½cwt Posted April 22, 2020 Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 OK, I've got most critical bolts undone to change my front springs after a spring breakage. I have got to a position where I con lower the upright and hub to get the assembly outside the wheel arches but I have not split the bottom ball joints yet and would like to avoid this as I'd need to get a pickle fork joint splitter that I don't currently have. I have 2 problems though:- First is driver's side drop link won't come out of upright. Not a big issue as I've disconnected it at the ARB end and the joints are OK so it doesn't not have to come out, but I've read the only way to remove is by cutting off the ball joint and getting a 17mm impact wrench on the remaining stud. Do these ever shear leaving the rod tapped in the upright and no way to refit a drop link? However as the aluminium/steel galvanic corrosion expands I'm guessing there is still a lot of force required. Impacts to the other end have made no difference at all, other than shaking lose and lose rust on the hub/damper assembly. Does heat help, if so how much and where? As I said, it doesn't have to come out for this rebuild but would be good to know. Second is, despite over a week treating with Plus Gas daily and getting hold of a 400Nm impact wrench, the top nuts do not want to release on the shock rods. I initially tried a 7mm Allen key in the rod and 21mm spanner on the nut but was fearful the 7mm hex was on the verge of rounding out. The impact wrench then hammered lots and eventually started turning the rod in the damper. Is it practical to grip the damper rod somewhere near the top under the top mount or is heat the next option? I have new top mounts so heat damage to rubber is not so much of a concern. If I can get these off I can at least change the parts I have and get it all back together. I'm also guessing the car had some work done on the left front at some time as the coffin arm ball joint pin nut and the drop link only put up a relatively small fight compared to the right. Advice is welcomed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detail1 Posted April 22, 2020 Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 The drop links are notoriously difficult to break free, it's well documented on the forum. Quite a few have had success budging them with an impact driver. I know it took me 6-8 hours to budge just one side on mine, tried heat, force etc.. had my Porsche indy do the other side and still took several hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 3 minutes ago, detail1 said: The drop links are notoriously difficult to break free, it's well documented on the forum. Quite a few have had success budging them with an impact driver. I know it took me 6-8 hours to budge just one side on mine, tried heat, force etc.. had my Porsche indy do the other side and still took several hours. Think the drop link might stay in place for now then. I'll make sure I put some decent assembly compound on the left side one when it goes back together. Unbelievably bad for German engineering. Looks like the hub casting should have had a steel bush insert in it, or at least top hat inserts as either end for the drop links. Just hope I never have to get a shock out of the casting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detail1 Posted April 22, 2020 Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 1 hour ago, ½cwt said: Think the drop link might stay in place for now then. I'll make sure I put some decent assembly compound on the left side one when it goes back together. Unbelievably bad for German engineering. Looks like the hub casting should have had a steel bush insert in it, or at least top hat inserts as either end for the drop links. Just hope I never have to get a shock out of the casting.... Agree on the bad engineering side for the drop links, changed them on many cars over the years and typically an hour job for all 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sa utah Posted April 22, 2020 Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 Does you car still have it’s original dampers ? If it does you may as well for new ones along with new top mounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 4 hours ago, sa utah said: Does you car still have it’s original dampers ? If it does you may as well for new ones along with new top mounts. And getting the old damper out of the upright casting??? Ideally yes, new dampers, however budget does not permit currently as even the springs were a necessity not planned due to finding a broken one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2020 5 hours ago, detail1 said: Agree on the bad engineering side for the drop links, changed them on many cars over the years and typically an hour job for all 4. 2 rear ones on an original Impreza took me about 15 minutes IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GmanB Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 That sounds horrible, guessing I was lucky for 2 hours labour when I had all four changed last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 Did you try the strut nut whilst it was still in compression and on the car? I have seen mole grips or evidence of at the extreme top of the dampers, to stop it spinning, which should then allow you to remove spring and top mount, you only need to split the ball joint if you are going to remove the hub, correct pickling fork will destroy the boot, but a splitter should not. Go down that route pull the hub and will give you better access to swing at the drop link or cut/drill it out, in my opinion you may aswell it's going to need replacing at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 26 minutes ago, bally4563 said: Did you try the strut nut whilst it was still in compression and on the car? I have seen mole grips or evidence of at the extreme top of the dampers, to stop it spinning, which should then allow you to remove spring and top mount, you only need to split the ball joint if you are going to remove the hub, correct pickling fork will destroy the boot, but a splitter should not. Go down that route pull the hub and will give you better access to swing at the drop link or cut/drill it out, in my opinion you may aswell it's going to need replacing at some point. I can put weight on the strut by jacking under the bottom ball joint, but I suspect mole grips or plumber's wrench are going to come into play, so thanks for that. I'm trying avoid splitting the bottom joint, the splitter I do have has too small a throat on it to get over the coffin arm. I guess I need scissor type if a pickle fork with make the coffin arm u/s? If I do split the joint I could then get the upright over to my neighbour's workshop (press, acetylene torch and other goodies) to work on the drop link, but with the other issues I'm feeling like kicking that can down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 14 minutes ago, ½cwt said: I can put weight on the strut by jacking under the bottom ball joint, but I suspect mole grips or plumber's wrench are going to come into play, so thanks for that. I'm trying avoid splitting the bottom joint, the splitter I do have has too small a throat on it to get over the coffin arm. I guess I need scissor type if a pickle fork with make the coffin arm u/s? If I do split the joint I could then get the upright over to my neighbour's workshop (press, acetylene torch and other goodies) to work on the drop link, but with the other issues I'm feeling like kicking that can down the road. I have a brand new wishbone you can have cheap, bought in error different on a 987, the pickling fork will do the job but rag the boot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraintthomas Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 You can get the droplinks off by cutting off the end and, where you normally put a spanner on the hex area, you can now put a breaker bar, as there's now nothing in the way. Be warned. If you slip with the breaker bar and you round that nut, then it's game over. New strut, new hub, new wheel bearing, etc. Ask me how I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bally4563 Posted April 23, 2020 Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 17 minutes ago, geraintthomas said: You can get the droplinks off by cutting off the end and, where you normally put a spanner on the hex area, you can now put a breaker bar, as there's now nothing in the way. Be warned. If you slip with the breaker bar and you round that nut, then it's game over. New strut, new hub, new wheel bearing, etc. Ask me how I know. What you can do with the hub on the floor where the cut out is on the back for clamping is to cut sections out and drive through, this allowed me to get one half out the end with the ball joint was the solid bit, so drilled that out, but the beauty with being able to remove at least half of it was less drilling and a guide for the drill bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 1 hour ago, geraintthomas said: You can get the droplinks off by cutting off the end and, where you normally put a spanner on the hex area, you can now put a breaker bar, as there's now nothing in the way. Be warned. If you slip with the breaker bar and you round that nut, then it's game over. New strut, new hub, new wheel bearing, etc. Ask me how I know. Don't think I need to ask...☹️ and that is my fear too. Hence why whilst I can side step this issue with the link currently being OK I will. As I can find casting with hub per this listing at a budget price, it might be a way forward in future if I go for new shocks and get salvage left and right hubs. Some might not think this is 'right' but they will at least reflect the age and mileage of the car (2000 with 96kmiles) and be an order of magnitude less to buy.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-Boxster-986-Front-Upright-Hub-Assembly-Front-Right-99634165811-OSF/283844191560?hash=item42166ea548:g:U2UAAOSwqUleTA2a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2020 56 minutes ago, bally4563 said: What you can do with the hub on the floor where the cut out is on the back for clamping is to cut sections out and drive through, this allowed me to get one half out the end with the ball joint was the solid bit, so drilled that out, but the beauty with being able to remove at least half of it was less drilling and a guide for the drill bit Good advice, Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninesomething Posted April 24, 2020 Report Share Posted April 24, 2020 There's some aerosol stuff called shock and unlock in Halfords. Don't know what's in the can but it comes out really cold. I've used it and had some success. Might be worth a go for a couple of quid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2020 11 minutes ago, JonSta said: There's some aerosol stuff called shock and unlock in Halfords. Don't know what's in the can but it comes out really cold. I've used it and had some success. Might be worth a go for a couple of quid. Must check my aerosols shelf, I think I've got some freeze/release spray now you mention it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John2000 Posted April 24, 2020 Report Share Posted April 24, 2020 Good luck with the work mate. I took the cowardly way out a drove a two hundred miles trip to Revolution to get all this work done and a lot more. I was quoted a price but warned it may cost twice as much because they are a bugger to remove as you have found out. I dropped it off early one morning booked an hotel and they managed to complete the work by 6 o'clock the following night having worked the first night till 9 o'clock at night. I call in on them the first night to see how it was going and all I could hear was almighty banging going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 On 4/24/2020 at 12:50 PM, JonSta said: There's some aerosol stuff called shock and unlock in Halfords. Don't know what's in the can but it comes out really cold. I've used it and had some success. Might be worth a go for a couple of quid. Found some freeze release and so with Mole grips in one hand on the top of the piston, a goods soak with freeze release and a good impact wrench on the nut in the other hand, the top nut JUST came off!!!! Top mount bearings have been dismantled, cleaned re-greased and are ready for reassembly with new top mounts, new bump stops and new springs. I will cross the drop link bridge in the future if I have to but I suspect that when it comes it will be two salvage uprights complete with hub assemblies, new dampers and new drop links when it comes round. Thanks to all for tips and support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TROOPER88 Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Glad you have done the strut top nut. They can be a real pain, make sure though that in the future you do use an impact socket on the gun and not a normal socket. Last week I was forced to cut the strut piston on one to get the spring off. With regard the drop link - lay it on the floor and have your impact wrench spinning the nut on the one side and have a hammer hit the other side at the same time and it will come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 5 hours ago, TROOPER88 said: Glad you have done the strut top nut. They can be a real pain, make sure though that in the future you do use an impact socket on the gun and not a normal socket. Last week I was forced to cut the strut piston on one to get the spring off. With regard the drop link - lay it on the floor and have your impact wrench spinning the nut on the one side and have a hammer hit the other side at the same time and it will come out. I was using a deep impact socket. It was a challenge was getting the correct torque when I was reassembling the struts. I have left the drop link as whilst it is old, it has not failed. All reassembled now, so I can start the job I was planning to do over Easter when I found the broken spring, which is repainting the calipers and replacing a couple of brake lines.... I almost SORN'd the car at the end of March, wishing I had now as it will have been out of action for over a month by the time I'm done. First job when we can do more than essential journeys will be to get it tracked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninesomething Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 22 hours ago, ½cwt said: Found some freeze release and so with Mole grips in one hand on the top of the piston, a goods soak with freeze release and a good impact wrench on the nut in the other hand, the top nut JUST came off!!!! Top mount bearings have been dismantled, cleaned re-greased and are ready for reassembly with new top mounts, new bump stops and new springs. I will cross the drop link bridge in the future if I have to but I suspect that when it comes it will be two salvage uprights complete with hub assemblies, new dampers and new drop links when it comes round. Thanks to all for tips and support. Awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John2000 Posted April 30, 2020 Report Share Posted April 30, 2020 Well done Chris you must have felt a great deal of satisfaction on a job well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted May 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 8 hours ago, John2000 said: Well done Chris you must have felt a great deal of satisfaction on a job well done Thanks John. More work than I planned but at least it was while we can't go anywhere so I'm not missing out on much. In fact if anything it has given me things to do. On to the job I planned now, painting the calipers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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