Help! part needed urgently!

[Mike Stevens]

Hi Gavin,
I hope you get it all sorted OK.  Yes, the bolts do get rusted in, but in my experience, it\'s usually the bolt that goes through the the suspension cross member and track control arm bush that gets stuck in the bush!  A bit of heat on the one you have may help, but there\'s a big ball joint near there that may not like that much.
I too cannot see any reason why you shouldn\'t weld up a drag strut.  I have in the past and then fitted strengthening plates.  Prep-it out first, weld up and then grind back to fit the strengthening plates.  As I understand it, the main reason for them fracturing is the added load of an anti-roll bar.  Do you have one on the car?  The broken drag struts that I\'ve (nearly) always seen are the ones with the ARB link with the fracture at that point.
I\'m sure I have some spares, but as usual I\'m too late and too far away!
Cheers,
Mike.
<edited><editID>Mike Stevens</editID><editDate>39489.5475578704</editDate></edited>

[Umquat]

Firstly problem sorted on the strut front.... After a session in the 3 tonne press where it didn\'t move, the machine shop drilled it out.<br><br>Incidentally what I was saying about the \'trailer full of suspension parts\' at Spring Grange Classics - most of the track control arms there had been welded up at some stage in their lives. Mine was one of very few -&nbsp; and also the only one separated from the wishbone that wasn\'t. Seems like a common failure point, whether it be on a 2000 - 2500 or a Stag. Oh and no my car isn\'t fitted with an anti roll bar, but of course all (as far as I am aware) Stags are.<br><br>Regards<br><br>Gavin<br>
<edited><editID>Umquat</editID><editDate>39489.582650463</editDate></edited>

[Umquat]

Can anyone help me with torque figures.. The Haynes lists a shed load for the front suspension, but unfortunately doesnt seem to use the same terminology in the torque list as it does in the assembly instructions.<br><br>I\'m after torque figures for as many of these as possible<br><br>3 nuts that hold the top of the strut to the inner wing<br><br>large castle nut that holds the whole strut together (on the top of the shock)<br><br>4 bolts that hold the bottom of the strut to the hub<br><br>nut and bolt that hold the wishbone to the chassis cross member<br><br>nut holding the ball joint at the end of the wishbone to the hub<br><br>nut holding the track rod end ball joint to the hub steering linkage<br><br>Thanks in advance <br><br>Update.... now have the front offside reassembled, with new spring, rubbers, and poly bushes. Just the other side to do once I\'ve sourced new nuts and bolts to hold the drag strut to the wishbone.<br><br>Regards<br><br>Gavin<br>
<edited><editID>Umquat</editID><editDate>39489.8401157407</editDate></edited>

[Alan Chatterton]

3 nuts that hold the top of the strut to the inner wing 16-18 ft/lb

large castle nut that holds the whole strut together (on the top of the shock)&nbsp; No torque setting avail, but i would guess about 50 ft/lb ish

4 bolts that hold the bottom of the strut to the hub 2 Bolts through caliper&nbsp; 55-60 lb/ft, 2 bolts not through caliper 28 - 30 ft/lb

nut and bolt that hold the wishbone to the chassis cross member 65 - 70 ft/lb

nut holding the ball joint at the end of the wishbone to the hub 40 - 45 ft/lb

nut holding the track rod end ball joint to the hub steering linkage 55 - 60ft/lb
God bless the Leyland workshop manual!!
No listing for the strut top nut, but I just do them up tight......
To be honest, I don\'t torque these bolts up, I just get them tight, but if a jobs worth doing............
Good luck with it!
&nbsp;

[Umquat]

Okay next problem... exactly how am I supposed to remove a nyloc from the top of the suspension strut? I\'ve tried undoing it on the car, off the car with spring compressors fitted to take of the pressure. Holding the upper spring plate with grips, in a (admittedly fairly weedy) vice. And to no avail. All that happens is that the strut just rotates. The other side was fine as it was fitted with the original castle nut, but this just refuse to budge. <br><br>Any thoughts, or do I just leave that side for now. I wanted to do it as it would be nice to have four new springs fitted instead of 3, but also that the upper and lower spring seating rubbers are shot to bits. the lower has all but fallen out during my struggles (what was left of it)<br><br>Regards<br><br>Gavin<br>

[Alec]

Hello gavin, <br><br>it depends on what insert is fitted but there is normally some way of holding the strut rod while undoing the nut. (e.g. two flats on the threaded end of the strut.)<br>Failing that I would use a cutting disc to slot the top of the strut rod so that a large screwdriver could be used to stop it turning. This would mean getting a new nyloc as that would be destroyed.<br><br>Alec<br><br>

[Umquat]

The top of the strut has two flats, but there only about 3mm to get hold of... Anyway for the time being I\'ve put it back on the car, and managed to fit the upper and lower spring isolators by tightening the spring clamps right up, then sliding them into place. <br><br>The car is back on the road thankfully, although I now have a inch wide hole from under the wing into the footwell just beyone the a pillar after i got a little over enthusiastic with a prodding stick. This area needs welding on the inside anyway on both sides. its odd the outside of the sill is rock solid... indeed they\'ve both been replaced and yet at the base of the A pillars the bottom 10mm to the floor and to a certain extent the metal above the&nbsp; chassis outriggers is frilly.. The outriggers however are sound. I will need to get this welded up before the MOT, which is looming large in about 2 months time.<br><br>I\'ll have to try you suggestion out at some point but for now the car is riding more squarely and the steering is significantly improved.<br><br>Thanks for the advice<br><br>Regards<br><br>Gavin<br>

[Richard B]

The very early MkI 2000 had a bush to accomodate movement between the Track Control Arm and the Drag Strut.
I think the cars with front A/R bars suffer more stress in this area.