Undoing top strut bolt

[sxc_sound]

ok guys, iv got a set of SL springs to drop into the front of my vt, had everything off today last bolt i had was the top bolt in the engine bay, no matter how hard i try, no way in hell is it coming off, wd40 etc has all been tried.

Is it essential to use spring clamps to get that top bolt off? or is it just so stupidly stuck i broke my 3 sidchrome spanners for no reason

[StevenzZ]

hey mate,
i used a shifter to get mine off(was tight but not as tight as yours) make sure you hold the top with a 10mm spanner and then undo the big nut...hope thats what your talking about and hope it helps....

i remember when i did mine i tryd to undo it for ages not realiseing the entire strut was just turning and i couldnt undo it no matter how hard i tried...then i got the 10m to hold the top and worked a treat....

[sxc_sound]

yeah thats what im doing, 10mm on the top one and undoing the lower bigger nut, im having no luck at all. Need to get more leverage some how

[social]

theres a method of using dry ice in a can(you can buy it at auto shops) and u spray it onto the bolt, it gets moisture into the thread on the bolt and help allow it to loosen. Normally use it if wd40 fails. goodluck though.

[Ozzie]

Spring compressors wont help.

Only method you can use if you want to keep the standard shockie is to undo the nut.

As mentioned, a 10mm ring spanner on the top and a 23mm ring spanner for the nut.

Try placing the spanners within hands reach of eachother and using your hand to pry the spanners together.
If that fails try the same method but use a loose vice to pry the spanners together.

[stocky]

15/16 ring spanner on the nut, with another ring spanner connected to the end to give more leverage. cant really describe how you join them together, but hopefully you know. it involves putting the ring end of the second spanner on the open end of the first spanner.

and i used a 10mm impact socket, with a big ratchet/braker bar on the smaller part

[Ozzie]

15/16 ring spanner on the nut, with another ring spanner connected to the end to give more leverage. cant really describe how you join them together, but hopefully you know. it involves putting the ring end of the second spanner on the open end of the first spanner.

and i used a 10mm impact socket, with a big ratchet/braker bar on the smaller part

VT's are a 23mm nut man.
Same basic procedure though

[stroked]

Get your hands on a rattle gun. Once undone, use the spanners.

[Ripcell]

rattle gun may help otherwise get some tube onto the end of your spanner for more leverage

[shiftySLE]

VT's are a 23mm nut man.

15/16 and 23 are as close too each other as you'll get so they will both work. Its like 1/2" next to a 12mm, if the nut is in good condition, then they will both work on a 12mm nut.

[sxc_sound]

got them off, thanks for the help everyone, got the ones holding the spring in aswell, put spring compressors on and seemed to help, dont ask me how lol

so 3 corners are lowered currently, one last corner and she will be sitting pretty

[Tom_1569]

got them off, thanks for the help everyone, got the ones holding the spring in aswell, put spring compressors on and seemed to help, dont ask me how lol

so 3 corners are lowered currently, one last corner and she will be sitting pretty

Using the spring compressor takes all the tension the springs are putting on the top plate and bolts etc. The first thing I do once the strut is removed is to compress the spring, it saves it shooting out at you under the tension its got.

[anarklov3r]

Is it essential to use spring clamps to get that top bolt off? or is it just so stupidly stuck i broke my 3 sidchrome spanners for no reason

Cant help you with your problem, but you've gotta love sidchromes lifetime warranty on all of there tools against breaking

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The best way to undo that nut is to keep the car on the ground so the weight is on it. That holds the bush still while you undo the nut. Sometimes it doesn't work if it is really really tight.

The only other way to do it is to hold the strut with a 10mm spanner and undo the nut. This can round off the top of the strut though.

If it is out of the car already, another method requires two people. One to hold the bush with multi grips while the other undoes the nut.