The Bentley manual makes it sound like you just disconnect all the stuff from the strut and then the strut just falls right out. But mine will not come out.

Per the Bentley manual I...

1) Undid the brake and ABS lines from the strut.
2) Loosened the Knuckle pinch bolt. It's very lose with lots of play.
3) Disconnected the sway bar end links.
4) Undid the steering tie rod end nut that attaches to the lower arm. (This may be part of my problem as it does not seem to come off, despite that there is no nut to hold it on the arm anymore. Is this a ball joint that needs to be pulled?)


I've tried a pry bar to spread the knuckle pinch arms.
I've tried the pry bar between the lower arm and the brake line bracket. This was semi successful, as it moved the strut up about 1 cm in its seat. But I had to give up on that as I was bending the bracket.
I've tried to jack something up under the strut, but this was not working as you have to come up under it at an angle. And instead of pushing the strut up, it just pushed the jack sideways.
I've tried undoing the 3 top mount nuts in the engine bay, thinking that if I could move the thing around, I could wiggle or twist it out. But it will not budge.
I've tried hitting the lower arm down with a mallet.

There has to be some trick to this, right? What is the best way to get the strut out of the knuckle? I've run out of ideas and foul language to try on it.

Thanks!

 

Did you loosen the pinch bolt or take out completely? It needs to be removed completely. The bolt passes thru a loop on the strut housing holding in location at least on the R53 it does.

 

Hi Ak,

I used instructions from another Mini website that I cannot copy to this site.

But what I had to do when I installed my Koni FSD struts was to take a piece of 2x4 and a floor jack and use it to compress the strut and spring. I only needed to compress it about an inch or so, but it wouldn't come out any other way. Once I had it compressed, I was able to slide the base of the strut out.

I had soaked everything with PB Blaster penetrating oil to help loosen things up. I also used a Ball Joint Separator to break loose the tie rod ends.

Yes, remove the pinch bolt, don't just loosen it.

Hope this helps

Also sent PM.

 

Hammer

 

Fixed that for ya!

 

I found I had to turn the hub to full stop in the opposite direction of the side I was working on to get it to come out. I had more problems getting it back in.

I'd be interested in hearing some tricks.

 

I think all major tips have been given already. You do not need to disconnect the tie rod from the steering knuckle. Use PB blaster between the mating surfaces. Let it sit for a while. Use a piece of wood under the spring perch and jack the strut up with a floor jack about 3-4 inches, and use a 3lb hammer to knock the knuckle loose from the strut.

I know we all joke about using a hammer, but it is such a useful tool. Use it to bang on wrenches when removing stubborn bolts/nuts (Polish impact wrench), separate ball joints, separate tie rod ends, remove stubborn brake drums, intimidate enemies...etc. It's a wonderful tool LOL!

 

We ended up standing on arm and using blunt force to it with a mini sledge (controlled blunt force). PB blaster is a good idea around the strut base. Put something under the arm/hub as it will drop when it finally falls out.

 

Countryboy has it.

 

So when you did this, I'm assuming you disconnected the 3 top mounting nuts so that the strut is free on top, right?

I did try jacking something up under the spring perch, but I could not seem to come up straigt under it. I could only get at it from an angle due to the lower arm beneath. With it at a slight angle, the jack would just roll away to the side instead of pushing up. But I will give it another shot

Thanks for the tips all! I've got a few things to try this coming weekend.

I've done suspensions on other cars before (multiple Hondas and my Evo IX), but i've never seen one with a strut seat in the knuckle like this.

 

Did you try banging on the arm/hub assembly with a large screwdriver wedged into the strut pinch opening? Get a thick screw driver, hammer it into the opening, then smack the arm with the hammer/mallet HARD while someone else is standing ontop of it.. leave the top of the strut bolted in.. again, have something soft and supporting the underside of the hub so you don't hyperextend it.

I'm assuming the btm of the strut is seized against the seat... how many miles do you have?

 

I've done it with the three strut nuts still tight with the floor jack method. My strut-to-knuckle union only took some persuasion with my two hands and not a hammer. You don't need to beat the life out of the knuckle. Firm taps around the circumference of where the strut meets the knuckle is all you need. The impact force is what breaks the corrosion loose. If you need to hit a bit harder, that's why using wood underneath the spring perch will absorb some of the initial impact that might cause the perch to bend a little. You'd really have to hit the knuckle with the strength of Thor to do that though.

 

I like this "wedge" idea. I will give that a try too. Thanks!


The original owner of my car had Koni Sports on it just two years ago. He swapped the factory struts back in before he sold it to me, and now only about 7,000 miles later, I am trying to put his old Konis back in with new JCW springs over them.

 

^^as others mentioned in earlier posts...about the PB Blaster, ...are you using that to spay/soak in there?

...if not, its gonna be more difficult than need be.

spray lots of it! spray it while simultaneously hammer/mallet

 

I will repeat a couple of things that others said, just to be clear. The pinch bolt must be removed completely. There is a bracket on the strut that the bolt passes through. If you got the strut to move with the bolt still in place, this bracket must be damaged and may be making it more difficult to remove.

I had better luck using a piece of brass (or good wood) and knocking the knuckle off of the strut. Alternating front to back will help it move out evenly.

With only 7k miles since the swap, it was likely just the bolt holding you up. I didn't have to spread the casting or anything on mine.

Good luck and have fun. Are you sure that the JCW springs are the ride height you like?

Mike

 

I'm an idiot. It was the pinch bolt the whole time. As several of you pointed out, it has to come all the way out. The other side of the car basically just fell apart after all was disconnected.

It was a bit of a struggle to get the new shocks in as they are Koni double adjustables. And the bump adjuster is on the bottom of the strut, increasing the overall length of the strut and increasing the amount of muscling and swearing required to re-insert it. But I got it back together and ran my 1st autoX event on the new suspension the next day.

 

Sounds like you got it already But I was going to tell you the oilfield way. If a big hammer does not work get a bigger hammer.

 

Mine was a real PITA

 

Just use a 1/4 ratchet and turn it and it should split the knuckle and stay there until you take the strut out