So im removing the stock or w/e struts from my car and i wanted to install springs, so i get to wrenchin and i put the allen head in and begin, and end up stripping the freakin thing!! i need help i do not wanna buy a new strut for more money!! what can i doo so i can continue to install my new springs

Can anyone verify the allen head size that is needed for this top strut bolt? just to make sure and any solutions!?

 

Impact wrench, if it won't go, soak it with PB Blaster first.

 

i dont recommend doing it put get vise grips and grab ahold fo the sturt shaft threw the spring and take off the nut

 

Your best bet would probably be to use an impact gun to spin it off really quickly. I had this same problem replacing my AGX's the other day. I tried for about an hour to get that sob off. It got about halfway and got stuck. I finally had to cut it off with my dremel. Of course if you want to still use the shock, don't do this.

 

i had the problem like a motha when i replaced my rears not long ago. Youll be better off taking the strut assembly off the car (unbolt it from the lower control arm). Put some beefy vise grips on the strut shut (in between the springs), put pb blast on the nut, use a propane torch (use it with sense) on the nut, and use a impact to break it loose. It was the only way to get the nuts off my 368k mile del sol

 

I bent the hell out of my allen wrench when I had to take those off. They get tight! I would follow the above advice, it sounds good.

 

we broke 3 lowering freinds del sol impact for the win, has yet to fail me..

 

thanks guys it helped alot! im going to try to use the vicegrips and see if i can just try to spin the nut of with brut strength! ha.. i asked les schwab if they could just take it off and he said its 90 an hour and for half an hour he would only charge me 45.. its like wtf i could just go buy a new strut lol..... Ill do it this friday so i dont have to rush to put it back on and go somewhere ha! thanks guys!!

 

anyone know the size of the allen head on the top of the strut?

 

I used an impact mine and It didnt hurt a thing.

 

can anyone tell me the allen head size?! ha

 

i dont have a impact

 

impact was like 10 bucks at autozone i just picked one up to take off my rotors

 

To answer you question it's 5mm. If you're not using a T-handle forget it. 5mm t handle hex and a ratcheting wrench mixed with lots of vulgarity has worked on the 16 struts I've done that way. I like those MUCH better than the ones with the flat nipple you have to put vice grips on.

 

yeah i thought it was a 5mm appearently the **** was just so rusted

 

what exactly doe sit look like? and was it just a wrench?

 

for rotors? are talking about a impact screwdriver?

 

idk how the screw driver would help me with a stripped allen head lol

 

PB blast for the win! I love that ish!!

 

Try beating a 5.5mm (do they make those?) or a 6mm in to the top of the strut.

 

If that doesn't work, you can jack up the corner, take a pair of vice grips and grab the strut rod between the springs coils and remove the nut. You'll probably need a second person to help, and you want to make sure the vice grips are as tight as possible. I've had to use that method once.

 

An impact wrench is either Pnuematic or electric, but the electric impact wrenchs arent very powerful. If you use an impact wrench as many have mentioned it will take the nut off without doing any damage. Just spin it in short quick bursts. I used this method when I stripped out the the top of my stock struts to install lowering springs. Heres what an Impact wrench looks like:

 

yeah but an impact wrench is probably alot of money yeah? ha and do you know if a auto zone or something would rent these to you? and are they powered by compressors?

 

Just buy an electric one, it should do the job. Walmart has them for 20 bucks.

 

alright thanks man, helps alot does the wal mart work well?