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Undoing The Locking Nuts On Suspension Tops.

Guest

By Guest,
in General Maintenance

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

Hey guys,

Bought some standard shocks for my 33 gtr, only need the tops off them (couldn't give a stuff about springs/shocks) but for the life of me can't get the nuts undone at the top of the shocks (the ones on the massive thread). Don't want to strip the nuts so does anyone know of any tricks. If all else fails i'll cut the springs to release the pressure on them.

Tried wd40 and such, the nuts slightly turn, but then I realised it's the internal bit of the shock turning with them.

Any tips?

Cheers,

Ash

mad082 Grand Master

mad082

Posted
Posted

get a nice big breaker bar on it and then give sudden pulls on the bar, don't just gently apply pressure as they will turn the whole thing. if you are jerky in your movement you will have more chance in 'cracking' it and getting it undone.

Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
Coil compressors wouldnt be better than cutting the springs as a last resort? :D lol

Yeah tried that too lol. The stock springs are too long for the compressors I have, so did them a bit down at either end and couldn't get enough force on it to relieve the tops. The springs are pretty crappy though anyway so no big loss if they must be destroyed :)

jjman Mentor

jjman

Posted
Posted

hehhe, good luck with that.

I ened up having to hacksaw it off (very very carefully so as not to saw the thread on the top of coilovers).

Breaker bar and the best socket available so you dont round the nuts off and wind up where i was...

V28VX37 Veteran

V28VX37

Posted
Posted
Bought some standard shocks for my 33 gtr, only need the tops off them (couldn't give a stuff about springs/shocks) but for the life of me can't get the nuts undone at the top of the shocks (the ones on the massive thread). Don't want to strip the nuts so does anyone know of any tricks. If all else fails i'll cut the springs to release the pressure on them.

Tried wd40 and such, the nuts slightly turn, but then I realised it's the internal bit of the shock turning with them.

Umm, sorry to ask the obvious but you're holding the top of the strut still (above the nut) whilst trying to undo the nut yeah? Like this (from the coilovers thread):

post-a84646-remove-topnut.jpg

One of my front struts had the top bit cracked so I ended up sawing the strut in half to get the spring out, lol. Had I only had a pair of locking pliers...

I then put the remaining top half in a vice and finally got the top nut off, just in case I need the strut top for something else later on.

Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

Yeah that's the bit mate. Can't find anything grippy enough to hold onto the tiny flat bit at the top of the thread. The whole strut (inner bit) just turns when I undo the nut.

Will give the breaker bar a go, however if that fails then will break out the grinder!

Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
So you're trying to take the top nut off without compressing the springs?

Yes, my compressors are about a coil too short for the standard springs. It wouldn't be worth me buying longer ones, since I couldn't care less about spring integrity and have a grinder on hand.

V28VX37 Veteran

V28VX37

Posted
Posted
Yes, my compressors are about a coil too short for the standard springs. It wouldn't be worth me buying longer ones, since I couldn't care less about spring integrity and have a grinder on hand.

Just compress the middle coils, that should give you enough slack to get the top nut off. I used something similar to the SuperCheap tool and it worked fine on R34 GTT stock springs.

warps Mentor

warps

Posted
Posted

Rattle gun will whip these nuts off.

Some shocks have a D shaped shaft where it passes through the spring perch, which gives you something to stop it rotating. Others have an internal hex which lets you use an allen key (with a ring spanner). Best method tho is a rattle gun. Even if you don't own one, take it to your favourite suspension place and they'll ususally undo the nuts for you for a small fee (probably zero if you ask them nicely, or actuaually ever buy stuff from them). They will also have the spring compression stuff to do it all safely.

Another way to compress the springs is to undo the nut while the struts are still in the car. Then jack it up and remove the whole lot (there are several ways of compressing / jaciking off a stub axle etc to make it easier depending on how hard it is to get the strut out, but that's too much to type coz I'm a lazy bastard)

doo doo Proficient

doo doo

Posted
Posted

+1 taking it too your nearest suspension shop, rattle gun take 10 seconds- you shouldn't take the nut off without compressing the springs in case the stored spring energy which is now suddenly released imbeds the strut top into your skull.

simpletool Mentor

simpletool

Posted
Posted

Compress the spring as much as you can. Put an open end spanner on the nut then get a shifter and grab the top EXACTLY like V28VX37 has given a pic of above. The wrench can be locked from turning on one of the 3 screws.

this will work. BTW, these should come off very easily, they are only to be tightened to 20Nm or some such, not compressed the entire way down the shaft and locked at the end of the thread.

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