My drivers side front shock seems to be rusted and it won't compress.

Has anyone had this issue? Maybe the rubber piece that slides over the shaft allowed water to get inside and rust the shock.

I can't compress it enough to unscrew the inner bottom bolt. I can't get a 10mm 12 point socket on the bolt. I might be able to get it off if I had a flare box wrench. I need to straighten the shock in order to get a socket on the bolt closest to the engine.

Thanks for any help.

pete

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Yikes. I notied after having my 240D up in the air a while, the shock made a lot of noise when I recompressed it. But it rides well. Im not sure how it would seize up line that, Id think that it would weaken and leak and be quite the obvious. Anything can happen I guess.

If you put something solid over the end, and press down with your weight... and nothing happens, then it must be wedged in there crooked or something.

Time to get out the hacksaw and cut that shaft... Then replace with new shocks.

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (113k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1993 300SD (291k)
1993 300D 2.5T (338k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (265k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K)
1985 300D (233K)

Yeah, I'm going to use an angle grinder to cut it out. I just ordered a new shock.

Thanks for the reply.

pete

Mine did that, the shocks were wasted.

It was both front shocks at the same time, I knew they were dust but that was the first time I ever saw that. LOL

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1981 240D Four on the floor, Orient Red over Parchment, bought with 154,000 but it's a daily driver and up to 180,000 miles, mostly original paint and all original interior.