C70: Rear dampers removal?

[ITSv40]

Volvo have a special tool - 1036675. I bought one from Skandix in preparation for when I have to do mine, as you have found, it is a pig of a job on a convertible.

[SteveSarre]

Hi all,

AFAIK That Volvo tool is for the front struts.
https://www.skandix.de/en/spare-part...nting/1036675/
I have one (similar) and the slot is too big (certainly for the rear shocks that I am trying to remove now). The slot is need is just under 7mm flat to flat.

(I am facing the same problem removing my C70 convertible rear shocks right now).

I have quite a selection of tools, but none are quite right.

With an air impact, extension, universal joint (non impact) and 15mm socket I can undo the strut nut to the end of the strut thread, but then the strut starts to spin.

I also can't find my 15mm socket after I pressed the air gun trigger by mistake! Darn!

I can undo the mount bolts (12mm?), but they tighten up as you undo them because the bottom of the bolt is exposed to the elements underneath the car (certainly on a V70) and so get rusty, then they bind up as you undo the bolt.
In the past I have considered grinding the top of the mount bolts off, then screwing them downwards and then out (hopefully saving the captive nuts).

I'll think about it a bit more.

Steve

[tony209]

Originally Posted by SteveSarre

Hi all,

AFAIK That Volvo tool is for the front struts.
https://www.skandix.de/en/spare-part...nting/1036675/
I have one (similar) and the slot is too big (certainly for the rear shocks that I am trying to remove now). The slot is need is just under 7mm flat to flat.

(I am facing the same problem removing my C70 convertible rear shocks right now).

I have quite a selection of tools, but none are quite right.

With an air impact, extension, universal joint (non impact) and 15mm socket I can undo the strut nut to the end of the strut thread, but then the strut starts to spin.

I also can't find my 15mm socket after I pressed the air gun trigger by mistake! Darn!

I can undo the mount bolts (12mm?), but they tighten up as you undo them because the bottom of the bolt is exposed to the elements underneath the car (certainly on a V70) and so get rusty, then they bind up as you undo the bolt.
In the past I have considered grinding the top of the mount bolts off, then screwing them downwards and then out (hopefully saving the captive nuts).

I'll think about it a bit more.

Steve

I thought the tools from Skandix is one for the front and one for the rears but not so sure now. I spoke to my local volvo dealership parts department, they seem to think there's a special tool called a sleeve socket - £39 and has to come from Sweeden. I'm not sure if they might be talking about the fronts and not the rears. If you fit this type of strut, you need the tool if you want to torque the nut as there's no other way to do it.

I made a tool with a slot that fits to a wrench, I got the nut to about 10mm from the top and the nut ceased so tight that the metal of the spindle rounded off! I'm now trying to cut the nut with a cutting disk on a dremel- there's not enough room for that either!

[SteveSarre]

Hi Tony,

I'll watch this space.

Other things I have considered, when the centre nut is halfway undone
1. With the bottom of the shock undone or not, can you use a jack to lift the car by pressing the bottom of the strut upwards? Does that exert sufficient upward pressure to stop the strut rotating?
2. or, underneath the car, undo the bottom acorn nut and grab the strut shaft with some vicegrips (if you are not intending to reinstall)?
3. With the top centre nut partially undone, wind something like a thin wire round and round under it, wedging it between the nut and the mount. Does that jam the strut?
4. If you have right angle drill some other approaches might be possible...
5. If you are a welder, can you weld a bolt head onto the top of the strut?
6. Can you cut a screwdriver type slot in the top of the strut?

Steve

[tony209]

Originally Posted by SteveSarre

Hi Tony,

I'll watch this space.

Other things I have considered, when the centre nut is halfway undone
1. With the bottom of the shock undone or not, can you use a jack to lift the car by pressing the bottom of the strut upwards? Does that exert sufficient upward pressure to stop the strut rotating?
2. or, underneath the car, undo the bottom acorn nut and grab the strut shaft with some vicegrips (if you are not intending to reinstall)?
3. With the top centre nut partially undone, wind something like a thin wire round and round under it, wedging it between the nut and the mount. Does that jam the strut?
4. If you have right angle drill some other approaches might be possible...
5. If you are a welder, can you weld a bolt head onto the top of the strut?
6. Can you cut a screwdriver type slot in the top of the strut?

Steve

Hi Steve,with regards to getting more spindle length to work with, I think what you see is what you get, the tom of the strut is up against the bottom of the strut mount. I tried cutting a slot for a screwdriver socket but the metal couldn't take the pressure and snapped - hence resorting to cutting off the nut. Hadn't thought of seeing if I can clamp the strut top from underneath. Just about to have another crack at it.

What a pain - my advice is buy the correct tool!

This is the tool I adapted but the spindle top couldn't take the stress and rounded off.

[acshortt5]

If you can get the nut to the top of the thread I'd just kill it with a nut splitter if it won't come off... but then I enjoy the medieval side of things when a job becomes a pain.
That is a bit unusual as the ones I've done have always been a pain to initially get going but come off easy when at the top of the thread.
As you've said the shocks with the hex/torx socket in the top are a much better idea.
You could also try heating the nut with a blowtorch to expand it a bit when it's at the top of the thread to see if it will then spin off easier?
Or get a thin chisel & hammer and cut through the top of the strut under the nut if you can't get in with a dremmel.

I would also be looking at replacing the top mounts as well as the last thing you want is putting the new shocks in and one or both top mounts failing soon after. I can see you have standard ones - they usually fail with the metal cup separating from the rubber surround but as mentioned previously you can fit the stronger nivomat top mounts to standard shocks.

[happy diver]

Originally Posted by tony209

Cabriolet there's no room at all, certainly no room to undo the mount and pull the shock through the car. These pics belay the lack of space!

Well so far you've got the right spanner, then grab an open ender
for the shaft, make yourself comfortable and start some cranking

I would suggest using the original de-crushed nuts as you will
never get the new ones on unless you run them on and off the
old shockers when they're out of the car to loosen the nuts up.

[ITSv40]

[QUOTE=SteveSarre;2649275]Hi all,

AFAIK That Volvo tool is for the front struts.
https://www.skandix.de/en/spare-part...nting/1036675/
I have one (similar) and the slot is too big (certainly for the rear shocks that I am trying to remove now). The slot is need is just under 7mm flat to flat.

(I am facing the same problem removing my C70 convertible rear shocks right now).

Thanks for the update. I knew the tool fitted the front shocks but was under the impression it also fitted the rears. I now need to find the correct rear tool, before tackling mine when the time comes. Hope you all get yours sorted.

[tony209]

All done, what a pain - the longest "easy" job I've ever done on a car. One of the nuts was on so tight it wouldn't budge at all - even after applying heat to it. 6 hours of cutting with a dremel to remove 2 shocks and just 5 minutes to fit two new ones.

The OEM shocks have plastic upper cylinders, I'll rip one apart and see if it might be easier to remove this and cut the spindle from under the car.

I now have a full set of Koni active shocks - first impressions are that they are excellent.

[CNGBiFuel]

I've already suggested these. Now pix.... I got a set of channel-sockets last year. Work for so many jobs, where a socket won't go. Crow-foots are great too.

Variously known as line/flare/channel/injector/sensor sockets