stripping front suspension. two problems to solve

[andyj007]

Hi.
elan sprint , started to strip my front suspension..
stumped me a bit..
two pictures one of each side..
on one im struggling with a locked top nut thats rounded on the shock tube.. im fitting new shocks, so is it important i keep the originals .. if they are that?
also the top wishbone arm will not come off from its locating threaded bar.. not enough clearance it appears between the chassis..
on the other o got the shock off after a struggle it must be said , top nut again.. but one side of the top arm it appears the bush is locked solid on the locating bar, twisting this just and just twists on the rubber bush.. the opposite arm has the same problem with it clashing with the body so it appears limited clearance to remove it..

any body with any suggestions would be most grateful..

Aj

[Bigbaldybloke]

If the shocks are bad enough to need replacing, they are not really worth keeping, as far as I am aware they are not rebuildable. To get the top nut off a nut splitter if you have one should do it, the type that forces a vee shaped cutter into the side of the nut and splits it. This shouldn’t damage the thread on the shock, the alternative is a cutting disc on a small grinder and just cut through the nuts and shaft.
As for the bushes, if the rubber is sheared you need to get the arms off somehow, maybe careful use of heat to melt out the rubber so you can get the arm off and get to the inner steel bush? Not ideal on a fibreglass car that’s for sure but if you have already soaked them in penetrating fluid and the won’t move you don’t have too many options unless others know otherwise?
With the arm off it should be possible to carefully grind through the inner steel bush enough to be able to split it and get it off

Good luck, hopefully it goes easily but I suspect you’ll have to fight it all the way.

[mbell]

Can't really with any more advise but I hope you have more support than a single jack I can see under the car. I would not want to be trying to wrestle the arms free with just a single jack under the car.

[andyj007]

Thanks,,
as the shocks are not worth keeping then , the dremel will be over that, and if it damages the top thread then so be it.. i dont think they re in bad condition but ive got new ones to fit.. i may look at nut splitter,, not got one of those in the tool box... any excuse as they say for more tools

re the arms i did think the releasing the rubber by heat / melt with a plumbers matt behind to protect may get it loose
then fathom out hoe the metal insert has fused itself to the pivot bolt..
my biggest issues is that there will still not be enough clearance to slide that arm off the end of the pivolt bolt it clashes with the body (inner arch) one side has more clearance but they both hit..
is teh bolt supposed to slide back and forth in the tube it passes through the shock mount.. this would allow clearance to remove the arm.. ?

[Bigbaldybloke]

On a Lotus chassis the spindles are welded in, on a Spyder replacement chassis they are loose in a tube and can be slid out completely. I suspect you may have to grind out a bit of fibreglass to get sufficient room. The body is usually dropped onto a fully built chassis so access to fit or remove in situ is not tested.

[andyj007]

I feared that.. i may even have to make a hole ..