How do you get the nut off the strut with this mount in the way?

sac02 · 03-05-2010, 04:47 PM

Trying to remove the strut top nut from a rear strut on a b13 SE-R. Don't have a compressor, so can't use impact wrench to just knock it off.

The strut mount surrounds the strut top nut such that there is no way to get a wrench on it. I can put a socket on it, but then that obscures the top of the shaft such that I can put a wrench on the top to keep the shaft from spinning.

I'm one step from taking a cutoff wheel to the top of the strut mount that seems to serve no purpose other than to restrict access to the nut...

sr20monkey · 03-05-2010, 05:19 PM

Vise grips on the shaft padded with a towel is how i did it. No spring compresser either

shot off like a rocket.

SE-RMonkey · 03-05-2010, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sac02

The strut mount surrounds the strut top nut such that there is no way to get a wrench on it. I can put a socket on it, but then that obscures the top of the shaft such that I can put a wrench on the top to keep the shaft from spinning....

That's probably because they don't want you taking it off without a spring compressor. If you like your face the way it is now buy/rent/borrow a compressor.

sac02 · 03-05-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SE-RMonkey

That's probably because they don't want you taking it off without a spring compressor. If you like your face the way it is now buy/rent/borrow a compressor.

I have a spring compressor. What I don't have is an air compressor to power my impact, which would just knock it right of, no hand tools needed

94sentraxe · 03-05-2010, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sr20monkey

Vise grips on the shaft padded with a towel is how i did it. No spring compresser either

shot off like a rocket.

Like this man said but please compress the spring. Just use a vice grip with a towel on the shaft as tight as possible, lay it flat on the ground so the vice grip cant rotate because of the ground. Then get another wrench or vice grip or socket and grunt like hell on the top nut hopefully it will break.

neptronix · 05-16-2010, 01:25 AM

For anyone else searching in this thread... for f***s sake, use a spring compressor. There is TONS of force waiting to unleash if you don't compress the spring correctly. You risk damage to your hood, the trunk of your car, your face, the walls of your garage, ETC if you do not compress the spring FULLY.

That thing will shoot out like a mother.
Vice grips are *not* adequate, it will slip.

dohc20ser · 05-16-2010, 03:11 AM

I just use a jack to put under the lower control arm and a pair of vise grips is how i did it.Slowly let down the jack then loosen the strut bolts on the bottom.

sac02 · 05-17-2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neptronix

For anyone else searching in this thread... for f***s sake, use a spring compressor. There is TONS of force waiting to unleash if you don't compress the spring correctly. You risk damage to your hood, the trunk of your car, your face, the walls of your garage, ETC if you do not compress the spring FULLY.

That thing will shoot out like a mother.
Vice grips are *not* adequate, it will slip.

Thanks you the concern for our health, but I don't think anyone was advising using vise grips to compress the springs. The vise grips are used to keep the shaft from spinning as I try to remove the nut from the strut top mount. I used proper spring compressors to compress the spring.