Stuck strut

[NicholasJackson]

I need some help removing one of my struts. The first one came out easy but this one ive tried everything. Ive tried a socket wrench an air wrech an impact wrench im pretty sure the strut is destroyed but i still want to retreive the bushes and spring.

Whats happening is the nut is spinning the whole shock absorber ive sprayed it with oil and tried clamping the shock but it's too stuck.

Im out of ideas?

Nick.

[NicholasJackson]

Sorry i should mention it's off my 98 parts aspire car and it's the rear strut.

Nick.

[roadkyll]

if you can try clamping a set of vice grips on the shaft. that should hold it. dont know what the access is on aspire struts tho.

[NicholasJackson]

Ok im going to have to buy a set first, i tried pliers but it was just scratching the hell out of the shaft.

I might just have to cut the shaft with a sawzall.

[GenevaDirt]

back in the day , for shocks (strut may be to thick, we would take a socket and an extension and then just pry back and forth....snapping the shock top....nut and all would come off. You are changing it out anyway.

Short of that just take a hacksaw and cut the nut on one side , right up against the strut threads.

[NicholasJackson]

Thanks guys,

yeah i wanted to keep the strut but it's way too stuck to come off in one piece im afraid

[Nerd Racing]

Try cutting just the nut with an angle grinder cutting disk. just don't get too close to the strut rod. I have done that before and was able to then turn the nut off by hitting the cut portion with a chisel and a hammer. or you could cut both sides effectively cutting the nut in half.

[georgeb]

I've never done this procedure on an Aspire but is it possible to cut a screwdriver slot in the top of the stud to hold it? If that doesn't work then cutting the nut near the stud and tapping it in the loosening direction has worked for me.

[hotfordcat]

Go to the McParts Place and buy a nut buster. You will have plenty of chances to use it!!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/items/nut%20buster?_dmd=2&_sop=1

[htchbck]

X2 on both Aaron's and HotFordCat's suggestions. Either should get you results without destroying the strut, just the nut, which are just a little cheaper and easier to replace

[NicholasJackson]

SUCCESS!

Thank you for all the suggestions,

I ended up cutting about a third of the nut off then that relieved the pressure from the strut and the rest of the nut just came off with a socket wrench. The threads are a little messy but that should be ok to fix with my tap and die set.

Nick.

[walth]

depending on how bad the rod is scored (and how far up/down) it's possible it's no good anyway. It will destroy the seal