Broken strut! - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Teddydog · 03-13-2010, 02:36 PM

I took my 2LT into a shop today to have my Eibach springs and sways installed. They called me after a couple hours to say that it was going fine except for one thing: the top nut on the driver's side front strut wouldn't budge. They soaked it and worked it with hand tools, but no dice. He called to warn me of the problem before they applied an impact wrench. As there really wasn't much choice other than backing everything out, I told him to go ahead. Sure enough, the top stud broke before the nut came loose!

Anyone else have this happen? I don't see how my shop could have done anything wrong. How can a nut have frozen so soon (5 months and 6800 miles)? Could it have been cross-threaded from the factory? Do I have any hope of getting a Dealer to replace the strut because of this?

Next issue...gotta get one! The shop owner said he called around and there are NONE locally. Gonna have to come from MI and he was told they can't be overnighted. Now my car is literally stuck in the shop. Stuck on the lift, in fact.

Arrrrrggggggh!

Rob

SSMickey · 03-13-2010, 10:48 PM

Sounds like the top nut was overtightened on assembly which pulled the threads. Then when they were trying to loosen them, the nut siezed. I wouldn't think you would have much luck with a warrenty claim unless the dealer is the one doing the work.

600hp-lpe · 03-14-2010, 07:18 PM

I have the front struts (stock) leftover from my upgrade. I have a 2SS. I'll sell them cheap if you are interested. Send me a PM if you want them.

I only have the fronts.. I already sold the rears to someone who needed a rear shock.

Teddydog · 03-14-2010, 08:01 PM

Thanks for the offer, 570, but mine's an LT.

Rob

JusticePete · 03-16-2010, 05:43 PM

The nut on the strut is designed not to come loose. Your nut would appear to have had more quench than the GM design specified. I make struts and coils for a lot of platforms. I have more than 50 Dealers who install our bits. Sometimes this happens on the OEM and sometimes it happens with the new struts we make. It fall into the category of sh** happens.

Info@PeddersUSA.com · 03-16-2010, 07:25 PM

I have seen several upper nuts that were so tight, I did not want to use them on our Xa's in their format. So what I did was to install them 5-10 times with an impact on the Oe struts. This loosened those VERY SERIOUSLY tight nuts just enough to give normal quench and keep it tight, but still easy enough to install.

mike
dms

Teddydog · 03-16-2010, 10:48 PM

So I guess it just sucks to be me, then.

$184 later for the strut, nut and overnight shipping and my car is done now. Just have to go pick it up after work Wednesday. Yeah, I could have got them for under $100 delivered from GMPartsdirect, but I'd have had to wait 5 or more business days PLUS shipping to me.

Rob

GMtothecore · 03-16-2010, 10:57 PM

Sounds like they could have overtightened the nut....this happened to me and the stud snaped. A reason why torque specs are handy! Lol

Sevn86 · 03-16-2010, 11:07 PM

i had my strut mounts replaced...but that was becuz i would hear a clunky noise every time i turned...

03-13-2010, 02:36 PM	#1
Teddydog Drives: 21 LT1 RS M6 in SSM Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dupont, WA Posts: 454	Broken strut! I took my 2LT into a shop today to have my Eibach springs and sways installed. They called me after a couple hours to say that it was going fine except for one thing: the top nut on the driver's side front strut wouldn't budge. They soaked it and worked it with hand tools, but no dice. He called to warn me of the problem before they applied an impact wrench. As there really wasn't much choice other than backing everything out, I told him to go ahead. Sure enough, the top stud broke before the nut came loose! Anyone else have this happen? I don't see how my shop could have done anything wrong. How can a nut have frozen so soon (5 months and 6800 miles)? Could it have been cross-threaded from the factory? Do I have any hope of getting a Dealer to replace the strut because of this? Next issue...gotta get one! The shop owner said he called around and there are NONE locally. Gonna have to come from MI and he was told they can't be overnighted. Now my car is literally stuck in the shop. Stuck on the lift, in fact. Arrrrrggggggh! Rob

03-13-2010, 10:48 PM	#2
SSMickey Drives: 2010 IBM 2SS Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Columbia S.C. Posts: 1,455 View My Garage	Sounds like the top nut was overtightened on assembly which pulled the threads. Then when they were trying to loosen them, the nut siezed. I wouldn't think you would have much luck with a warrenty claim unless the dealer is the one doing the work. __________________ ProCharger P1X, Vengeance Racing Kaotic Cam, ARH Headers and Exhaust with Borla ATAK mufflers, MGW Shifter, MTI Drop Springs, Forgeline RB3C Wheels, 3.91 gears, Night Owl LED Control System

03-16-2010, 10:57 PM	#8
GMtothecore "That Guy" Drives: Camaro SS...........what else? Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: OOOOOOOklahoma where the wind comes sweepin' down the plains. Posts: 2,360	Sounds like they could have overtightened the nut....this happened to me and the stud snaped. A reason why torque specs are handy! Lol __________________

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03-14-2010, 07:18 PM	#3
600hp-lpe Drives: 2010 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NH Posts: 4,788	I have the front struts (stock) leftover from my upgrade. I have a 2SS. I'll sell them cheap if you are interested. Send me a PM if you want them. I only have the fronts.. I already sold the rears to someone who needed a rear shock.

03-14-2010, 08:01 PM	#4
Teddydog Drives: 21 LT1 RS M6 in SSM Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dupont, WA Posts: 454	Thanks for the offer, 570, but mine's an LT. Rob

03-16-2010, 05:43 PM	#5
JusticePete Drives: Camaro Justice Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 20,174	The nut on the strut is designed not to come loose. Your nut would appear to have had more quench than the GM design specified. I make struts and coils for a lot of platforms. I have more than 50 Dealers who install our bits. Sometimes this happens on the OEM and sometimes it happens with the new struts we make. It fall into the category of sh** happens.

03-16-2010, 07:25 PM	#6
Info@PeddersUSA.com Drives: 5th Gen Rental Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: New England Posts: 1,901	I have seen several upper nuts that were so tight, I did not want to use them on our Xa's in their format. So what I did was to install them 5-10 times with an impact on the Oe struts. This loosened those VERY SERIOUSLY tight nuts just enough to give normal quench and keep it tight, but still easy enough to install. mike dms

03-16-2010, 10:48 PM	#7
Teddydog Drives: 21 LT1 RS M6 in SSM Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dupont, WA Posts: 454	So I guess it just sucks to be me, then. $184 later for the strut, nut and overnight shipping and my car is done now. Just have to go pick it up after work Wednesday. Yeah, I could have got them for under $100 delivered from GMPartsdirect, but I'd have had to wait 5 or more business days PLUS shipping to me. Rob