Defeated

"facw" (facw) 05/02/2020 at 19:19 • Filed to: None

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By a nut that won’t come off 

3 out of four corners of my shock strut replacement went well (or at least appeared to, I suppose I could drive it and everything could fall off/explode). However, on the passenger side strut, the top nut attaching it to the knuckle  didn’t want to come off (I got it eventually), and the bottom nut really didn’t want to come off. While I wasn’t able to remove the nut, I did manage to do a pretty nice job mangling it with my breaker bar (I think there’s still enough left to hammer on an impact socket and get some purchase , but A . my impact is clearly not up to the task, and B. I’m terrified that if I get it on, I won’t be able to get either the socket or the bolt off).

In any event I’ve hit it with some penetrating oil and will see if that helps overnight, but I’m thinking I may just have to take it to my mechanic and ask them to fight with the nut and then replace the nut and bolt with new ones. I’m sure they have better tools/toys for that sort of thing.

VincentMalamute-Kim > facw 05/02/2020 at 19:36

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They have heat. I have o xy/acet.  They may have inductance.

InFierority Complex > facw 05/02/2020 at 19:54

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dumpsterfire! > facw 05/02/2020 at 20:00

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I’ve been known to use a grinding wheel on a dremel to make the hex head shape again, but a little smaller

TorqueToYield > dumpsterfire! 05/02/2020 at 20:06

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orrrr if you’re getting the dremel out just cut through the whole thing and replace it after.

dumpsterfire! > TorqueToYield 05/02/2020 at 20:19

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That ends up being the next step more often than not

facw > TorqueToYield 05/02/2020 at 21:08

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Yeah, this nut is not going back on to the car in any event (and probably neither will the bolt), so I am not opposed to solutions that involve further destruction, but I’m not equipped for most of them (I do have a D remel, but I haven’t used it in ages, so I’m not even sure it will hold a charge).