need help taking off the front struts. the strut piston spins every time I try to take off the nut. I used a 6mm Allen key but ended up stripping/ boaring out the hole. any suggestions on what to do now? there's about 1/8th inch more thread on the top of the nut. seems like the nut is stuck to the strut piston but idk.I was thinking of using vise grips but I can't find anywhere to put it

Any help would be great. thanks in advance

 

At the shop we use impact guns which help to spin them off. They do sell electric impact guns that might help you.

You can also try to use something to pry against the shaft and hold pressure on it while you loosen it. That will usually help but its also the hammering effect of the impact gun that helps to spin the nut off. Its definitely more difficult to do without power tools.

 

Find a short bolt extractor that is for reversed threads. this will easily hold the strut rod from spinning.

The hardest part is finding this reverse threaded extractor. Harbor Freight or Lowes >SHOULD< have it.

This tool has saved my ass dozens of times while working on vehicles up in Wisconsin. Rust is the number one enemy of parts removal!!

 

Buy a Harbor Freight electric impact or rent one from Autozone or w/e.

DO NOT vise grip the shock shaft. That rarely works anyway and if it does work it's because the grips are digging into the metal of the shaft and you don't want marks or scores on it.

 

Hopefully, you have the spring compressed and the assembly in a vice. If not, time to that is now.

If you are replacing the strut cartridges, don't worry if you score the shaft. If you are changing out the springs, beware that shorter springs are going to shorten the life of stock struts. I use an impact, but you can secure the strut with a smooth jawed vice grip, preferably with tape wrapped around the strut, and remove the top nut with a socket and breaker bar/ratchet. Try to grip as high up as possible.

 

Ha! Good point!

Tape is a good idea too, like electrical tape would work well.

Just so much easier to get an impact. They're useful and not that expensive, you don't need a top of the line one if you just use it for light duty.

 

how do you get the impact wrench to fit on the nut? it's a tight squeeze/ small space. is there any attachments for the impact? never used one before

 

hialoooha, is there enough room to use an impact wrench if you remove the cowl above the strut?

 

damn, that's a tough one. in that situation, i would either say f- it and just kill the top thread of the strut by using piers to hold the shaft and removing the nut, knowing i would need to replace the one strut... -or- say f- it, use pliers to hold the top of the shaft and tighten the nut back down and abandon the project entirely. i would probably take the former though. hahaha.

 

I used an impact wrench with an extension and a "U" joint. It took 2 or 3 seconds. I bought a Sears 300 lb. ft unit with Lithium battery and charger for $169. Takes a wheel off in 10 seconds or the bolts that hold the strut on with no problem.