Fox Strut top nut

DemonGT · Mar 12, 2020

Replacing struts and cant get the top nut loose. Is there a trick to this nut? It just spins the whole thing...

90sickfox · Mar 12, 2020

Put a pair of vise grips on the strut shaft and wedge it against the strut tower in the wheel well. Going back on if you have to hold it still grip it as high as you can. You don't want knicks going past the seal if you bottom out.

Steel1 · Mar 12, 2020

If you have access to an impact gun that will usually zip them off.

revhead347 · Mar 12, 2020

If you are replacing them, then screw it. Angle grinder with a cutoff wheel to the shaft. I don't even bother with the nut now, I just hit it with the plasma cutter immediately.

The bare minimum tool required is an impact gun. The holding wrench provisions are never sufficient to use hand tools to get the nut off. The best technique is to do a fresh oil on the impact gun, then run the compressor down to kick on, so that it goes to maximum pressure for the initial impact hit. Support the weight of the car on the control arm itself. This relieves the seat pressure on that nut. It also keeps control arm from flying down when the strut comes out and violently ejecting the spring which can remove a limb if you are standing in the wrong place.

Kurt

kiddiccarus · Mar 12, 2020

+1 if its a complete replacement, cut it off. Its what we do at the shop if the impact cant get it off.

90sickfox · Mar 12, 2020

On my style strut cutting the shaft would not help. There is a shoulder that the mount sits on below the nut. If you cut the shaft you'll get the strut and mount off...but you'd still be stuck trying to get the nut off to reuse the mount....or in my case camber plates. Depending on the room you could cut the nut off.

Like stated previously....make sure the weight of the car is on the control arm. That spring can fly out and kill you or your cat ( if ya have one )...or the dog...or maybe even a neighbor. Doing struts are one of the most dangerous jobs you can do.

At work the vise grips always save the day. Vise grips and an impact gun. A 1/2 breaker bar and a piece of pipe on the end will work too.

revhead347 · Mar 12, 2020

90sickfox said:
On my style strut cutting the shaft would not help. There is a shoulder that the mount sits on below the nut. If you cut the shaft you'll get the strut and mount off...but you'd still be stuck trying to get the nut off to reuse the mount....or in my case camber plates. Depending on the room you could cut the nut off.

Like stated previously....make sure the weight of the car is on the control arm. That spring can fly out and kill you or your cat ( if ya have one )...or the dog...or maybe even a neighbor. Doing struts are one of the most dangerous jobs you can do.

At work the vise grips always save the day. Vise grips and an impact gun. A 1/2 breaker bar and a piece of pipe on the end will work too.

Cut the nut off from the top with reciprocating saw then. Or cut the shaft off, unbolt the strut mount, bring it to my place, and we will make a royal mess with the plasma cutter.

Kurt

DemonGT · Mar 13, 2020

Borrowing a impact, will see what happens

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Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

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