While doing front wheel bearing hubs, half shafts, seals and brakes.

The two "bolts" that connect the spindle to the strut only have two flats instead of a hex end... because they're not bolts. Hammer them straight out because they'll never turn.

My outter tie rod end nuts are self locking with a nylon ring. Well one got stuck covering the 8mm hex end. Not wanting to grab the threads with vice grips I lubed and torched it. After the nylon dripped out it came right off. I had the torch handy from the episode above.

 

Haha, yeah removing the struts from the spindles is an appropriate place to use a BFH. Best to get them with one whack so that they don't get stuck partway in the slot.

-Riggs.

 

I have not removed the two bolts holding the struts to the spindle (or steering knuckle as I've also heard it called) on my Monte. But I've dealt with them on other GMs. The bolts probably have a spline on them too. My experience has been, get the nut off, heat the outside of the bolts (you want the bolt to expand from the heat inside the knuckle). After you heat both ends of the bolt (not the knuckle itself), let them cool (this is to break the bond jamming them in there). Then thread the nut back on to be flush with the end of the bolt (good surface to hammer against and help protects the thread on the bolts).. A couple good whacks and it should move, take the nut off and finish the job.

Now, nuts with nylon keeps on them, I have never heard of using those on tie-rods, I've always seen castle nuts with a cotter pin....