I'm sure the answer is out there somewhere and normally I do a search first, but for some reason when I try searching I get fatal exception errors...

Anyway, I'm replacing my springs/struts and currently have one of the rear struts off. When I try to loosen the top hat bolt, the bolt and strut shaft just keep spinning. I've tried doing this both while the spring is compressed and uncompressed with no difference in the result. Does anyone know what to do?

Thanks in advanced!

 

clamp the top of the strut itself (not the shaft but the actual tip right above the nut) with a set of vise grips and turn the nut with a wrench.

 

Good call. That worked like a charm. Thanks!

 

and for the front, take a long screwdriver and place it between one of the studs and the shaft (ie left side of the shaft running to the right side ofone of the studs). you can use a ratchet on the front. same process for tightening. and never try to take that nut off of an uncompressed spring.

 

Thanks for the extra info. I already had the fronts done though.

 

When putting it back together, how do you torque the piston rod lock nut in the rear? Or just by hand until it's threaded good? Cos the rear piston spins when I try to tighten it.

Car is on jack stands, wheels are off. I'm trying to tighten it on the vehicle. The struts are bolted to the vehicle.

I'm trying to tighten it, not loosen it.

 

For the rears, as I tightened the nut, it just threaded up to a certain point and then started spinning again. It seemed to be tight enough at that point so I just left it as is. I didn't want to try clamping the ends of the illuminas since Tokico claimed that the damping level adjuster is pretty sensitive.

 

I have this problem on my 98 Max on the front struts. I replaced the stock struts with KYBs but didn't replace the insulator. Now I'm trying to do that finally (its noisy) and I can't get the tophat nut off. the piston simply spins and there is no way for me to grap the piston to keep it from spinning so I can remove the nut. There's got to be some special tool that will allow me to grab the flat on the piston to hold it while some skinny 17mm socket will allow me to remove the nut.

 

Mine are Tokico blues which are not adjustable, so not so worried about clamping anything to the end

I succeeded .... To prevent the piston rod from spinning, I used an adjustable jaw wrench (vice grips would work too). To tighten the lock nut, I used a crow-foot 14mm socket fitting with a torque wrench to tighten to spec.

 

Impact guns work great too.

 

SHAFT SPIN EATS DAMPERS.



This has been a public service announcement.

 

TELL THAT TO THE FRONT STRUTS WHOSE SHAFT TURNS WHEN THE WHEELS ARE TURNED

 

 

Okay, a little twist here and there won't be a bad thing. The point is that you shouldn't let it spin too much when you're cranking at it with a wrench or an impact gun.

 

If you can't get the nut tightened fully, wait until you set the car back down on the ground and then tighten the nut the rest of the way on the rear struts

 

haha...if you want to overtorque and break something.

 

I should clarify my statement - use an impact wrench for removing the old nut in lighting fast time when you are going to pitch the shocks like I was. Use an adjustable wrench to hold the end while you turn the nut with an open-ended wrench otherwise.

 

that sounds better.

 

Are you guys holding on to the threaded part when tightening the nut, or are you holding on to the very tip of the smooth piston shaft? I had this same problem with Tokico Illuminas, and I didn't want to grab the thread for fear of breaking the adjustment screw/smashing the threads, also I didn't want to grab the smooth part because I heard nicks in the smooth metal can break the piston's seal, but the shocks don't compress THAT far do they?

 

-3yrz old

 

NerdManXdx

yooo dit it work by (clamp the top of the strut itself (not the shaft but the actual tip right above the nut) with a set of vise grips and turn the nut with a wrench.) i got he same problem going on and i cant put my tiens on the R soo i whan to know pm plz asap oo and how you actuly did it thanks

 

Why would he PM you? Who knows if he's even going to look at the thread. Just leave him a message...

Newbs always wanting things done for them.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

yea im looking at it all the time cuz i whan to take my stock springs out im sick of looking at my max like a f**king srt4 soo yea i whan to know how to take them off whit out f**king up something