Strut removal

[SetofAces]

OK,

I feel like an idiot for posting this, but does anyone have an easy method for removing the nut on top of the strut? I'm fairly sure it'd come right off with an impact gun, but I don't have one, so I bought a large crescent wrench and tried turning it while holding the bolt with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. I've already bent half of my screwdrivers and I'm getting annoyed . . . I hate getting stuck on stupid sh** like this. I suppose there is some sort of special tool for this?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Impact is the best.

Another method is to hold the top with a screwdriver like so and then use an adjustable wrench on the shaft to hold it.

Then with the crescent wrench on the nut, HIT the wrench with quick short blows rather than trying to just turn it off.


That method works with a lot of bolts. The quick short taps helps break bolts loose a lot easier than just sitting there with a breaker bar putting your weight on it. That way just tends to round the nut or snap the head off.

 

[rwood126]

Impact gun....

You"ll never get it with a wrench.

 

[Ocalafox]

1/2" Electric Impact Wrench, Harbor Freight, $49 well worth it, worked on my struts.

 

[90lxcoupe]

if you dont have an impact gun you could try an impact hammer, but impact gun FTW

 

[Strype]

I used a sawzall once a couple of years ago.

 

[HISSIN50]

Impact can damage the strut (if you're reusing yours or you need a means to install your new ones).

You can buy a leverage (pry) bar at the parts stores. They're like a long HD screwdriver with an angled tip. I put one of those sideways in the strut's groove (so the bar is horizontal with the ground. For leverage). Then use a box end wrench on the nut itself.