I've just installed my struts, but I couldn't tighten the top mount nut without the shaft turning. I have them installed and just gave it a test drive. I've got some serious noise in the strut area and I'm pretty sure it's the struts. The castlated nut would tighten, but both sides would not tightent to the point to where I have threads past the nut head. How do I tighten the nut without the shaft turning?
You'll have to be creative, take pics if you want more help.
On VW's that I've installed suspension on, when the shaft turns, we take an allen key with an elbow to hold the shaft still (the inside of the shift is shaped as such). We made sure the alley key was longer than the socket that will tighten the top nut so we can put the allen key through it. Using 2 vice grips, one turns the nut while the other holds the allen key still. Yes it became a 2 person job .
Thanks guys! I got some advice from a bass fishing site of all places! They recommended I use my impact wrench! I know that's not the best way to go for torque ratings and all, but by golly it worked! Now my baby is smooth as silk! Thanks for the help as usual. I really love this site!!!!!
Thanks guys! I got some advice from a bass fishing site of all places! They recommended I use my impact wrench! I know that's not the best way to go for torque ratings and all, but by golly it worked! Now my baby is smooth as silk! Thanks for the help as usual. I really love this site!!!!!
I'd be lying if I said I've never done that as well Impact wrenches can be catastrophic to a car if the user has no idea what he/she is doing tho.
Impact wrench? I call it an Impact gun... If I am thinking about the same tool.
Thats how I did mine, thats how shops do them... I made the mistake of thinking you were already using an impact gun lol. Even then sometimes you need the channel locks
The problem of the top mount turning may be due to the fact that the square part of the strut shaft is not seated in the square hole of the mount - at least that's what happens on AE92 front struts. On that kind of strut there should be no such problem at all when the mount is actually seated. Even if you tighten the nut the mount may be riding too high on the strut shaft. On a bumpy road you will hear noise when the mount momentarily seats and unseats itself. If you put a board down in your driveway and drive over it until you are lucky enough to get the mount to seat, then you can tighten the nut all the way down. If that doesn't work, you may have to take the strut off and recompress the spring. Try to do things so the mount slides down and seats properly. It's hard on the AE92.
Thanks guys! I got some advice from a bass fishing site of all places! They recommended I use my impact wrench! I know that's not the best way to go for torque ratings and all, but by golly it worked! Now my baby is smooth as silk! Thanks for the help as usual. I really love this site!!!!!
Use channel locks to grab the top of the shaft and then tighten.
DO NOT DO THAT! You're making scratches on the smooth chrome surface, two things will happen, 1)corrosion will set in, 2) the scratches will kill the upper seal very fast.
Theres the flat part on top of the strut, thats there to put a spanner to hold the strut still. Some have a allen key hole on the top.
Theres the flat part on top of the strut, thats there to put a spanner to hold the strut still. Some have a allen key hole on the top.
Some have nothing and you don't do it at the very bottom ... you hold it at the top. If your strut is going that far in then you don't have a spring? The very top of the strut doesn't actually go in. As for the corrosion, I think your underestimating the corrosion resistance as think how many rocks ping them
you can also use something with a rubber grip, or a rag which should still give it enough resistance, if not you may need to clean the threads or nut.
If your strut is going that far in then you don't have a spring? The very top of the strut doesn't actually go in. As for the corrosion, I think your underestimating the corrosion resistance as think how many rocks ping them
When you have the rubber boots on, rocks dont "ping" them. I'm not talking about the shock body, I'm talking a bout the chrome rod.
Oh and my shocks do go almost all the way. I had to take out the bumpstops because my car was resting on them. I think if the ride sucks, I'm gonna have to shorten my shocks, but since they're upside down struts its gonna be tricky.
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Impact wrenches can be catastrophic to a car if the user has no idea what he/she is doing tho.
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