Strut + RB spacer install HELP!!!

[gotDIRT??]

Hello all,

i am in the middle on installing the RB spacer kit, shocks, springs etc... I am having difficulties with the rear struts. I loosened them from the top, took the bottom bolt out and nothing...

It seems the lower portion of the shock sits in a cavity in the lower control arm and i cannot push it down or pull it out from the top...Yeah i used a hammer, crowbar etc... Is there a trick to this?? or do i need a bigger hammer??? lol...

Can i get some help please??? Then how do i go about getting the rear spacer in..

I know there's a ton of people here with RB spacers...Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[TFCeddieB]

Hello all,

i am in the middle on installing the RB spacer kit, shocks, springs etc... I am having difficulties with the rear struts. I loosened them from the top, took the bottom bolt out and nothing...

It seems the lower portion of the shock sits in a cavity in the lower control arm and i cannot push it down or pull it out from the top...Yeah i used a hammer, crowbar etc... Is there a trick to this?? or do i need a bigger hammer??? lol...

Can i get some help please??? Then how do i go about getting the rear spacer in..

I know there's a ton of people here with RB spacers...Thanks in advance!!!!

There's a little tab on the lower swingarm (in the little cavity you're talking about) that keeps the shock from going through. We used an air powered grinding wheel and ground off the tab, so the lower part of the strut could go right through.

 

[gotDIRT??]

There's a little tab on the lower swingarm (in the little cavity you're talking about) that keeps the shock from going through. We used an air powered grinding wheel and ground off the tab, so the lower part of the strut could go right through.

Hey TFCeddieB thanks for the input, so you grind that whole thing off? Then the strut dropped??

That's a tight spot for a grinding wheel....

 

[TFCeddieB]

Hey TFCeddieB thanks for the input, so you grind that whole thing off? Then the strut dropped??

That's a tight spot for a grinding wheel....

"Whole Thing?" the tab of which I speak was not that big... it actually was stamped into the metal when it was made, as you can see... behind the tab was actually an indentation. I guess the tab was probably like 3mm wide by 6-8 mm long. And the tab was about 2mm high. It's just enough to keep the lower part of the strut fromg going through. If that sounds like what you're looking at, than yep - Thats what I ground off. And yea, u gotta use a small wheel or a dremmel. After everything was done, i threw some black rust proof paint on there to cover the bare metal.

Good Luck!

 

[gotDIRT??]

"Whole Thing?" the tab of which I speak was not that big... it actually was stamped into the metal when it was made, as you can see... behind the tab was actually an indentation. I guess the tab was probably like 3mm wide by 6-8 mm long. And the tab was about 2mm high. It's just enough to keep the lower part of the strut fromg going through. If that sounds like what you're looking at, than yep - Thats what I ground off. And yea, u gotta use a small wheel or a dremmel. After everything was done, i threw some black rust proof paint on there to cover the bare metal.

Good Luck!

Yeah sorry i didn't mean to sound like it was a huge plate... In mine right where the bolt goes through on the bottom control arm... there was a u shape piece of metal on both sides where the strut rested..

At least as if it was there for the strut to rest.. I will have to take a closer look at it... but am i describing the same piece??

Man i wish i had taken a picture before putting everything back in...

 

[TFCeddieB]

Yeah sorry i didn't mean to sound like it was a huge plate... In mine right where the bolt goes through on the bottom control arm... there was a u shape piece of metal on both sides where the strut rested..

At least as if it was there for the strut to rest.. I will have to take a closer look at it... but am i describing the same piece??

Man i wish i had taken a picture before putting everything back in...

Ok, I just went out and looked. I had a tab on each side. Actually, 2 on each side. And they are little circle punches... not oval. But yea, they're on there so the strut won't go all the way through the hole. And I ground off the tabs on one side so it would go through... easier for installation.

 

[gotDIRT??]

Ok, I just went out and looked. I had a tab on each side. Actually, 2 on each side. And they are little circle punches... not oval. But yea, they're on there so the strut won't go all the way through the hole. And I ground off the tabs on one side so it would go through... easier for installation.

Thank you so much i was going to try to take a picture when i get home...but you nailed it... that little circle thing...

I wish i knew that last night when i was fighting with it... That makes a lot more sense now... i mean it wouldn't go down so how the heck are you supposed to pull it out????

Even without the spacer you can't get the strut out...Thanks for the tip...

 

[TFCeddieB]

Thank you so much i was going to try to take a picture when i get home...but you nailed it... that little circle thing...

I wish i knew that last night when i was fighting with it... That makes a lot more sense now... i mean it wouldn't go down so how the heck are you supposed to pull it out????

Even without the spacer you can't get the strut out...Thanks for the tip...

No problem man, glad to be of help. This site is great for this kind of stuff!

 

[gotDIRT??]

No problem man, glad to be of help. This site is great for this kind of stuff!

Oh you saved a couple hours of hammering and swearing.... lol...

I was about to start cutting the protrusions on the shock to get it to slide through.. Then i realized the parts store gave me the wrong set of springs... that's when i called it a night...

I figured someone here would have an easier solution, now i can't wait to finish it...thanks again...

 

[JCUZ]

Glad you found a solution, but the correct way is to also undo the lower control arm stabiliser bar thing (it's a balljoint at the back of the lower control arm). You then get enough movement to push the control arm down, pull the strut down from the top and then pull it up out of the control arm. But, whatever works will do, I guess.

 

[gotDIRT??]

Glad you found a solution, but the correct way is to also undo the lower control arm stabiliser bar thing (it's a balljoint at the back of the lower control arm). You then get enough movement to push the control arm down, pull the strut down from the top and then pull it up out of the control arm. But, whatever works will do, I guess.

Hey JCUZ is that how you got yours out?? by removing that tie rod looking thing from the back does the control arm move down far enough??

You have spacers on yours how big on the rear??

For now i have the two front ones in and the back is at stock height.. I am replacing the coils as well and they got me the wrong set so i am waiting for parts at the moment driving around a baja racing looking X...

 

[86EXPLORER86]

haha i can relate to this so much haha i was like what the ... when i had taken all the bolts off then i to saw the taps and grind grinded it right off

 

[gotDIRT??]

haha i can relate to this so much haha i was like what the ... when i had taken all the bolts off then i to saw the taps and grind grinded it right off

Yeah i was ready to cut it off my buddy was like its there for a reason... about 15 minutes into the debate we realized we had the wrong parts anyway so had to put everything back...

It will save a lot of time next time around though.... Thanks to everybody for all the tips!!!!

Also has anybody else changed the rear springs???? I am having a hell of a time trying to find them at a parts store.... They sold me a set and they look exactly like the fronts...