How to remove strut nut without an impact

[Syy0628 13]

Hi,

I am changing my strut mounts on my e36, but I can't undo the nut that hold the mount to the shock shaft. Is there any workaround without using the special socket or impact?

Thanks

[Eagle 1662]

Guessing they have a deep hole?

Rubber hose etc around the shaft and clamp it with vice grips or tube socket clamped with vice grips and allen key thru the middle of the socket (does require one a long one quality one) 

[M3AN 4016]

If you have a spark plug socket that fits you can use a spanner on the external hex end of that and an allen key though the middle.

 

[Mikan 173]

Late to the party here, but is this what you need? Happy to post for you to use if so (realise it was probably more time sensitive than this would be useful for). 

[Syy0628 13]

On 6/11/2018 at 3:58 PM, M3AN said:

If you have a spark plug socket that fits you can use a spanner on the external hex end of that and an allen key though the middle.

 

Seen this method on multiple forums, but My spark plug socket does not have a hex end. but thanks for the tip

Edited June 12, 2018 by Syy0628

[Syy0628 13]

3 hours ago, Mikan said:

Late to the party here, but is this what you need? Happy to post for you to use if so (realise it was probably more time sensitive than this would be useful for). 

Is it a 22mm?  I am still looking for a solution. It will be nice if I can borrow it for a day or two.  

Edited June 12, 2018 by Syy0628

[M3AN 4016]

If the car is mobile you're more than welcome to come to my place and try my toolkit. I also have an electric impact.

Ellerslie.

 

[Jacko 2157]

I have one of these https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben-parts/strut-nut-socket-22mm/003046sch01a-04/ if you wanna borrow it, can leave in my letterbox or something. 

[Syy0628 13]

16 minutes ago, Jacko said:

I have one of these https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben-parts/strut-nut-socket-22mm/003046sch01a-04/ if you wanna borrow it, can leave in my letterbox or something. 

It will be awesome if I can use it, I have an exam on Saturday, so I am not going to work on my car before that. Can I borrow it on Sunday? thanks in advance.

[Jacko 2157]

8 minutes ago, Syy0628 said:

It will be awesome if I can use it, I have an exam on Saturday, so I am not going to work on my car before that. Can I borrow it on Sunday? thanks in advance.

Yeah no worries, flick me a PM, am in south auckland. 

[qube 3570]

Really proud of our forum seeing this thread.

We have a new member here, very little posts, but already made a nice little contribution post to the other newbie asking about first car in the other thread and also managed to get offers for help from complete strangers on this forum with lending tools and advise.

What a stark contrast to.. 

[Olaf 3318]

Something that people often overlook in this instance:  An offset ring spanner can also help!  Doesn't work in all instances, though you may have a set of offset ring spanners languishing in your workshop...

[Eagle 1662]

Yeah at least with the early E34's and E30's  you could use an offset ring. These later model cars with these deep mounts makes it impossible.

Either way ive never used the above socket but can see how it would make the job a lot easier for some

[Jacko 2157]

3 hours ago, Eagle said:

Yeah at least with the early E34's and E30's  you could use an offset ring. These later model cars with these deep mounts makes it impossible.

Either way ive never used the above socket but can see how it would make the job a lot easier for some

Theyre not perfect, as you only get half turn by half turn as the allen key/cut out interferes, but it works

[Syy0628 13]

So, borrowed the socket from Jacko, but still unable to loosen the nut. I fear any more force will break my tox bit. I think the reason is that my coil spring compressor can't fully remove the pressure on the top hat. My Spring compressor only fit onto the middle 3 coil of the spring, I have compressed them to a point where they are almost touching, but there is still no sign of loosening at the top.

The remaining pressure is just from the top coil of the spring, I am going to soak the nut in lubricant and see what happens tomorrow. 

[M3AN 4016]

How many compressors are you using? Should be two.

And yeah, you really need them on coils closer to the ends of the springs... can't you throw up a picture of where you're at?

 

[Jacko 2157]

Yeah throw up a pic of your spring compressor setup, sounds much more difficult than it should be.

[Syy0628 13]

Okay, so this the setup. I can only get it the fit on the spring like this. I have done it on Subaru before, but this one is just not coming off.

[zero 1162]

I'm in Otahuhu if you want to bring it by and I can take the nut off with my rattle gun.

[M3AN 4016]

Spring compressors look fine, maybe the left one could be tighter but I suspect you've tried that.

Am also happy to try and help out if required.

 

[Syy0628 13]

Everything on this car is super hard to take off,  and I can't understand. The strut on normal car should fall off once the nut is loosen at the top, but this one I have to hammer it for 10 minutes before I can wiggle it out. And last time it took me four days to get the driveshaft off, every bolt and nut is a fight.

Anyway, I really appreciate everyone's help. I am a bit busy at the moment, and the weather is sh*t, so I am going to leave it, and revisit it during weekend. 

Another question, I see the damper I have now have what appears to be m3 style swaybar end link bracket. Will e46 drop link fit on it？ I always wanted to reduce the body roll a little bit without losing too much ride quality, and most importantly with very little budget.  I plan to use e36 6cylinder front swaybar with e46 endlink. Have anyone done it before?

Thanks.

Edited June 20, 2018 by Syy0628
typo

[M3AN 4016]

Not sure if the links are the same length - if so then yes you could use e46 links.

But, unless you already have the e46 links lying around, you might as well get e36 M3 links.

e36 links are 231mm from centre of one ball joint to the centre of the other.

[Syy0628 13]

On 6/20/2018 at 12:52 PM, M3AN said:

Spring compressors look fine, maybe the left one could be tighter but I suspect you've tried that.

Am also happy to try and help out if required.

 

 

I gave it another try today, I changed the spring compressors to a few different spots to reduce pressure at the top hat as much as possible. But it still would not come off, probably the previous garage who changed the strut used the impact gun on it for too long? I took the strut to a few garages near me, but can't settle a deal for less than a shop hour, they all want to charge me the standard price for a strut mount change just to undo the nut despite they don't have any customer because of the heavy rain. 

I saw a cheap Chinese made a corded 12v impact on a facebook group for $60 with a quoted torque rating of 350nm, I wonder if that thing can zip it off? Would it damage my hand tool socket if I just use it with impact for once?

 

Edited June 25, 2018 by Syy0628

[M3AN 4016]

Wow. Did you tell them you were a cash customer and didn't need an invoice?

Either way, It's difficult to know if an electric impact of any description would be enough or that you could hold the shock shaft still enough to get your specific nut off. A shop would probably try once or twice then go straight to heat.

As for using non-impact sockets - not advisable but still possible for something like this. I don't have impact sockets in most sizes and good quality normal sockets work fine, I just wouldn't beat on them time and time again.

 

[Jacko 2157]

You can get away with running a rattle gun on a single hex non impact socket a few times, normally just beats up the 1/2" drive square on the top, doing it on a multihex (like the one I lent you) will kill it pretty quick and has the chance of rounding off the nut and making it even more of a mare  

 

Tried soaking it in WD40 and cooking it up good with a heatgun?

 

I have a ryobi impact driver from bunnings, wasnt expensive (under 2 hundy from memory) and it has saved the day more than once, worth the money. If you are still stuck by the weekend bring it around Ill have a go (and that way I break my tool and not you ) 

Edited June 25, 2018 by Jacko
good england