24mm wrench for top of front struts
 

My left front strut is knocking a bit and based on past experience with the front right it's because I didn't tighten the nuts on the top of the strut enough after installing my Pfadt springs and sways. I only have a 24mm combination wrench and because of that stupid cup, I can't get it on there without rounding off the top corners of the nut. Can't use a socket either because I need to be able to get the Torx bit through the middle.

I stopped at Sears and they had some offset box end wrenches that I think would work, but nothing as big as 24mm. Any regular stores that would sell a single wrench like I need or am I going to have to go online (where?)?

I used a standard craftsman 24mm combo wrench. The enclosed side should have enough offset to hold it.

Impact wrench... If you have that option.

If not, if the car is on the ground the socket may work. It did for me. Get the socket on the and go QUICK... like your trying to pull the table cloth out from under the dishes. Once the nut bites, you should be able to tighten without the inner rod turning.

15/16 standard works just fine also. I would caution against using an impact.

Tightening the top nut should do anything for your knock. The retaining plate doesn't do anything except hold the shock in place when the car is in the air or any similar situation. You might try removing the top nut and retaining plate and enduring the strut nut is tight.

Yea I caution using an impact as well. Doesn't that nut call for 35lbs or something? Not exactly sure. But you don't want to crush the bearing housing.

Is the upper rubber mount (the larger cup shaped piece with the rubber surround) supposed to have the cup facing up or down? Looking at Rogan's thread I fear mine have been upside-down this whole time...

Option A (Cup down, not enough stud to put the cap back on)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8...911_205241.jpg

Option B (Cup up, room for cap but it doesn't really look like the mount does anything then):
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-I...911_205258.jpg

Option B is the correct installation. There needs to be a gap under it for the strut to move. And again it's not a mount, it's a retaining plate. See my post above.

Whew, at least I had that right. Seems like that would allow the whole strut/wheel assembly to free fall up to a quarter inch going over a sufficient bump. I suppose it does need to be able to pivot though, which having the retaining plate upside-down would prevent.

I managed to get the top nut off and removed and reinstalled the strut nut underneath. The nut tightens to a point and then won't go any further so I'm not going to force the issue. Removing and reinstalling this nut on the right side seemed to solve the problem last time so we'll see how this one goes.

Thanks for all the help.

Yeah, like Jaysin said, option B is correct. The bearings are in a rubber housing below that. You want to go easy on the lower retaining nut.

I used this:
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/otc7544.html

it allows you to use a socket wrench on the nut and put the torx down the middle to hold in place.

That is pretty cool!

Make a special wrench. Take a 24 mm socket and weld a plate to it with a square hole broached into it off to the side and drill a hole down the center where the square drive would normally go for a ratchet or extension. With a tool like this you can turn the socket with a ratchet and hold a torx bit that goes down the center with a breaker bar. If anyone wants a picture let me know and I can draw it up. Have built a tool like this to torque expandable pins on a main rotor hub to shaft extension on a UH-60A/L

With the weight of the car sitting on the wheels you should be able to tighten the strut assembly nut (the nut below the reatining plate) and then the nut above the retaining plate with a 24mm deep well socket and nothing else.

This is what I did on my Xa installation.