cant remove front spindle, strut is stuck?
 

i was taking the front strut off of my GSLSE parts car to complete the suspension swap on my SA when i came accross a problem. i have everything except for one thing, the nut that goes on top of the strut and holds the strut in. whenever i try to turn the nut to loosen it the strut turns, the whole cartridge doesnt turn, just the actaul metal piece that the nut is attached to turns in side the cartridge. what can i do to be able to remove the spindle? thanks.

No problem, just buy a short piece of copper tubing about 1" or so in diameter, cut it to 1" lenght and cut a slot in it. Then you can use it with vice grips to hold the shaft while you loosen the nut.

Sanspistons: been there, done that.

Impact Wrench
 

If you are talking about the center nut, you should be able to spin it right off with an impact wrench. I assume you have the spring clamped with a spring compressor? Wouldn't want to lose a forum member.

If you have the spring plate off and you are talking about the big nut that screws into the barrel, isn't that a job for a pipe wrench?

i have throught about putting something inbetween the shaft and vise grips so it wouldnt damage the shaft. i will try something later on today and post the results.

im referring to the nut at the top of the strut tower which holds the strut in place. it would be very easy to remove if the shaft itself didnt spin inside the strut cartridge whenever i tried to loosen it. i dont have the spring clamped, i dont see a need for it. i have everything loose except for this nut. the whole spindle is just hanging there and wont come off till i get this nut loose. the can move the spring around pretty easily so i dont think(and hope) it wont pose any danger for my life when i finally get the nut loose. if it does, ill repost from rotary heaven ;)

normally the stock spring still has tension on it when it isn't supporting the weight of the car. if u can move the spring, then it must be an after market one that is shorter, put on to lower the car and possibly a higher rate, or it was cut to lower the car, otherwise u would need something to compress the spring to keep it from flying apart. i have actually took that nut loose with the car's weight on the spring, then jacking up the car and removing the spring. it works very well. using a rag in vicegrip pliers WILL work also to hold the strut shaft.

Some strut cartridges have an allen head made into the end, or a couple flat sides, just for this very reason. I wish they all had this.
Those that don't, use a rag or piece of an old inner tube and vise grips on the shaft, as close to the top as possible.

Wait.

Do you want to remove the Entire Spindle?

You DON'T remove that nut. Just the 4 nuts on top the two bolts underneith and the arm, Disconnect the Brake line also.

Then push down and pull out from the top. The Shock does not need to be removed. Also the Spring is loaded, You need to use a spring compressor to hold the spring when you pull that nut off. Or you may take your Head off when the hat and spring POP.

i have everything removed so the spindle should just come off freely, but it seems as though the strut may either be rusted into the spindle itself or for some other reason it wont come out. so i need to remove the strut itself to remove the spindle. i am about to go attepmt the vise grip tactic and see what happens. i will post the results.

i got the whole assembly off but now i still cant get that nut off. i tried to use the vise grips and a rag, it just tore the rag and continued to turn no matter how tight i got the vise grips. i need to find a away to get that nut off so i can use the assembly. shouldnt the strut cartridge come out without me removing that nut? if not, then what else would be holding it in the spindle?

Well if you dont care about destroying the strut cartridge then go vise grip on the bare shaft. Otherwise the copper tube trick sounds like a good idea.

Yea if you remove the big nut holding the cartridge in the tube itll all come out and youll have your spindle ready to re-use. One caution, the spring is loaded so use a spring compressor to hold the spring tension so you dont get hurt.

if i remove the pressure from the spring will the nut turn without turning the shaft or will i still need to try to find a way to hold it still?

Use a 1/2 inch Rattler
 

If you don't have an impact wrench, you may have a hard time with this. I have never tried to do this without a rattler, preferably a 1/2 inch. But with the impact wrench, I have never had a problem - always just spun right off.

I had that same problem when I was doing the install on my shock. I tryed just about every method of trying to get it off even sold my sister to a bunch of cuban boat men. NOTHING WORKED. So I just got tired of it and took the whole assembly to a shop and they did it for me in about 2 mins.

GET AN IMPACT GUN NOW!!!!! Borrow, ask, take it too a shop. You need that extra zip to get the nut off without having the insert turning. You will be trying for years the other way...take the advice of myself and other members that have given you the correct info.

An impact gun will not help this. The nut he is talking about is on the top of the cartrage not the nut on the top of the piston. I got mine off by putting the sturt dampner assembly in a bench vise and getting an adjustable visegrip pipe wrench on the nut. The nut is very thin and your going to mar it, but don't worry. I have to say that I lift serious weights and weigh around 250 and this was a bitch to get off. Easy way is to go to a shop and pay one of the guys $20 to take it off.

Oh..that nut....there is a special McPherson strut insert removal tool that I have used on my Rx2....there should be some slots in the nut, or indentations....this is where the tool grabs....try any decent mechanic.

i can get the nut to turn easily, the problem is that when it turns, the shaft for the strut turns also. i have to figure out a way to stop the shaft from spinning while i turn the nut. the only way i hear of so far is the copper pipe, but i still dont fully understand that method.

Take it into a shop, They can compress the spring and zip the nut off with an air tool. I fought with one for an hour one time, Nothing worked. I paid the junk yard extra and took it to the shop at work. Hit it with the air gun and it came right off. you need to put the spring compressor on to hold the spring.


You think this is tuff wait till you get to the one holding the cartrage in. used a 3 foot pipe wrench to get it off and still had to pull hard.

brought back from the dead yes... Jet wanted to make sure I can put the entire assembly in a press upside down and put something in the center and press the damper off the spindle please correct me if I'm wrong

press it off? no need, the dampener is held in by a nut. i used a monkey wrench and a vice to get the nut out. then you can take out the dampener. it comes out easy, but its very messy.

Don't put the assembly in a press. Compress the spring with two spring compressors then impact wrench the top nut off.

http://www.nextag.com/battery-impact.../products-html

ok so take the nut off for the spring, take the cartrige out and spring and the spindle should come off with a couple of downward wacks?

you want to take out the spindle? why?

No whacking sould be required. Please consult the FSM; you can hurt yourself if you don't deal with the spring properly.
Compress spring.
Remove strut cartridge shaft topnut with impact wrench.
lift off top bearing plate and spring.
undo slotted circular nut that holds cartridge inside carrier tube
remove cartridge.
clean all and reassemble.