Removing top hats

Memitim · Post by **Memitim** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:55 pm

Removing the strut mount is a severe pain in the ass while the strut is laying on the bench because of having to twist the wrench one way and the ratchet the other as the rest of the strut swings about like a club. Therefore, I am entertaining the idea of loosening the nut while the strut is in the car and then finishing the removal after I have the strut out and the spring compressed. Obviously I wouldn't be removing the nut (ouch), just breaking it loose and turning it a couple threads so that when the spring is compressed, it should be very easy to finish unthreading.

It seems safe enough to me since the nut will still be fully threaded but given that every time I read anything about pulling a strut apart it is accompanied by dire warnings like, "THE SPRING WILL MURDER YOUR FAMILY," I figured I'd run the idea by you fine folks first.

gtxtreme19 · Post by **gtxtreme19** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:38 pm

Read this

It might help some

Memitim · Post by **Memitim** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:53 pm

Man, that is really tempting to try. I dunno if I'm comfortable with having the axle shoved into the ground like that, but it seems like it is at least safe enough to loosen the nut in place before pulling the strut.

Mopar_Korean · Post by **Mopar_Korean** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:57 pm

Just rent the spring compessor from autozone and then remove the top hats. You should be able to compress the spring while the struts are in the car. Just be careful.

Then do the sparkplug scoket, 1/4" drive ratchet and open end wrench trick above.

gtxtreme19 · Post by **gtxtreme19** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:25 pm

Yeah I would never try that I used the compressor when installing muh lowering springs but popping the top hat bolts can be done on the car.
PS I snapped 5 extension on this so pb blaster is a must

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:02 am

I used spring compressors and broke all of the top hat nuts loose with an impact wrench. The second time I changed my suspension it only took about 3 hrs start to finish.

OB · Post by OB » Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:59 pm

There is nothing wrong with loosening up the top nuts while they are installed. Just don't drive with them loose and you'll be fine. It's a good idea, especially for cars with rust and a lot of miles.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:07 pm

Tho there is still no guarantee that the rod will not turn. I have tried that in the past, and the rod still had to be held to break the nut loose.

OB · Post by OB » Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:08 pm

occasional demons wrote:Tho there is still no guarantee that the rod will not turn. I have tried that in the past, and the rod still had to be held to break the nut loose.

If you use the proper tool, there is absolutely no reason why you'd have to hold the rod.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:14 pm

She was busy.

OB · Post by OB » Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:17 pm

fixitmattman · Post by **fixitmattman** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:58 pm

OB wrote:If you use the proper tool, there is absolutely no reason why you'd have to hold the rod.

I would love to see the "proper tool" where I don't have to hold a strut rod. Salt, rust, they seize up like a mofo to the point where even the strongest impacts won't touch it. Hell, last time I needed a large pipe wrench on the shaft and a 24" breaker bar with he-man force just to break the nut last time. Before that I had broke a few sockets and extensions using the typical method in the haynes manual. Previously they were last instaleld by me hand snug, using the haynes method, and coated in grease.

NB: only use the pipe wrench method if the struts you're disassembly will never see vehicle ues again.

Chances are, at the least, you will need to have to hold the strut rod.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:17 pm

I think he was kidding.

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:06 am

I guess I'm the only one that had ZERO issues getting my nuts off...

The first time I did it by hand using the ghetto home made tool method and it kind sucked but it worked just fine... After that I used a quick burst from an impact wrench while they were still on the car just to crack them loose and that worked fine.

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:09 am

First time I did it I traveled a town or two over and met mine with a torch to soften everything up. 115k took its toll on those things. After that, it was the wackass hand-rigged wrench tool and it was always fine. Although coils are much easier to work with ;]

OB · Post by OB » Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:40 pm

heh mine were anti-seized at like 10K miles. Along with EVERY other bolt that has been removed on the entire vehicle.

I can do my strut rod nuts by hand, with the 1/4" dr. 10mm/13/16"spark plug socket/open-end wrench tool.

SRT_coupe · Post by **SRT_coupe** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:42 pm

my struts had 60k on them and i had to use a impact and grab the rod right under the top hat with vise grips