5100 install nightmare

Of all the things to give me grief, the stupid strut mount bolts/nuts were unbelievably difficult to remove. I got two off by actually turning them and then I had to cut two of them. Using a Sawzall to cut those damn bolts off was incredibly difficult. Not a fan of this design. They should be covered rather than exposed to all the water and salt being flung up by the wheel. This is my first truck so I'm used to the strut mount bolts being under the hood.

I spent about 6 hours working on this and I only got one of my struts installed. Passenger side front. I also had to cut the the top of the strut off after I compressed the spring at the mount in order to get it off because the nut was completely frozen. What a nightmare.

I'm no master mechanic but I've done my fair share of struts on various cars and this one really kicked my ass. I'm going to go back to it when my wife gets back from work. Had anyone else had difficulty with those? Everything else when pretty smoothly. I'm really hoping the other side isn't so shitty. Saving the rear for last as I know that will be easiest.

You can see in the pic the two I had to cut off. The one in front was easy to cut but that one on the back was unreal.

 

Yeah, about that. I had to torch mine off.

 

This. My fronts were no problem. The rears I used a cutting wheel on a grinder and a chisel.

 

I did try torching those strut mount nuts and it did nothing. It's crazy, I was able to break them free initially but when they came about half way off, they stopped moving easily and I ended up stripping the splines on the bolts where they mount inside the strut mount. I was honestly shocked (no pun intended) that it happened.

Which bolts were giving you grief on the rear shocks?

 

I've never used Kroil but I did spray the hell out of everything with PB Blaster and it didn't to jack shit.

 

Top.

And yeah, Kroil is some good shit. PB Blaster works too. I didn't think the rear shocks were gonna give me problems, as they didn't look bad, so I never sprayed any penetrating oil. If I did, I do it a day before and let that shit soak overnight

 

The stud on top of the OEM shock. It wasn't a deal breaker, just took a while longer on the first one. Mainly to gather tools I didn't think I'd need. I did plan on using an air impact to remove the lower through bolts. Right call.

 

I just finished attacking the driver side and the end link bolt is giving me grief. Where the end link attaches to the LCA, the nut that is welded inside the damn control arm snapped off. I was able to get a wrench on it and get the nut off but now the bolt is just spinning loose and I can't get the miserable bastard to come out. I will come out on top but this truck is kicking my ass.

I think I'm going to try putting the wheels back on and putting it on the ground to see if it takes some of the tension off the bolt so I can get it out. I'm sort of wishing that I just paid a shop to do this.

Luckily, I was able to get the strut mount nuts off. On the driver side, you can access the two rear nuts from the engine compartment. So I just put a long extension and adapter on my impact gun and tightened and listened, tightened and loosened until it came off. Then I just cut the two front ones off.

I'll have to get back after it tomorrow but time will be limited as I have to work tomorrow. Really hoping to get the driver side done tomorrow and then I'll get the rear done this weekend.

 

If the threads are rusty or dirty, use a wire brush to clear as much of the loose rust or grime away. Kroil or PB blaster can help loosen and lube. When removing the nuts, the loose material in the threads starts to pack in the grooves the further you spin the nut. So loosen the nut a couple of grooves, then tighten back and brush the crud away. Loosen a few more grooves, spin back and brush, rinse repeat until the nut is completely off.

 

Yeah man, that's exactly what I was doing but they were just being little assholes. Luckily, the other side didn't take me long at all since I was able to remove the two rear ones through the engine bay.

The crux on this side thus far is that I can't get the damn swaybar to lower control arm bolt out. The nut welded inside the control arm broke off but I was able to get a wrench in there to hold it. The bolt is completely loose now, no nut on the end but it has nothing to grip to to push itself out now so it's just spinning and stuck. I tried putting the wheels back on and dropping the truck to the ground to try and take tension off to no avail. I really think if I had the right attachment to grip the bolt, a slide hammer would get it out but I don't know if such an attachment exists.

 

I got the driver side in. The only shitty part was that I had to cut the endlink bolt in order to get it out and now I have a chunk of the bolt stuck in the LCA. So the driver side is not connected to the sway bar right now but at least I could put the wheels back on. I'm going to just bring it to a shop and have them torch the damn thing out for me. Hopefully I can find a good shop that will do it and not try to make me get a new LCA. Tomorrow I'm going to call the stealership and see if I can get a endlink and bolts.

 

Lucked out yesterday, my coworker's husband is a mechanic and he got the damn thing out yesterday afternoon with his torch and some welding. Now I just have to wait for the endlink and new bolt to come in, which is supposed to be here Wednesday. The dealership wanted $189 for the endlink and they didn't have it in stock anyway! What an absolute ripoff! Lol

 

I work on refinery equipment. Kroil is the best penetrant to get stuck stuff loose. We have tried all of them

 

Things like this make me glad I don't live in the rust belt.

 

Sure ain't cheap