2002 SE Strut replacement Q's
 

Hey guys I am replacing my 2 front struts and have run into some problems. I have everything detatched, tie-rod, brakes, wheel speed sensor and sway bar link. I brought up the tab on the back of the strut and it will not move up and down, only side to side. Do I need to remove the ball joint? Or is there another way to get it out of there? There seems to be a tab on top of the ball joint inbetween it and the knuckle will that prevent it from coming out? Thanks for the help.

Um...

I may be missing something here, but it seems you did a LOT of extra work without hitting the key area, the bolt that holds the strut in the knuckle.

The bolt passes through a notch in the tab, so it has to be removed completely.

That and the sway bar link is all that attaches to the strut at the bottom....

luck!

Lol yeah I got that out! That's why it doesn't make much sense that it's not coming out. Is it just frozen there?

Oh yeah, it is for sure!

A LOT of penetrant, around the top & in that slot by the tab, wiggle & jiggle....

bash the knuckle downwards....

drive a screwdriver or similar wedge into the slot below the tab if you can to spread it a little...

If it's a REAL PITA, just put it back together & wait a week for the penetrant to help, squirting more on as possible....

A pry bar of some sort to tension the suspension downwards helps, since the bushings try to keep the arm up when it's at full extension downwards.

That kinda negates the bashing you're doing on the knuckle to move it downwards.

I got it done doing both at once when I pulled the old ones to install my SVT suspension....

Luck!

Those pinch bolts were a bit frozen as well on mine, even though there wasn't much rust evident on the outside salt water must collect nicely in that strut socket of the knuckle....

Best way IMO.
It's always worked for me.

that would probably just snap the tip off of the screwdriver.

When my strut was seized in the knuckle, this was the only trick that worked:

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...=118282&page=2

^ though a novel approach, that method can damage the treads of the bolt by mushrooming the tip. Then you have to buy a new bolt.

A wedge type tool is the best option.

^nah, it's a grade 8 bolt. If that's all it took to mushroom a suspension bolt, then we're all in trouble.