ive got the strut and spring assembly out of the car replacing my strut mounts. got spring compressers on and trying to undo the bolt at the top but it and the pole just keep spinning. i tryed holding it with some vice grips, got them on there as tight as i possibly could and no dice. it was still spinning. what are some tricks you guys use to get this damn bolt off? thanks

oh and i also sprayed it with some wd40 but that didnt seem to help either.

 

Take the pressure off of the spring compressor and try to loosen the nut, move it back and ahead a couple of times, spray some WD on it while doing this. BE CAREFULL NOT TO TAKE IT COMPLETELY OFF. Put the spring compressors back on and it should come off with the assistants of the vice grips.

 

Very important u have to compress the spring first this is very very important because if you get to loosen the nut the top part its going to fly and probably hit you because the spring is already compressed also you may need to use 2 wrenches one to hold the shaft probably a 10mm and a 14 mm one to lose the nut

 

thanks for the quick replies. i tryed using the wrenches to hold it like u said maximus, but i dont have any big enough (theyre not 10 and 14mm). and i tryed loosening the pressure from the spring compressors and holding it with vicegrips like u said nlmax, but it still just spun. im not even positive that strut mounts are my problem. and having to be someplace in a couple hours ive devised a plan that while i have the strut/spring out of the car....ill jack up the other side and take that sides out too...then swap sides...and if the sound swaps sides its got to be the strut mounts, if not...then i dunno whats causing the problem.

 

the fronts are easier than the backs....What i did was actually loosened the bolt VERY LITTLE while it was STILL ON THE CAR. The weight of the car will be conpressing the shock making it hard to turn therefore easy for you to take off the bolt. The back on the other hand is a different story. Goodluck on that one..

 

yea not doin the back anyhow. i probably wont get to this again until friday or saterday. but thanks for the info! ill try it out.

 

my GOD!! I was in that same boat on Saturday, man. Pass side nut kept spinning and was rotating the entire strut shaft with it. NOTHING worked. vice grips, C-clamps, nothing could get a good grip on it. I ended up clamping down the spring nice and tight with my compressors, and taking a hacksaw to the strut shaft. When I finally cut through it, the strut shaft popped out a little, but nothing drastic. I had it pointed away from me toward a concrete wall. Yes, i know that that was pretty dangerous, but I was away from home and needed to get the job done! Good luck with whatever you try.

 

I don't think that you can swap sides with the struts/springs.as the mounts for the brake lines, and abs sensor wire are on the opposite side. As for taking off the struts, i found that an impact wrech worked the best to take off that top bolt.

 

Just Dont Use Vice Grips To Put On The New Struts!!!!!

 

yea i thought of that just as i was about to take the driverside off...so i didnt do it.

huh? im not putting on new struts...just mounts

 

well if u used vice grips on the rod then u just ruined the strut i hope ya know.....

 

nah theres not any marks or anything. i put a rubber glove in between for better grip and to try n protect it from scratching it or anything.

 

If you tried and couldn't get the bolt off, the last thing to try is to put it back on the car, put back on the tire and lower the car to the ground. As one orger said above, break it loose (NOT take off) while the car is on the ground.

 

yep thats my plan! i made the mistake the first time i ever changed struts of undoing that bolt while the assembly was still on the car....that was not fun...to say the least...

 

You can swap sides. You just have to turn the strut. Just think about what you guys are saying.

"I can't get the top bolt off before the strut is spinning" Well if the top mount and the strut spins, guess what? Heh, if can be swapped to either side....-= 0

 

X 2. When my strut mounts went this was the only thing that would get it off, I tried everything just as you described. If you don't have one just take it to Pep Boys or some other place that installs shocks/struts, they'll be able to get it off with no problems.

Mine was on the passengers side too.

 

Yes I am sure that you can physically swap sides, but the bracket for holding the brake line will also be on the opposite side too then. which increases the chance of pinching the brake line.

 

ohhh...never thought about that....good point tho..

 

Try using an inpact wrench (air or electric)

 

umm sooo the wieght of the car doesnt do anything for me....rod still spins with the nut....what do you think i should do? take it to pepboys and see if they can get it loose with an impact gun for me?

 

this is what you do..i just did two suspensions iin the last 3 days..this is the trick...take a dirty towel and put it around the pole of the strut...then vice grip dat sucka real goood...then use a breaker bar and the necessary socket and it will come out that is what i did...make sure your spring compressors are holding the springs caz if they arent say BYE BYE right eye....and get a can of PB Blaster and use on the nut (pause)..let me know