Any tricks for upper strut bolts?

[4000 Pounds of Iron]

Yeah, I'm foiled again. Even the impact wrench just spins the shaft of my front struts as I try to remove the top bolt. The brilliant designers of these things only put a 3/8" flat-side on the top of the strut shaft so my weenie little crescent can't put enough torque on it.

Who's got tricks for getting these big-ass nuts off? I may attempt to bend the shaft or grind flats into it.

4k#Fe

 

[jrichker]

If you are not going to re-use the struts, vise grips or a pipe wrench will do wonders...

 

[Mavrick]

I resorted to a sawzall for my old struts.

 

[4000 Pounds of Iron]

I'll try that. I wanted to save the dust shields, so I guess I'll have to be careful or something.

4k#Fe

 

[Mavrick]

I took the top of the strut off, directly under the strut nut with the suspension loaded. Came off pretty easy and i didn't destroy anything other than the strut.

 

[HISSIN50]

Mav brings up a good point. In my experience, loading the strut seems to help.

You PB'd it already? I'm sure you did.

On the last ones I did, I used a small prybar (like the set of 3 that you can get at Harbor Freight and parts stores) across the slit in the strut rod (this provides more leverage to keep the strut from turning than if using a convention screwdriver from the top of the strut). Then I could use a box wrench on the nut. If you have a coordinated assistant, perhaps hitting said wrench with a swinging 4# press would break the nut loose.

Good luck.

 

[larrendeuce]

If they are standard struts with the slot in the top then this is what I use. A large box end wrench on the nut and a drag link socket in the slot. I put a towel around the wrench so it doesn't scratch anything and turn the drag link socket until the wrench is braced against something. Then I can apply as much force as needed with the drag link socket and ratchet (or breaker bar)

 

[Shakerhood]

My experience too is to make sure the struts are loaded when you hit the top nut with the Impact Gun.

 

[HardmanGT]

Yup, load on the suspension helps a lot. I have also resorted to using a set of vice grips on the shaft from the bottom of the wheel well. As I recall, I just squeezed the dust shield into the shaft and was able to keep it from spinning without marking up the shaft at all.

 

[jrichker]

In extreme cases, several 1/8" holes drilled in the nut on a vertical line paralell to the strut will help. Then you can take a cold chisel and split the nut. If you are real careful, you can do it without damaging anything but the nut.

 

[rd]

Jrichker-that must be an aircraft trick?

Have not thought of that one. I'd drill the other way....

Load the strut, and use vice grips or whatever you can on the nut. Cut a screwdriver slot in it, or grind flats on it if you have to, so you can use a big adj wrench.

Last resort, weld another, smaller nut to the top, by plug welding inside the nut. This is how the welding shops around here get stuff out thats broken.