david fracolli

I am trying to replace my front struts and I need some help. How do I remove the nut on the top of the strut? I had no problems with the left side but am unable to loosen the right side. Any help would be apreciated.
Thanks, Dave Fracolli

Perry 951

If you are throwing away the struts, grip the strut with a pipe wrench. Otherwise, you can keep trying to hold it with your hand..

Danno

I think Dave has removed the struts from his car? I find that if I hit the nut 1st before removing anything, the weight of the car helps hold it in place. But once it's out of the car, the shaft just spins.

First, is safety. Make sure you have a spring-compressor on and have taken all the tension off the spring.

Then the next trick is to use an adjustable wrench or allen-key to hold the shaft steady as you reach in with needle-nose vise-grips to loosen the nut.

If that doesn't work, get the biggest channel-lock pliers you can and reach in just under the top spring-perch and grab the strut piston close to the top. Clamp the handles of the channel-locks in a VISE to apply extra clamping force. Then just undo the nut on top. If the shaft still spins, apply more pressure on the pliers with the vice. Or try to grab the very, very top of the piston where it's not fully chrome-plated and is easier to grip.

Good luck, Dave. I can post pictures if this doesn't make sense.

rplencne

An impact wrench will also work, usually without having to hold the shaft.

-Bob P.

Mike 89 NA

You can buy special sockets for this procedure. They have a hole through them to insert the allen wrench and a nut like surface to grip with a wrench. These work great, especially if you don't have an impact wrench. I got mine from Schley Tools, it fits most European cars, I originally bought it for my VWs.

Mike