I'm in the process of installing Tokico D-Specs with Eibach Sportlines. I've completed assembling the rear shocks with no problems. However, I have my front springs compressed and cannot figure out how to get the shock shaft nut off. I know at some point before 2004 Cavaliers must have came with different strut mounts because my service manual shows different ones. The problem is that the bolt is too far reccessed into the mount to reach with anything other than a standard socket, which would not allow me to hold the shaft from spinning. Can anyone tell me if there is a special tool for this or if it would be benificial to get different strut mounts.
The special tool is an impact wrench.
C.T.S wrote:The special tool is an impact wrench.
actually an impact gun.... impact wrenches don't put out much power at all and don't hit nearly as fast to get @!#$ off
Yea that's fine for taking the stock shocks apart, but what about reassembling the D-Specs? Tokico makes it very clear that you are not supposed to use an impact wrench (or gun) on their shocks. So I have to get a torque wrench on there somehow. I have an open-ended torque wrench with several different angle heads but it is still not enough for the extreme angle.
They all say not to use an impact wrench... and yet everyone does anyway.
Well, I believe I found the solution to the problem. I did some pokin' around at the dealership and parts store and here's what I found...
In the middle of the 1999 model year GM changed the design of the Cavalier/Sunfire front strut mount, spring seat, spring seat bearing, and dust boot assembly. Basically, everything in the strut assembly except the strut itself, the spring, and the mount bolt pattern changed. With the '99+ mounts it is only possible to remove/install the struts with an impact gun. However, with the pre-'99 mounts, it is possible to do with two open-ended wrenches. The Tokico D-Spec struts were clearly designed for the pre-'99 strut mount. This is apparent for two reasons. First, with the pre-99 mounts it is possible to hold the Tokico shock shaft with an 8 mm wrench while torquing down the shaft nut to spec with an open-ended torque wrench. Second, the '99+ mounts cannot even be securely mounted to the Tokico shaft with the supplied hardware. The shaft end nut that is supplied with the Tokico shocks is completely different than the stock '99+ nut. My '04 OEM shaft nut includes a large spacer as part of the nut. I haven't seen a stock pre-99 nut yet, but I suspect that is is the same as the Tokico included nut. I have notified Tokico about what I found and they are very interested in the problem. They asked me to email them pictures and dimensions of some of the parts and I think they are going to give it a serious look.
So...until they get back to me about possible changes, I thought this might be some useful information for some people, as the D-Specs seem to be a popular choice.
