Coilover Removal Oddness. Help? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

jsasrsr · 05-01-2008, 10:47 AM

Ok, so my friend has a set of ksport coilovers on his s14 that we have to take off since they blew after 9k miles. But anyways, we get all 3 off and then we get to the front right coilover and it wont come off..

The top nut and bolt came right off. BUT heres some shit... i get the nut off of the bottom bolt, but the bolt is seized! I spent about an hour soaking it in penetrating oil, hammering at it, tryin to wedge it with a flathead, turning it(which it doesnt even turn), and I have no clue what to do now! This sounds like a dumbass question, but im an ASE mechanic and I dont know what to do. By the way im at my house garage with no air compressor or impact wrench. I have a sledgehammer, breaker bar, and a lot to work with. I need ideas! Its on there good.

JDMwannaBE · 05-01-2008, 10:54 AM

you have any way to heat it?

jsasrsr · 05-01-2008, 11:02 AM

i wish.. im limited to basically a slegehammer breaker bar and some basic hand tools

Taniguchi_Is_#1 · 05-01-2008, 11:12 AM

put a long pipe on the end of your breaker bar. add body weight. presto. some thing will break. hopefully, it'll be the bolt.

EDacIouSX · 05-01-2008, 11:18 AM

long pipe aka bitch bar. if you are using hand tools the key is to get as much leverage as you can.

aznpoopy · 05-01-2008, 11:25 AM

unbolt the top camber plate from the car and let the coilover hang to ensure theres no load on the system. then go at it with the biggest hammer you can find.

or just cut the bracket apart... it's not like you're going to miss it.

95Blue240sx · 05-01-2008, 11:27 AM

why not loosen the collars to make sure you arent getting any pressure from the spring. Or do ^^^^ what he said

WilloW · 05-01-2008, 11:59 AM

Same thing happened to me last weekend, the damn nut and bolt cross threaded and seized. I went at it with a wrench to keep it stationary, and on the other side I used a ratchet and a breaker bar. I kept going at it until it stripped off all the damn threads on the stud and it was out. I was tempted to go at it with a cutting wheel.

Edit: After rereading, it sounds like you just need your breaker bar and break it loose.

jsasrsr · 05-01-2008, 12:09 PM

and i forgot to add that bolt is stripped. i tried jacking the car up buy the bolt and pushing down... that didnt work. and then I tried standing. this thing is seized. i think what happened is he used a low ass grade bolt, all the others were fine and oem.... any ideas now?

pbcstylez · 05-01-2008, 02:27 PM

cut it off.............

jsasrsr · 05-01-2008, 03:11 PM

or possibly drill out? i dunno, im gonna kick that bolts ass tomorrow...

k's_silvia2.0 · 05-01-2008, 03:12 PM

^Must have happened when they blew.

kenversusryu · 05-01-2008, 03:34 PM

I hope you have both wheels in the air rather than just the front right.

Sir · 05-02-2008, 08:32 AM

got a C-clamp?

xplicit240 · 05-02-2008, 08:37 AM

well if both the wheels are in the air. the suspension is slouching down. try using a jack under the arm to lift it and ease pressure off the bolt. worked for me. get the other bolt and a hammer and wack, repeat process until pissed off. if that fails get the torch out. GL!

Sileighty_85 · 05-02-2008, 09:38 AM

I had this happen I ended up breaking the the head off so I had to drill it out, if your lucky you can drill it half way and use a punch to knock it out

*ziptiedae86* · 05-02-2008, 09:50 AM

If you don't have a long pipe to attach to the breaker bar, use your tire iron (the cross wrench type) and attach it to the breaker bar. It should give you a foot or more of leverage.

projectRDM · 05-02-2008, 11:45 AM

I've had OE bolts seize in the spindle before just like that. Take the whole spindle off and beat it out with a sledge hammer. I actually had one frozen so bad that after breaking it loose it still wouldn't slide out because I crowned the end so badly it wouldn't fit through the hole in the strut. I ended up cutting it in half afterwards.

aNskY · 05-02-2008, 04:51 PM

cut bolt.
buy new bolt + nut.
done.

ericcastro · 05-03-2008, 08:14 PM

Are you talking about the 2 bolts that sit side by side in the bottom of the front?? put the other one back in so there is no pressure pinching it sideways. Snug it up, then try and break the problematic bolt.

I also had a stripped and siezed nut on my rear shock bottom before. i took a lil circle grinder and ground the nut down on two sides, oposite each other. as close as I could grind with out hitting the threads of the bolt. then I took a open ended wrench that best fit, and turned it. due to all the head from the grinder and the lack of having a thick metal wall, the thing came off like presto chango, done

jsasrsr · 05-04-2008, 08:37 AM

so drilling this thing is taking hours and isnt really getting everywhere. I grinded down the top of the nut to try and split it, but thats not working....

so im stuck with a flat bolt still stuck. its amazing.... i really dont know what to do. i drill and drill and drill and drill, and no progress. ive gone through at least a dozen drill bits...

now i have a circular cutter... will that help?
im sooo fucked.

its obviously not stuck on the threaded side. i can pry it and see it separate. but on the head side, it wont pry at all.. i wd40'd the crap out of it and still nothing....

the other thing is i could cut through the arm, but i cant really imagine how hard it would be finding another one..

help!

Stoichiometric · 05-04-2008, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsasrsr

so drilling this thing is taking hours and isnt really getting everywhere. I grinded down the top of the nut to try and split it, but thats not working....

so im stuck with a flat bolt still stuck. its amazing.... i really dont know what to do. i drill and drill and drill and drill, and no progress. ive gone through at least a dozen drill bits...

now i have a circular cutter... will that help?
im sooo fucked.

its obviously not stuck on the threaded side. i can pry it and see it separate. but on the head side, it wont pry at all.. i wd40'd the crap out of it and still nothing....

the other thing is i could cut through the arm, but i cant really imagine how hard it would be finding another one..

help!

OH man!!!! only 1 oversized bolt??? When I got my s14, the previous owner had put 4 super oversized bolts in the two front coilovers. With 17mm headbolts and 18mm and 19mm nuts. Which was so ridicoulous!

It took 4 people and 2 days to remove these 4 oversized bolts!!!! You'd thiink that "Cutting" and "Drilling" would work, but NOPE. It was hell. We took a Craftsman 28" 1/2 inch breaker bar plus an additional 36" solid steel tubing and we were basically using our entire body weight on it. Sometimes even sitting, stomping, and standing on the bar.
It takes a while, but surely enought the 4 bolts came out and they were immediately thrown in the trash can. Went to the local junkyards and got new bolts off of an s13.
If I knew this before, I would have slapped the previous owner of the car and tell him to never ever work on a 240sx again.

Good luck!!! WD-40 and breaker bar + metal tubing!!!!

flip3d · 05-04-2008, 08:51 AM

More leverage on your breaker bar. I once used the stock exhaust from my accord to get an axle nut off.

Stoichiometric · 05-04-2008, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsasrsr

so drilling this thing is taking hours and isnt really getting everywhere. I grinded down the top of the nut to try and split it, but thats not working....

so im stuck with a flat bolt still stuck. its amazing.... i really dont know what to do. i drill and drill and drill and drill, and no progress. ive gone through at least a dozen drill bits...

now i have a circular cutter... will that help?
im sooo fucked.

its obviously not stuck on the threaded side. i can pry it and see it separate. but on the head side, it wont pry at all.. i wd40'd the crap out of it and still nothing....

the other thing is i could cut through the arm, but i cant really imagine how hard it would be finding another one..

help!

Since you're already in this position. JUST remove the entire lower arm.
Remove the knuckles, take it out, and hammer that sucker bolt out.

That's your only option now.

Stoichiometric · 05-04-2008, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flip3d

More leverage on your breaker bar. I once used the stock exhaust from my accord to get an axle nut off.

Some exhaust bolts are....well, excuse my French but they are le "bitche"

jsasrsr · 05-04-2008, 09:57 AM

i guess i worded that wrong..i dont have a nut to use a breaker bar on anymore! its just flat. it completley circled off, so i ended up grinding it down. basically all i have is this bolt that looks like a nail now. i just spent another hour drilling and killing more drill bits and no luck. more hammering, no luck. more wd, no luck. heated it up, no luck.....

Once again... HEEELLP! this is like a nightmare from hell!

WilloW · 05-04-2008, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsasrsr

i guess i worded that wrong..i dont have a nut to use a breaker bar on anymore! its just flat. it completley circled off, so i ended up grinding it down. basically all i have is this bolt that looks like a nail now. i just spent another hour drilling and killing more drill bits and no luck. more hammering, no luck. more wd, no luck. heated it up, no luck.....

Once again... HEEELLP! this is like a nightmare from hell!

Did you diassembled the spindle from the car like RDM suggested? Picturing it in my head, it would likely to give you more pounding leverage thus increasing your chance of getting that little fucker out.

rightcoastimports · 05-04-2008, 10:12 AM

not on the direct problem but...

to prevent your coilovers from blowing try lowering it from the adjustable mount not by the perch.. i see a lot of people blowing struts by improper use.

jsasrsr · 05-04-2008, 11:46 AM

i wish i had a picture... i cant find my damn camera. i cant hammer it anymore.... its just a "nail" and the other end is cut off... so hammering isnt an option...

i can only drill on the nut end becuase the drill is too big to clear the head end.... i keep killin drill bits about 20 seconds in... why is that? there carbon steel! any other ideas?

im thinking these options...

-go out and buy some expensive ass drill bits, drill it out
-take off the whole arm, which is a PITA, and take it to my shop and drill press it out, or something..
-or see what the zilvian's have to say..

WilloW · 05-04-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsasrsr

i wish i had a picture... i cant find my damn camera. i cant hammer it anymore.... its just a "nail" and the other end is cut off... so hammering isnt an option...

i can only drill on the nut end becuase the drill is too big to clear the head end.... i keep killin drill bits about 20 seconds in... why is that? there carbon steel! any other ideas?

im thinking these options...

-go out and buy some expensive ass drill bits, drill it out
-take off the whole arm, which is a PITA, and take it to my shop and drill press it out, or something..
-or see what the zilvian's have to say..

How about using a rod or some sort as a punch, then hammer it out fromt he flat side?

Edit: Just take the spindle off man, its not that hard.

05-01-2008, 10:54 AM	#2
JDMwannaBE Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: kentucky Age: 39 Posts: 330 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	you have any way to heat it? __________________

05-01-2008, 11:27 AM	#7
95Blue240sx Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Girls pee-pee when they see me Age: 40 Posts: 4,084 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: 95Blue240sx Feedback Score: 0 reviews	why not loosen the collars to make sure you arent getting any pressure from the spring. Or do ^^^^ what he said __________________ Please leave me feedback

05-01-2008, 11:59 AM	#8
WilloW Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: * ** Posts: 1,529 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Same thing happened to me last weekend, the damn nut and bolt cross threaded and seized. I went at it with a wrench to keep it stationary, and on the other side I used a ratchet and a breaker bar. I kept going at it until it stripped off all the damn threads on the stud and it was out. I was tempted to go at it with a cutting wheel. Edit: After rereading, it sounds like you just need your breaker bar and break it loose. __________________

05-01-2008, 02:27 PM	#10
pbcstylez Nissanaholic! Join Date: May 2005 Location: East Bay Age: 39 Posts: 2,110 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	cut it off............. __________________ parking lot pimpin... Seller Feedback here: http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.p...ight=pbcstylez

05-01-2008, 03:12 PM	#12
k's_silvia2.0 Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: 909/951 Age: 37 Posts: 5,111 Trader Rating: (17) Feedback Score: 17 reviews	^Must have happened when they blew. __________________

05-01-2008, 10:47 AM	#1
jsasrsr Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Stationed in...Germany Age: 34 Posts: 419 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	Coilover Removal Oddness. Help? Ok, so my friend has a set of ksport coilovers on his s14 that we have to take off since they blew after 9k miles. But anyways, we get all 3 off and then we get to the front right coilover and it wont come off.. The top nut and bolt came right off. BUT heres some shit... i get the nut off of the bottom bolt, but the bolt is seized! I spent about an hour soaking it in penetrating oil, hammering at it, tryin to wedge it with a flathead, turning it(which it doesnt even turn), and I have no clue what to do now! This sounds like a dumbass question, but im an ASE mechanic and I dont know what to do. By the way im at my house garage with no air compressor or impact wrench. I have a sledgehammer, breaker bar, and a lot to work with. I need ideas! Its on there good.

05-01-2008, 11:02 AM	#3
jsasrsr Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Stationed in...Germany Age: 34 Posts: 419 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	i wish.. im limited to basically a slegehammer breaker bar and some basic hand tools

05-01-2008, 11:12 AM	#4
Taniguchi_Is_#1 Post Whore! Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: West Arkansas Prefecture Posts: 3,141 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	put a long pipe on the end of your breaker bar. add body weight. presto. some thing will break. hopefully, it'll be the bolt.

05-01-2008, 11:18 AM	#5
EDacIouSX Post Whore! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Los Angeles Age: 38 Posts: 4,565 Trader Rating: (53) Rides Gallery: EDacIouSX Feedback Score: 53 reviews	long pipe aka bitch bar. if you are using hand tools the key is to get as much leverage as you can.

05-01-2008, 11:25 AM	#6
aznpoopy Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Jersey Age: 43 Posts: 5,013 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	unbolt the top camber plate from the car and let the coilover hang to ensure theres no load on the system. then go at it with the biggest hammer you can find. or just cut the bracket apart... it's not like you're going to miss it.

05-01-2008, 12:09 PM	#9
jsasrsr Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Stationed in...Germany Age: 34 Posts: 419 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	and i forgot to add that bolt is stripped. i tried jacking the car up buy the bolt and pushing down... that didnt work. and then I tried standing. this thing is seized. i think what happened is he used a low ass grade bolt, all the others were fine and oem.... any ideas now?

05-01-2008, 03:11 PM	#11
jsasrsr Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Stationed in...Germany Age: 34 Posts: 419 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	or possibly drill out? i dunno, im gonna kick that bolts ass tomorrow...

05-01-2008, 03:34 PM	#13
kenversusryu Zilvia Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: cali Posts: 259 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I hope you have both wheels in the air rather than just the front right.

05-02-2008, 08:37 AM	#15
xplicit240 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Weird NJ! Age: 39 Posts: 723 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	well if both the wheels are in the air. the suspension is slouching down. try using a jack under the arm to lift it and ease pressure off the bolt. worked for me. get the other bolt and a hammer and wack, repeat process until pissed off. if that fails get the torch out. GL! __________________

05-02-2008, 09:38 AM	#16
Sileighty_85 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Misawa, Japan Posts: 6,815 Trader Rating: (8) Feedback Score: 8 reviews	I had this happen I ended up breaking the the head off so I had to drill it out, if your lucky you can drill it half way and use a punch to knock it out __________________ 後輪駆動車１番 1989 Built SR GT2871R -363whp 1998 S14 W/RB25- 250ish (For Now) 1986 SR86 - 200ish 1990 R32 GTR - 320hp Don't Buy Engines from JDM-Online http://zilvia.net/f/businesses/207457-jdm-online.html Don't Buy XS-Power or SSAC Shit

05-02-2008, 09:50 AM	#17
ziptiedae86 Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Austin Age: 40 Posts: 179 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	If you don't have a long pipe to attach to the breaker bar, use your tire iron (the cross wrench type) and attach it to the breaker bar. It should give you a foot or more of leverage.

05-02-2008, 11:45 AM	#18
projectRDM Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Atlanta Age: 50 Posts: 13,812 Trader Rating: (12) Feedback Score: 12 reviews	I've had OE bolts seize in the spindle before just like that. Take the whole spindle off and beat it out with a sledge hammer. I actually had one frozen so bad that after breaking it loose it still wouldn't slide out because I crowned the end so badly it wouldn't fit through the hole in the strut. I ended up cutting it in half afterwards. __________________ FORMERLY R240NA Learn what's really going on and protect your assets now before they're gone forever: www.paypalsucks.com

05-02-2008, 04:51 PM	#19
aNskY Nissanaholic! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NY Age: 40 Posts: 1,604 Trader Rating: (10) Feedback Score: 10 reviews	cut bolt. buy new bolt + nut. done.

05-04-2008, 08:37 AM	#21
jsasrsr Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Stationed in...Germany Age: 34 Posts: 419 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	so drilling this thing is taking hours and isnt really getting everywhere. I grinded down the top of the nut to try and split it, but thats not working.... so im stuck with a flat bolt still stuck. its amazing.... i really dont know what to do. i drill and drill and drill and drill, and no progress. ive gone through at least a dozen drill bits... now i have a circular cutter... will that help? im sooo fucked. its obviously not stuck on the threaded side. i can pry it and see it separate. but on the head side, it wont pry at all.. i wd40'd the crap out of it and still nothing.... the other thing is i could cut through the arm, but i cant really imagine how hard it would be finding another one.. help!

05-04-2008, 08:51 AM	#23
flip3d Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL Age: 36 Posts: 1,473 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	More leverage on your breaker bar. I once used the stock exhaust from my accord to get an axle nut off.

05-04-2008, 09:57 AM	#26
jsasrsr Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Stationed in...Germany Age: 34 Posts: 419 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	i guess i worded that wrong..i dont have a nut to use a breaker bar on anymore! its just flat. it completley circled off, so i ended up grinding it down. basically all i have is this bolt that looks like a nail now. i just spent another hour drilling and killing more drill bits and no luck. more hammering, no luck. more wd, no luck. heated it up, no luck..... Once again... HEEELLP! this is like a nightmare from hell!

05-04-2008, 10:12 AM	#28
rightcoastimports Zilvia Addict Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Boston Area Age: 39 Posts: 663 Trader Rating: (15) Feedback Score: 15 reviews	not on the direct problem but... to prevent your coilovers from blowing try lowering it from the adjustable mount not by the perch.. i see a lot of people blowing struts by improper use. __________________ 95 SR Zenki \| @ e_form daily - A34 Maxima \| A36 Maxima

05-04-2008, 11:46 AM	#29
jsasrsr Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Stationed in...Germany Age: 34 Posts: 419 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	i wish i had a picture... i cant find my damn camera. i cant hammer it anymore.... its just a "nail" and the other end is cut off... so hammering isnt an option... i can only drill on the nut end becuase the drill is too big to clear the head end.... i keep killin drill bits about 20 seconds in... why is that? there carbon steel! any other ideas? im thinking these options... -go out and buy some expensive ass drill bits, drill it out -take off the whole arm, which is a PITA, and take it to my shop and drill press it out, or something.. -or see what the zilvian's have to say..