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OT - Ford Thunderbird front shock replacement

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
I know that this is off - topic, but seriously this site if full of knowledge and answers. I am changing front shocks on an 86 T - bird. This is a shock with a coil spring. The lower bolt will not come out. Have the nut off and have beat on the bolt to drive it out. I guess it is all seized up. I have sprayed PB Blaster on it. Heat will ruin the steel/rubber bushing the bolt goes through. What things should I try? Thank you. andy
 
Might try a 2 jaw gear puller, put the nut back on the bolt, put the puller jaws around the shackle part and torque away. Alot of PB Blaster on the head part while you are doing this, and even rap on the jaw puller bolt with a dead blow. If this don't work and you have a air hammer, try that also.Wish you luck.
 
IIRC, the '86 T-bird was on the FOX body platform, same as the Mustang of that year. So those are McPherson struts, not shocks, on the front suspension.

According to the online parts catalog at Rock Auto, the Monroe 71716 is the correct replacement strut...and a footnote says that kit AK27 might be needed to replace the lower mounting bolt and nut. SO...apparently it's common for those bolts to get destroyed when they are removed; otherwise, such a kit wouldn't be recommended.

MY advice? First, make sure you have the bolt/nut kit on hand...then take a BFH [the "H" is for "hammer"] and a large punch and whale away on that bad boy until SOMEthing gives. Also, allow the PB Blaster some time to do its job.
 
I've used an air chisel on the bolt head with some success. Get under the head and "walk it out". A variable speed air chisel works. Kinda like chiselling wood without the hammer. Hope this helps. Gerard
 
If that T-Bird is like my old Cougar you need to support the car on jack stands. Then use your floor jack to support and lower the strut and wheel. If everything fails to loosen it I would use the torch to heat it. Hal
PS: My struts have 2 bolts on the bottom of the struts and I need to use a 3/4 socket and breakdown bar to loosen and tighten the nuts.
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