repair of the shock mountings.