unseizing ACOS

[lazyxj]

how old are your ACOS?
I just bought a set.

Mine are 6-7 years old but living in SoCal, rust isn't much of a problem unless you wash your rig too often.

JKS's poor decision to use aluminum rings on a threaded steel shaft is the cause of the problem. The two dissimilar metal naturally corrode to each other.
The only preventative is to coat the ring's threads with a long-lasting anti-seize or grease before the trouble starts.
Looking at JKS's installation instruction for ACOS, there is no mention of lubing the ring's threads except for spraying WD40 just before the adjustment.

They do mention using anti-seize on the bolt holding the bumpstop...nice because they didn't design a drain into the ACOS.
The tube fills up with wash or rain water and does not drain, slowly rusting out from the inside.
After this many years of production, you would think JKS would have corrected some of these problems.

2001XJ's only choice may be to cut the rings off, as suggested.

 

[2001XJ]

Mine are 6-7 years old but living in SoCal, rust isn't much of a problem unless you wash your rig too often.

JKS's poor decision to use aluminum rings on a threaded steel shaft is the cause of the problem. The two dissimilar metal naturally corrode to each other.
The only preventative is to coat the ring's threads with a long-lasting anti-seize or grease before the trouble starts.
Looking at JKS's installation instruction for ACOS, there is no mention of lubing the ring's threads except for spraying WD40 just before the adjustment.

They do mention using anti-seize on the bolt holding the bumpstop...nice because they didn't design a drain into the ACOS.
The tube fills up with wash or rain water and does not drain, slowly rusting out from the inside.
After this many years of production, you would think JKS would have corrected some of these problems.

2001XJ's only choice may be to cut the rings off, as suggested.

thanks for the insight lazyxj. I didnt' realize the potential for water build up in the tubes....that makes sense! Well, guess its getting cut the F**K off then!!

 

[xcm]

one last thing... on old bmx bike parts, you could remove the screw that pinches the ring, turn it around to thread into the threaded part first, then into the clear hole, but before it protrouds on the bottom, place a putty knife, or even a flat prybar into the slit, tighten the screw against the putty knife, and let the threads do the work.

 

[Hammered]

The best penetrating lubricant is home made. Mix some acetone and a little ATF. It will penetrate when nothing else will.

I had the same issue with my acos and submerged it in Acetone / atf... that got em apart but the threaded tube was pretty bad. I glass beaded it and covered it with anti seize. It may be worth replacing your threaded tube if it gets fubared. JKS sells them on their site.

 

[johnnyc]

I used pb blaster and a rubber strap wrench. It grips the ring better than an metal oil filter wrench.

 

[bails85]

I'm wondering if they are aluminum then why have they fused together. You can use heat on them but I would try jacking up the front end and maybe undo the lower control arms to relieve pressure on the coils. With the weight of the vehicle alone it will make turning the adjustment ring a tough job. Even on my sand cars with plenty of working room it's a bit of a fight to turn the adjusters. Just a thought. And as far as the replacement I don't see why jks wouldn't send you a new one for free. If these are suppose to be an industry standard and they stand behind their products I would think that they should send you new ones. But that isn't always the case. One other thing is did you maybe over tighten them when you installed them in the first place. I cant picture them seizing up unless the vehicle has just been sitting.

 

[spencer elliott]

The tube fills up with wash or rain water and does not drain, slowly rusting out from the inside.

good to know

so would a small weep hole near the bottom of the tube would be a good idea...? or something like that?

 

[2001XJ]

one last thing... on old bmx bike parts, you could remove the screw that pinches the ring, turn it around to thread into the threaded part first, then into the clear hole, but before it protrouds on the bottom, place a putty knife, or even a flat prybar into the slit, tighten the screw against the putty knife, and let the threads do the work.

cool, idea, will try that too.

 

[2001XJ]

I used pb blaster and a rubber strap wrench. It grips the ring better than an metal oil filter wrench.

thanks, I will try that also

 

[2001XJ]

I'm wondering if they are aluminum then why have they fused together. You can use heat on them but I would try jacking up the front end and maybe undo the lower control arms to relieve pressure on the coils. With the weight of the vehicle alone it will make turning the adjustment ring a tough job. Even on my sand cars with plenty of working room it's a bit of a fight to turn the adjusters. Just a thought. And as far as the replacement I don't see why jks wouldn't send you a new one for free. If these are suppose to be an industry standard and they stand behind their products I would think that they should send you new ones. But that isn't always the case. One other thing is did you maybe over tighten them when you installed them in the first place. I cant picture them seizing up unless the vehicle has just been sitting.

when trying to adjust the ring, the front end was drooped far enough so that there was about an inch gap between the top of the spring and the rubber isolator of the ACOS (would could basically freely move the spring around).

Yeah, I though they would send one out as well but they didn't even offer. Told me sometimes its a problem.:smsoap:

Nah, I didn't over tighten them I know that for sure and its my DD so it doesnt' just sit.

 

[tbburg]

Be very careful heating aluminum. Unlike steel, most of the strength in aluminum comes from the heat-treatment. Over-heat the aluminum(easy to do, it doesn't change color)and you loose the heat-treat. Aluminum will NOT air harden like steel does.

 

[DanMan2k06]

I believe the structure of Aluminum changes right over 400 degrees (435 or something?). Once that temperature is passed, the crystalline structure becomes VERY brittle. Never seen these guys in person so I don't know how much is really at stake here, but like said, be very careful with heat. An acetylene torch will destroy them real quick.