Author Topic: Spring removal - dealing with undercoat  (Read 1316 times)

Offline blown motor

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Spring removal - dealing with undercoat
« on: February 03, 2015 - 06:12:51 PM »
To remove my springs I need to remove the front spring bracket (top picture). However my car is undercoated and the four studs that hold the bracket are coated with undercoating (bottom picture). What's a good way to remove the undercoating to make it easier to remove the nuts?
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Offline anlauto

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Re: Spring removal - dealing with undercoat
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2015 - 07:00:01 PM »
You can't get a socket to fit ?
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Offline OUTLAW

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Re: Spring removal - dealing with undercoat
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2015 - 07:19:51 PM »
should be able to just unscrew the nuts even with the under coating on them. But if it is still a problem use a heat gun or propane bottle and warm it up to soften the under coating then hit it with a stiff wire bruch and flush with carb cleaner or brake kleen

Offline blown motor

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Re: Spring removal - dealing with undercoat
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2015 - 08:05:38 PM »
You can't get a socket to fit ?

I tried a socket on one and got it on. I'll scratch the nuts to get some off so the socket goes on easier. I was just wondering what's best for cleaning up the threads.
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Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Spring removal - dealing with undercoat
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2015 - 09:57:24 PM »
heat , penetrant or silicone spray will help

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Offline 73restomod

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Re: Spring removal - dealing with undercoat
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2015 - 11:30:10 AM »
The way I always removed it was with a general purpose propane torch and a wire brush. Need to remove a large area? Use an oxy/ace torch without turning on the oxygen and chuck a wire brush into a drill. Comes off like a hot knife thru butter.

Offline burdar

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Re: Spring removal - dealing with undercoat
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2015 - 12:10:56 PM »
Just hit it with a propane torch.  It will loosen the undercoating.  Hopefully the undercoating protected the studs so the nuts will come off.  I broke 6 or 7 of the eight studs when I disassembled mine.

Offline blown motor

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Re: Spring removal - dealing with undercoat
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2015 - 05:34:05 PM »
Today's update - the undercoating was a little bit brittle so I was able to chip some of it away. Then I ran a die onto the bolt to clean up the threads, first the correct way and then I turned it around and ran it on again to get the tread clean as close to the nut as possible. It worked great.  :) All the nuts loosened and will come off easily enough.
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