Installed illuminas and eibach. I've done struts before.

Short of it is I installed without bumpstops. The stock ones crumbled and the ones I had picked up from napa just in case - didn't fit. So, since I have to drive it, I thought I'd give it a go without them.

Next, I tightened the piston nut before I put the car back down. I could never get it to the torque spec from illumina either before I put the car down or after. Basically, the piston turns with the nut.

When I test drove, I heard tons of rattling. So I opened the hood and compressed the front end - you could see that it was the piston nut banging against the body after compression that was causing the rattle.

I'm guessing, the lack of bump stops is causing that - but think I may have screwed the illuminas. I can't even get the nuts to loosen.

I plan on putting on the bumpstops tomorrow - basically do the job over. But are the illuminas screwed?

And, any suggestions on getting the nuts off - and where to get replacement nuts?

thanks.

 

Your Illuminas should've come with replacements nuts with a washer/bearing in them - That's what I used. You can use some vise clamps and a thick rag to hold the piston itself while you unscrew it from the top.

 

you most likely cross threaded, take out the nut and fix the thread before u do anything else.

 

Silver, I think that's what I'll have to do.

I think that the hole in the top of the strut mount - which is D shaped to match the pistion - has gotten rounded off allowing the piston to spin.

I wonder if the napa strut mounts are crappier than the ones from Nissan . . ..

 

Your shocks/struts should be fine, but checked the threads on the top. Even though they tell you not to clamp the piston, just do like someone said and use a thick rag, or even cut open a clean rubber hose, and use that piece of rubber and a pair of channel grips to hold the piston while you tighten it.

 

thanks.

And please beat ohio state this year will ya . . ..

 

Well are those upper strut mounts genuine Nissan parts? Did you install all of your upper strut components? You did mark it, the fwd position on each side! Kinda sounds like you have Gen 4 strut mounts instead of the Gen 5. The difference is in the fitment around the shaft as well, the Gen 4 strips easily and doesn't allow the strut mount to hold the shaft(get out the shop towel and vise grips)!! Also the 5th gen strut mount shaft hole has a deep stand off bushing design and the 4 gen is flat. The struts are longer on the 5 gen and this and the gen 4 strut mount can cause these prblms

 

The strut mounts are napa - that's likely the problem.

I installed all upper strut components - but no need to mark them since they only fit together one way. (they are marked with an "F" in any event).Everything fits.

I'm pretty sure I have 5th gen mounts. But, I'll look at my 4th gen to see if they are different. I'm not sure I understand your description of a "deep stand off bushing design and the 4 gen is flat."

I did the struts on my 4th gen without problem and the torque spec isn't any higher for the illuminas, but I don't recall if I used nissan or napa mounts. I thought they were napa.

I have ordered new strut mounts from Dave B along with boots and bumpstops. I got the struts somewhat tightened using a lock pliers and a piece of rubber. But, since I need to take them off again anyway to add bumpstops, I'm going to do the job right.

A word of advice for anyone doing struts on a 2k - don't rely on napa parts. Napa is usually pretty good - but they've really caused me a lot of extra work on this relatively simple project. AND the napa bumpstops and boots do not fit. They will be getting a bit of an earful from me.

 

Duplicate thread?

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=543837

 

Yeah - I posted it over there too. Thanks for your help.

 

You're welcome, but the reason I mentioned the duplicate thread is because that kind of behavior is frowned upon here.

 

What I mean about the difference is in the depth of the the "D" shaft hole! On the 4th Gen the "D" hole depth is only 5mm deep, pretty much the thickness of the stamped steel. Where as the 5th Gen is approx. 20-25mm deep, its a boss/stand off design. The tolerence is so much tighter around the strut shaft there is barely any play or backlash when turning the strut mount on the shaft. Now the 4th gen strut mount can turn about 30 maybe 40 degress and this is the part about the 4th gen strut mount that allows it to strip so easily in the "D" shaft hole!