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In this clip, we're going to talk about the proper service procedure for removing and
replacing a front strut on a front-wheel drive vehicle. In this step, we're going to talk
about the proper service procedure for removing our strut mounting bolts. The strut mounting
bolts are going to made of a hardened grade A steel and are generally self-locking and
have been exposed to the weather the entire time the car has been around. They may be
seized and they may be pretty tough to get off. I'm going to take my 17 millimeters socket
and my half-inch drive ratchet and give it a shot here. I also have a 17 millimeter wrench
just in case its super seized and the bolt wants to turn. What I'm going to do is slip
that on the other end and go ahead and give her a try. As you can hear the corrosion breaking
the free, the bolt is complaining a little bit about me taking it out.
Now, your bolt may be seized inside the hole that it goes through on the spindle. You maybe
have to take and tap it through with a hammer. I'll demonstrate that now for you. What you're
going to want to do is run the nut out pass the threads on the end of the bolt. And from
there, take your socket and reinstall it on the nut like so. What that will do is give
you a striking surface you can hit with your hammer and not damage the threads on either
the nut or the bolt. Just like so. You're going to go ahead and repeat that process
if necessary to get your bolt out. You may also have to ratchet the bolt out. You can
use the threads as a drive screw against the corrosion and turn that bolt counterclockwise
and it will work its way out. I've never had to use heat on one before so just with the
right methodology and a little bit of patience, you'll be able to get the bolt out. When tapping
on the end of the bolt if you have to, be very gentle. I'm going to go ahead and ratchet
this one out. I'm going to put outward pressure with my hand on the shoulder of the bolt and
continue turning it. And what we're doing is using the threads to actually push against
the corrosion to get the bolt out. There you go. You're going to want to put this in your
magnetic tray for later re-installation. Your new strut will not come with new mounting
bolts. Go ahead and get the lower one. I'm going to use my cheater pipe for this one.
Take care with your cheater pipe not to run it into the fender because that will damage
your paint job. Right, should be able to get that pan mount and there we go. I'm going
to take my socket and slip it over the nut and go ahead and tap out the lower bolt. Right,
and again I'm going to take and ratchet out the lower bolt. Alright, I'm going to set
this one aside for later re-installation and go ahead and begin extracting that bolt. You
may need to use a large extension to get passed your caliper and brake hoses and things of
that nature. Slip right in there and like I said, go ahead and use outward pressure
on it to screw that bolt out. You may also take a punch and punch it through. And there
you go. That is the proper service procedure for removing your strut mounting bolts.