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ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Here is a pic of one of my front struts:

I can't figure out how to get the strut insert out. It appears that there is a cap threaded onto the top of the strut housing, but I can't seem to get it to budge, even after having penetrating oil soak into it overnight. Any suggestions? Am I doing the right thing? Is this user serviceable, or do I need to replace the entire strut housing?
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Smoothie · Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 12:16 am Post subject:

Yes, that looks like the unscrewable type. Maybe need to hold it in a vise and use a large pipe wrench on the end. When I did mine, I didn't remove them from the car, so the car held 'em at the bottom and I used either a large pipe wrench or vise-grips to get the cap off. They're probably filled with fluid, so turn them upright before unscrewing completely.
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"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."

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Jazzerpet · Joined: 07 Apr 2003 Posts: 186 Location: Omaha, NE.

The picture did not post or at least I can’t see it. But yes the cap does come off. I left the assembly on the car to help hold it wile I used a large pair of channel locks to remove the cap. I replaced the struts with a set of gas charged ones. There is a wrench made to remove the cap, I didn’t have one. If you removed it from the car you will more then likely need to use a vice to hold the strut to break the cap free.
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924RACR · Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 12:50 am Post subject:

Yeah, large channellocks will usually fix that - either remove on car as noted or you'll have to put it in a vise.
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Vaughan Scott
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'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
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ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Yeah, I'm trying a pipe wrench, but without a vice, I'm having trouble holding the thing in place...

Filled with fluid, eh? Does that need to be replaced, or is it just stuff that's leaked from the strut insert??? Haynes doesn't say anything about it...
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Diesel · Joined: 03 Nov 2002 Posts: 1061 Location: Ellington,CT

The fluid transfers the heat from the cartridge to the strut body. Just fill to the top with any oil or ATF that you have lying around, then re-cap it.
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ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

OK, got it. Thx. I'll probably have the shop that's pressing out my control arm bushings see if they can remove the cap.

BTW, I don't know what's up with the photo...if you right click and do a view image, you should be able to see it. The posts sometimes don't seem to like showing the images.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

924RACR · Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 3:02 am Post subject:

LOL - now it works in the post thread, too.

Yeah, you need to unscrew the cap. I'd offer to let you use my vise, but it's rather out of the way for you, and I really ought to better secure my vice to the bench anyway (though that could be adequate motivation). You've got my number, call if you feel like making a road trip.

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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

I ended up finding a local shop (AutoLab on Ann Arbor Rd) that was able to help me with the rear control arm bushings and loosening the caps on my strut mounts. Nobody wanted to touch the front control arm bushings because they're all afraid of damaging the aluminum

The guy that looked at 'em said they weren't in bad enough shape to worry about, so I'll probably just put everything back together tonight.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Joes924Racer · Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 8:23 am Post subject:

They do it with out a vise or what mine are stuck too.
I didnt have a vice set up maybe soon The last time
I had them off.
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924RACR · Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 11:10 pm Post subject:

They're friggen 20 years old - they're worn!!! I can understand them not wanting to damage the aluminum, though. Maybe I can swing by and press them out at work... will have to look into it.
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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

That's kinda what I thought

I went ahead and put everything back together though so I can drive it. After I do the rears, I'll be taking it in to get a 4-wheel alignment...the alignment shop should be able to do it, although I hope they don't charge me an arm and leg for it. Everyone freaks out when I say "it's a Porsche", and I keep having to tell them the front suspension is all standard VW stuff.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made