I posted this by mistake in the ALL forum meaning to get it on the 200 forum.

My son's '88 240 was moving up on some metal ramps. When the right ramp collapsed, the car rolled off the left ramp, the wheel dropped suddenly, and the gland nut stripped out of the strut housing tube. I dropped the control arm and removed the spring to have a look. The gland nut was totally out of the strut housing. While the threads in the housing tube don't look too bad, they are stripped and won't hold the strut insert in the housing strut housing tube. When you get right down to the final tightening turn, the threads give way.

I can't find any source of a new strut housing online so I suppose I'll need to pull one at a salvage yard.

My question is this. Does the strut housing tube separate from the lower part that holds the ball joint and spindle? Can it be replaced? If not, it looks as if I will need to swap the entire assembly (strut housing, spindle, hub, wheel bearings, ball joint). Those blasted brake lines will have to come off too.(darn) Still, If I can find a good car, that might be the best way to go.

What is the wisdom of this board? I plan to fix this car to give to my daughter.