406 front struts ... help!

[PeterN]

One of the 406s failed the MOT on front strut bearings among other things, not to bad a I thought, until I tried to get it apart. The three bolts in the strut tops will not budge, being not very large torx screws doesn't help, I have had a three foot bar on the the socket and all its doing is threatening to destroy the screws.

I thought I might get round it by compressing the springs and undoing the center bolt leaving the tops in situ, it did as far as getting them out was concerned but I can't get them back in again, I have tried compressing the springs further but that has made it worse as its bent one of the compressor threads and now it wont go up under the wing at all.

Any suggestions - short of a match.

Peter

[Doggy]

Guess, you've soaked the threads in WD40 several times?
Impact wrench and/or blow lamp, (doubles as a match if you're not really careful/lucky).

[PeterN]

I haven't soaked the threads as there is no movement whatsoever and I can't get to them. My usual answer to this problem is to weld nuts over the head of the bolts, the combination of the heat and additional purchase usually shifts them but it will undoubtedly damage the paint if not worse. I have never know bolts of that size as tight as this. I suspect if I do use the weld method the bolts will break.

The alternative I suppose is to grind the bolts off and replace the strut tops.

Peter

[barbaren]

Just brake them, and them drill them out