So this weekend I attempted to install a 2.0 levelling kit on my 07 Dakota that I scored off the local Kijiji still new in box for $80.00

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So I figured if I had the suspension apart might as well change out the original struts. ($309 can. at auto value parts for just the strut x2)

2 days combined 10-12 hours. I could not remove the lower struck bolt from the control arm

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2 cans of liquid wrench hours of impacting and strong arm and heating would not let the bolt come free, I also broke the top threads off one of the stabilizer links. Was able to remove piece for now and had a thread stick out past the nut.

Was at the girlfriends parents house 2 hours away using there garage. So Sunday I had to admit defeat and re-assemble.
So I returned the struts. Hit the Internet and will go again when my new parts arrive

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So when my parts arrive. Round two. My $80 levelling kit now run me about $400. No complaints. Wish I just did it right the first time.

Any one have any advice? Shared pain?

 

Cut off wheel to the strut bolt....problem solved. Too many threads about that stupid bolt. Just cut it out and buy a new one.

 

I see wd40, but no penetrating oil (wd40 is a water displacer/cleaner and 100% useless against rusty bolts). I'll be interested in how those struts do, they have better prices than anyone for my other car

 

i felt that pain. keep your chin up and cuss all that you want . it does help!

forget about the bolt coming out its not gonna happen. i actually got an electric jackhammer from my work we use to break up concrete. held it sideways and beat the snot out of the bolt with it, it never moved a milimeter.

getting that bushing out is no fun.

cut the lower legs off the strut with a grinder. be carefull and get them cut as close to the bushing as possible go very slowwwwww.when thats done and the strut is out of the way cut the remaining bolt ends off flush with the bushing. dont cut the control arm by accident go slowwwww. now you need fire you gotta get the cv shaft out of there so you dont ruin it when you set the bushing on fire with a torch. burn the rubber out of the bushing. eventually the center of the bushing will fall out just leaving the sleeve, chisel you way through the sleeve and your home free

 

I let a shop do my struts. Then installed the leveling kit myself. That way the strut bolts had come out already....

 

 

Yeah by the time I realized I needed to cut the bolt it was saturday and no part stores could get me the bushing kit In time.

Has anyone used thos Monroe bushing kits?

Yeah I was surprised of the cost of the strut assembly online vs. just a strut at the local parts store. Will let you know how the quiality is

 

That sucks mine came out easy. The hard part for me was reattaching everything after adding the extra height. Key was a lot of cussing, a massive pry bar, and prying as hard as you can thinking you will break something.

Unfortunately I'm dumb and didnt change my struts that are shot at the same time so now I get to do it again. I think this time will be fast though now that I know where to pry on it.

 

If you would use the floor jack/chain/strap trick, there is no "prying" of anything. Let the floor jack do all the work.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...installed.html

 

I used the floor jack method all thought my jack kind of sucks. It wouldn't get it close enough so I still had to pry some for like the last inch to get the nut on.