Undoing the strut top nut....you know the one

[e30_Turbo]

Having had a MISSION and a half with my front spring swap and some on the job thinking I managed to get them fitted but I came across some interesting problems, namely that f**king nut!

I'm interested to know what 'techniques' people use for this, I imagine a garage would buzzgun them off but I'm talking DIY methods here.

Or has anyone actually got that special tool?? ( I doubt they even exist!)

Mine, well I jacked the whole strut and spring into the inner wing and used the compression to just hold it enough to crack the nut and it was easy from there but I won't mention the fact I'd already removed it before I realised what an arse that nut was

Mark.

[eko]

Loosen both sides BEFORE jacking the car up!
Thats how ive always done them

[Taylor325i]

I used to remove both strut assemblies and take them to my local tyre place to use their air gun. Now I have my own cordless impact wrench. I've also done it before by holding the strut rod with a set of mole grips and loosening the top nut with a ratchet and deep socket but you run the risk of scoring the strut rod.


Taylor.

[e30_Turbo]

I too wasn't happy to start ruining the shock rod with some meaty metal munching mole grips, I know what I'm like when things start to annoy me.

[lentec]

Is there a special tool?

Have got to do that myself! not looking forward to it. they a PITA with coilovers! and worse with OE ones.

[lentec]

Oh there is a special tool

[craigieeb]

When i done mine fozz i just used a pair of mole grips (realy tight!!), but i put a thick bit of rubber in between the teeth and the shocky shaft, and it worked a treat mate

[Simon13]

best to do it first before u start jacking the car up i have found. But even then i have had the whole shock spinning round in the strut.

I use a 1/2 19mm socket for the nut, and fit through it my little 1/4 rachet with an extension and 8mm socket to hold the top of the shock

Hold onto the 19mm like a mofo and turn the rachet with the other hand. Just like picture of how to do it properly except your hand is that spanner!

[Ziggy]

best to do it first before u start jacking the car up i have found. But even then i have had the whole shock spinning round in the strut.

I use a 1/2 19mm socket for the nut, and fit through it my little 1/4 rachet with an extension and 8mm socket to hold the top of the shock

Hold onto the 19mm like a mofo and turn the rachet with the other hand. Just like picture of how to do it properly except your hand is that spanner!

Or get a pipe wrench on that socket...

[Globulator]

I tried a nut gun on mine (while on the car) but the impact socket was a tiny bit too big to go into the hole where the nut lives.

If you try a nut gun on it when it's out...
... remember to compress the spring as it's still got a hell of a kick.

I sacrificed a 19mm socket and ground two flats in each side so a spanner can use it, while I poke an allen key through the hold in the middle - a DIY version of the special tool. External hex shafts might fit a 1/4" socket + extension with a long enough socket..

[glenn]

mark,
i welded a steel bar to a socket, also iirc i had to grind the outside of the socket, as the socket was too thick
hth
glenn

[Gwynleym10]

I must be the only one who doesn't find this difficult..and I have done it on a couple of cars now.

I take the strut out whole, then with wheel face down balanced on something at one end so you can get at the bolts, put the strut back into the wheel.

Now strut/ wheel are secure get some mole grips and clamp them round the inner (shinny) part of the shock use an old bike inner tube to protect it.

Then undo the bolt... I found that my normal 1/2 drive socket is fine to undo it.

I always have problems taking the brake caliper off....

[gcorky]

as i remember ,i done it simmilar to globulator,i/4 drive ratchet through a socket....not a problem ,but the bloody collars were,had to heat up and butcher one of them with mole grips/stillsons -which makes me cringe....

[Geeman]

Front spring replacements have either been really easy or complete pains in the derrier!

The last one I did was on the Sport, and I ended up nearly breaking the Mole Grips trying to hold onto the piston! No really easy way round it without an air-gun.

I would try and loosen the nut while still on the car and sat on the floor. This way there's no struggling later on.

[Globulator]

the bloody collars were,had to heat up and butcher one of them with mole grips/stillsons -which makes me cringe....

I bought a 24" stilson for the collars, (£12) and left the whole assembly bolted to a wheel that I stood on to hold the other end - made it fairly easy.

Don't overtighten the new ones though - they snap off if you do...

[fuzzy]

i made up a tool the same as glenn,by welding a bar to the side of a socket and drilling out the top of the socket so i could get the smaller one in through it at the top.

[gareth]

i've always used a spark plug socket (hex on the outside and a large hole up the centre) and a spanner on the nut and a 1/4" extension and socket (or allen key etc depending on what car) on the shaft. this has always worked.

mole grips will (unless you're very lucky) mash the piston and this will in turn take out the seals on the shock. only ok if your shocks are dead and being replaced!

i also use halfords pro 1/4" extensions... if you break them they'll replace them for free!

[johnna]

Just got in at 10pm tonight having done mine...

1/4in drive 9/16 socket and extension inside a 1/2 drive 19mm deep socket. I used some plumbing 'Stillsons' to turn the 19mmsocket.

It's the ball joints that get me...

[Brianmoooore]

Just got in at 10pm tonight having done mine...

1/4in drive 9/16 socket and extension inside a 1/2 drive 19mm deep socket. I used some plumbing 'Stillsons' to turn the 19mmsocket.

It's the ball joints that get me...

Same method for me, but I ground a couple of flats onto the socket sides to fit a convenient OE spanner.

[gareth]

Just got in at 10pm tonight having done mine...

1/4in drive 9/16 socket and extension inside a 1/2 drive 19mm deep socket. I used some plumbing 'Stillsons' to turn the 19mmsocket.

It's the ball joints that get me...

Same method for me, but I ground a couple of flats onto the socket sides to fit a convenient OE spanner.

that's why i use a spark plug socket... it's got a large hex head on it!