A6 front top mount nut spinning - how do I get it off?
Discussion
Impact gun will knock them off 9/10 times. Failing that a spark plug socket with a spanner to turn it and an allen key down the centre should work fine.
Last resort and failing the above, you can hold the shaft with a pair of good vice grips with something in the teeth to prevent scoring of the shaft. Leather or rubber works fine.
They're a bit of a bear to do out of the car. I normally break them loose when they're still located then disassemble when removed.
Last resort and failing the above, you can hold the shaft with a pair of good vice grips with something in the teeth to prevent scoring of the shaft. Leather or rubber works fine.
They're a bit of a bear to do out of the car. I normally break them loose when they're still located then disassemble when removed.
Thanks for the advice everyone, getting there I think. I found a socket with a cutout on eBay specially for this, so that's on its way. I tried a slightly knurled socket with some grips but not budging. Will try clamping the top mount and then impact gun too. Soaking in penetrating fluid every now and again...
TwinKam said:
Sets of 'drive-through' sockets available which are ideal for this sort of thing, grab a set cheaply when you see them at Lidl etc. The ratchet drives around the outside of the socket allowing you to pass a holding hex or torx bit through the centre into the strut.
This. Cheap tools from Lidl are what you need when dealing with suspension springs...
The Aldi/Lidl tools are usually fairly decent stuff. They’ll be TuV approved which is more than can be said from the tat you can buy at a market stall, eBay or Amazon marketplace. Though the pictured set doesn’t look near big enough.
An impact wrench is the easiest way if you’re not going to reuse the strut. I would not use an impact gun on a strut that is going to see further use - not convinced it’s good for the internals or the top of the strut shaft itself. And many struts specifically say not to use an impact gun. Having seen what happens when a strut shaft breaks at the top when on the road it’s a risk not worth taking.
An impact wrench is the easiest way if you’re not going to reuse the strut. I would not use an impact gun on a strut that is going to see further use - not convinced it’s good for the internals or the top of the strut shaft itself. And many struts specifically say not to use an impact gun. Having seen what happens when a strut shaft breaks at the top when on the road it’s a risk not worth taking.
The hollow/pass-through sockets are a good recommendation, I use a Halfords set, so have a look at those if you prefer.
And yes, put spring compressors on it first. Not all struts have a long enough spring on them that they will relieve all the tension before the nut runs out of thread, and if you're not 100% certain, you don't want to find out the hard way.
Ignore the comment about not needing penetrating oil because it's a nyloc nut- while yours doesn't look too bad, I'd always recommend using a small wire brush to clean up any visible threads and giving it a soak with penetrating oil (PB Blaster is excellent), and generally doing everything I can to ease the loosening of the nut, because the internal hex you'll be using to hold the shaft in place with isn't always the most resilient, and if you chew that up, the job is a lot less fun.
Note that, while on your strut it's likely fine, be very careful about using an impact gun to just bang off the nut if it rotates the shaft a lot in doing so - some strut designs have a screw joint internally on the other end of the shaft, and causing this to unscrew will effectively scrap it. Not a problem if you're replacing the strut, but an expensive mistake if you're only pulling it out to fix something else!
And yes, put spring compressors on it first. Not all struts have a long enough spring on them that they will relieve all the tension before the nut runs out of thread, and if you're not 100% certain, you don't want to find out the hard way.
Ignore the comment about not needing penetrating oil because it's a nyloc nut- while yours doesn't look too bad, I'd always recommend using a small wire brush to clean up any visible threads and giving it a soak with penetrating oil (PB Blaster is excellent), and generally doing everything I can to ease the loosening of the nut, because the internal hex you'll be using to hold the shaft in place with isn't always the most resilient, and if you chew that up, the job is a lot less fun.
Note that, while on your strut it's likely fine, be very careful about using an impact gun to just bang off the nut if it rotates the shaft a lot in doing so - some strut designs have a screw joint internally on the other end of the shaft, and causing this to unscrew will effectively scrap it. Not a problem if you're replacing the strut, but an expensive mistake if you're only pulling it out to fix something else!
I'd also avoid an impact gun if possible. Remember that Torque = force x radius, Once you have the spring compressed safely, the nut will undo if you offer enough force & the easiest way is to use a breaker extension of some kind. In the photo I posted above, you can see I used an extension on the allen key. It was enough to get the bolt moving & outside f danage to the assembly, it will work on any similar strut.
A couple of days soaking with bulldog BDX and impact gun set to 100NM, and one's off! Thanks chaps for all the advice. Pass through socket still on it's way which I might use on the other one, waiting for some new top mounts before putting the first one back together. (a whilst I'm in there job)
Will be interesting to see how the new Bilsteins feel once I've got them in.
Feeling very pleased with myself.
Will be interesting to see how the new Bilsteins feel once I've got them in.
Feeling very pleased with myself.
Got them from Amazon, £41. They seem super safe as I was a bit worried and this is a test run for doing my Cayenne.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MI4MWRA?psc=1&r...
Brand is neilson.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MI4MWRA?psc=1&r...
Brand is neilson.
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