I mentioned this in my other thread on my lift, but maybe someone will see the title, have  good idea and be more likely to read/respond.

I was installing my 2" coil spacer's on my 02 Tracker and I'm almost done except when putting it back together I'm having some problems getting the strut extensions on.

I'm using the BDS strut extensions which screw on top of your strut and extend it, but they are very tight.  The first one I got on right away but had to use a lot of force to to screw in all of the way.  The second one I can't even get started on the threads to apply force.  Any suggestions to help this newbie out?

My thoughts are to get some cutting oil, another bolt I can screw into the extension and probably a tap and die to make sure both the strut and extension have good clean threads.  Would a thread chaser be better and do they make them in different sizes?  Anyone know the size and pitch of the strut?

it's a 14mm thread, but I can't remember the pitch off hand,
I bought the tap at my local hardware store, about $10

thanks, my tap and die set/guage is SAE so I couln't measure it :'(

WOW! The BDS tech line answered after just 1 ring  .  Anyways the strut bolt is 14mm x 150 thread pitch. 

He suggested that sometimes people have problems because the tolerances on the strut extensions are so tight that there is a pressure builup when the strut is inserted.  He said to take some emerry paper and sand a little bit off of the collar at the base of the threads.  I don't think that is my problem (I already took some 400grit sandpaper to it last night), but he was very helpful and also recommended if I am going to try to clean the threads to run a die down the strut and not tap into the extension.

If you give up, you could buy some OME's that are truly longer struts.  Not cheaper, but easier than installing those extensions.

Just my silly idea for the day.

when i put my bds lift in i took the struts right out and had to put it in the vise to get the extensions on. also use a little bit of lock tight on the threads. one of mine actualy came apart a few months later so i tack welded it back on so it would not happen again.

derek

dont forget the camber adjusting bolts for the front struts.

derek

If you give up, you could buy some OME's that are truly longer struts.  Not cheaper, but easier than installing those extensions.

Amen to that.  I was considering it when I was going to use a strut spacer and would have to cut and extend my strut brace, but for $45 for the extensions compared to $250 for the OME's I figured I would keep using my struts while they were still good.

also use a little bit of lock tight on the threads. one of mine actualy came apart a few months later so i tack welded it back on so it would not happen again.

That is part of my problem, I already installed the other one with lock tight so I don't want to remove it and play around with screwing them into each other, which was one of the tech support's suggestions.  Screw them into each other to verify the threads are good.

Hmmm.  Maybe it woudl be a good time to install new struts with my BDS extensions...

Talked to Quaddog?  If I remember correctly he had a similar problem.  I think he did something with the threads to make his fit.

SO hows the rest of the lift going on /

Everything is on and done (well good enough anyways).  The coil spacers fit really nice with the lip on the outer ring and the inside chamfered.  The problem with the extensions was exactly what the BDS rep suggested, the the strut rod between the threads and the collar was just too big.  I thought I noticed a small gap and a little bit of play, but that was the problem.  Using a 3" bolt I realized that I had about 3/4" to go before even engaging the threads.  I ended up using my dremel on it for about 1/2 and hour to get the rod of the strut small enough to fit inside the extension. 

The only thing left is to get my alignment, new tires and replace the shocks.  I'm not sure if it is this way on the trackick's, but on the 99+ at full droop larger (diameter) shocks hit the shock mount pretty bad.  I didn't want to get out my angle grinder at midnight so I will have to go back and install them.

Got any pictures of the mod you had to do to the struts?

No, I was doing the lift alone an it took a long time, so I didn't stretch it any longer by taking pics.  If you imagine that the strut extension below are the top of your struts, I just sanded it down a little bit right below the collar at the bottom of the threads.  After I realized that this was going to fix it, and I had a bit of sanding to do, I used my dremel to finish the sanding.

Note that only one of the extension had a problem with clearence, the other screwed on just fine.