Top strut nut removal help?! - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

OmniCamaro · 03-03-2017, 10:11 PM

I can't for the friggin' life of me get this damn nut off. I've got the T50 torx bit to hold the shaft but I can't get a good enough grip on the nut with my 24MM wrench, it keeps slipping off. Any advice from those that have done this before?

Thanks!

mma · 03-04-2017, 07:49 AM

i used the box end of the wrench to get mine off. you get the wrench seated first and use the torx bit to hold things in place, might be helpful with 2 people.. could also bake it in some WD40 or any strong lubricant and come back for it later

bad practice ive seen work: use a 24mm socket and hold the strut with vice grips, make sure you have some sort of barrier between the vice grips and strut.. you shouldn't have to resort to that

i'm guilty of breaking a strut before, those things are (not?)sturdy. impact gun is the winner here

Synner · 03-04-2017, 10:48 AM

I use the open end at kinda a weird angle, works fine if you go slow and I've never stripped anything that way.

Olddudesrule · 03-04-2017, 11:27 AM

Removed mine two weeks ago to swap in BC Racing coil overs. Best bet is to use an impact. I did and they came off with no problem. When I reinstalled the nut on the CO, I did it with a 24mm open end and an allen key (BC shaft is keyed for allen wrench, not torx), but that nut is a bitch to turn by hand. Ultimately, used the impact to tighten it up the last few threads.

OmniCamaro · 03-04-2017, 11:49 AM

I dripped some 'break free' on there last night. The impact gun will be my first shot when I get back to it. I tried for about 20 minutes and the angle plus the small height of the nut is the issue. The wrench(brand new $22 chrome from lowes) just kept slipping off. I couldn't keep the wrench flat enough to stay put. If the impact doesn't work I'll ask for help.

Thanks guys!!

OmniCamaro · 03-04-2017, 12:54 PM

Score for the air gun!

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Hilflos · 03-04-2017, 03:22 PM

Congrats, good luck with the rest of the work.

OmniCamaro · 03-04-2017, 03:32 PM

Thanks man. I'm debating on getting a spring compressor or just hitting that last nut with the air gun.

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CamaroFred · 03-04-2017, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OmniCamaro

Thanks man. I'm debating on getting a spring compressor or just hitting that last nut with the air gun.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You should be able to rent one. Some auto parts and rental places have them.

mma · 03-04-2017, 05:43 PM

stock springs arent under much tension, could do w/o a spring compressor, i didn't need to use one personally

OmniCamaro · 03-04-2017, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mma

stock springs arent under much tension, could do w/o a spring compressor, i didn't need to use one personally

I've read that some do, some don't. I'll probably set it up against the back porch so it'll shoot out in the yard, just in case.

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OmniCamaro · 03-04-2017, 09:40 PM

Got em' done! The tension when undoing that last nut isn't bad at all. It popped off maybe a few inches.
Any idea how the hell you're supposed to torque the top nut!? I can't imagine.

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03-03-2017, 10:11 PM	#1
OmniCamaro US Veteran Drives: 2011 Silver Ice Metallic 2SS/RS A6 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bossier City, La Posts: 1,407	Top strut nut removal help?! I can't for the friggin' life of me get this damn nut off. I've got the T50 torx bit to hold the shaft but I can't get a good enough grip on the nut with my 24MM wrench, it keeps slipping off. Any advice from those that have done this before? Thanks! Attached Images __________________ *Dear Lord, give me the strength to carry on despite my Camaro addiction!* JRE iTSX tune, full cat-less Dynatech exhaust, CAI intake, Stillen Slotted/Drilled Rotors, RB braided brake lines, BMR lowering springs, (reserved for definite future MODS)

03-04-2017, 11:27 AM	#4
Olddudesrule Resident nomad Drives: 2014 Summit White 1SS/1LE Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,765	Removed mine two weeks ago to swap in BC Racing coil overs. Best bet is to use an impact. I did and they came off with no problem. When I reinstalled the nut on the CO, I did it with a 24mm open end and an allen key (BC shaft is keyed for allen wrench, not torx), but that nut is a bitch to turn by hand. Ultimately, used the impact to tighten it up the last few threads. __________________ Sold: 2007 Z06 2002 Viper GTS/ACR 2003 Z06 1965 FFR Cobra 2012 Nissan 370Z ADM LSA Stage II, Roto-Fab CAI, Kooks LTH/HFC's, Phastek CC, ported TB, Mishimoto radiator and oil cooler, BC Racing ER Series CO's, JPSS 32mm Black Magic rear bar, JPSS front inserts, R1 Concepts Premier slotted rotors/Goodrich SS lines, Schroth ASM harness, MGW flatstick, Brey-Krause HB, Tuned by NicD, at Cordes Performance Racing.

03-04-2017, 11:49 AM	#5
OmniCamaro US Veteran Drives: 2011 Silver Ice Metallic 2SS/RS A6 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bossier City, La Posts: 1,407	I dripped some 'break free' on there last night. The impact gun will be my first shot when I get back to it. I tried for about 20 minutes and the angle plus the small height of the nut is the issue. The wrench(brand new $22 chrome from lowes) just kept slipping off. I couldn't keep the wrench flat enough to stay put. If the impact doesn't work I'll ask for help. Thanks guys!! __________________ *Dear Lord, give me the strength to carry on despite my Camaro addiction!* JRE iTSX tune, full cat-less Dynatech exhaust, CAI intake, Stillen Slotted/Drilled Rotors, RB braided brake lines, BMR lowering springs, (reserved for definite future MODS)

03-04-2017, 12:54 PM	#6
OmniCamaro US Veteran Drives: 2011 Silver Ice Metallic 2SS/RS A6 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bossier City, La Posts: 1,407	Score for the air gun! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ *Dear Lord, give me the strength to carry on despite my Camaro addiction!* JRE iTSX tune, full cat-less Dynatech exhaust, CAI intake, Stillen Slotted/Drilled Rotors, RB braided brake lines, BMR lowering springs, (reserved for definite future MODS)

03-04-2017, 03:32 PM	#8
OmniCamaro US Veteran Drives: 2011 Silver Ice Metallic 2SS/RS A6 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bossier City, La Posts: 1,407	Thanks man. I'm debating on getting a spring compressor or just hitting that last nut with the air gun. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ *Dear Lord, give me the strength to carry on despite my Camaro addiction!* JRE iTSX tune, full cat-less Dynatech exhaust, CAI intake, Stillen Slotted/Drilled Rotors, RB braided brake lines, BMR lowering springs, (reserved for definite future MODS)

03-04-2017, 07:49 AM	#2
mma Drives: 1LE Join Date: May 2015 Location: California Posts: 267	i used the box end of the wrench to get mine off. you get the wrench seated first and use the torx bit to hold things in place, might be helpful with 2 people.. could also bake it in some WD40 or any strong lubricant and come back for it later bad practice ive seen work: use a 24mm socket and hold the strut with vice grips, make sure you have some sort of barrier between the vice grips and strut.. you shouldn't have to resort to that i'm guilty of breaking a strut before, those things are (not?)sturdy. impact gun is the winner here

03-04-2017, 10:48 AM	#3
Synner Drives: cars Join Date: May 2011 Location: Oversneeze Posts: 4,542	I use the open end at kinda a weird angle, works fine if you go slow and I've never stripped anything that way.

03-04-2017, 03:22 PM	#7
Hilflos Drives: 2015 1SS / RS NPP Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Dayton Ohio Posts: 353	Congrats, good luck with the rest of the work.

03-04-2017, 05:43 PM	#10
mma Drives: 1LE Join Date: May 2015 Location: California Posts: 267	stock springs arent under much tension, could do w/o a spring compressor, i didn't need to use one personally

03-04-2017, 09:40 PM	#12
OmniCamaro US Veteran Drives: 2011 Silver Ice Metallic 2SS/RS A6 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bossier City, La Posts: 1,407	Top strut nut removal help?! Got em' done! The tension when undoing that last nut isn't bad at all. It popped off maybe a few inches. Any idea how the hell you're supposed to torque the top nut!? I can't imagine. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ *Dear Lord, give me the strength to carry on despite my Camaro addiction!* JRE iTSX tune, full cat-less Dynatech exhaust, CAI intake, Stillen Slotted/Drilled Rotors, RB braided brake lines, BMR lowering springs, (reserved for definite future MODS)