Had a busy weekend.
We headed out to Govan Lake to do some canoeing and swimming on Saturday on account of the forecast. We were maybe 10 minutes from getting there and just after I crested a hill, every time I hit a bump...clank clank clank. Fuck. Got out and sure enough the driver's side strut mount came apart. The strut shaft was headed diagonally outwards and the body of it was rubbing on the inside of the spring. Luckily it was still all inside. We didn't get up to Govan and I thought at this point that we were in for a reallllllly long drive home, or at least to the hwy for a tow. We could've stayed out overnight if we needed to, but we really didn't want to do that.
I gingerly started back ...but after about 10 minutes of clanks, bangs and too much bouncing, it was just too much metal on metal for my liking and I wanted to make sure I didn't eff up the parts. So I pulled over, looked at the thing stuck off to an angle and got my thinkin' cap on. I thought I could right the shaft, then zip tie a wrench to the spring with the closed end over the strut shaft. Nope, probably wouldn't stay. So I got the bottle jack out and took the pressure off that corner. Fortunately, with the pressure off, it fixed its own alignment when the shaft extended right back up toward the tophat. We actually drove it all the way back home and it wasn't 'that bad' of a ride.
When we got back, I flipped it the bird, poured myself a big drink and turned on the bbq. Sunday was going to be a busy day!
Ended up pulling both sides which means the lbj, ubj, sway, hubs, axles all had to come out of this IFS thing.
On the upside, two things:
1. I confirmed that my intermediate shaft (in between front cv's) is still in good shape - the clank I get is from the ubj on the psgr side. Which happens to be non-replaceable. Time for a new uca.
2. I installed a spacer plate (1/4") above both struts.
3. I also installed a 3-ring clevis lift (spacer between clevis fork and lower part of the strut body - weird design)
So, I gained 1" at the front and the lift is now evened out at about 4" both ends.
