1998 Sentra Strut Replacement Problem

[tenn1]

I’ve got the front strut out and when I attempt to remove the strut dampernut with a socket the whole damper shaft turns – I am locking in position the mount while I’m doing it like the manual says and I’ve got spring compressor ready to go once I loosen the damper nut. I’ve got the factory manual and a Haynes manual and neither mention even the possibility of this happening much less how to overcome it. There is no way to replace the strut until I get this nut off. The nut is recessed in the strut mount so there’s no way I could get a open wrench on it while holding the damper rod.

Could I hold a pipe wrench on the damper shaft and turn the nut or is the polished shafttoo smooth to do that?

Anyone ever had this problem when doing struts or shocks?

98 Sentra

[carmo]

Be damn careful not to back that nut off too far without those spring compressors on there. That being said; it sounds like your getting rid of that strut anyway so a pipe wrench sound good or a pair of vise grips may work too. Thats about all I can think of right now. At work I usually put the assy. in the wall mounted compression tool, clamp the spring pressure down and hit the nut with a snap-on impact and that always does the trick. Unless you have those things that was a pointless comment. Goodluck

[tenn1]

The thing that confuses me is that if the replacement nut on the new strut is to be torqued to the required 45 ftlb or so what is to prevent the damper rod from turning when I try to torque that nut on also?

[carmo]

Good question. Your a better man than me. I never knew there was a torque spec. on those things. Haha! That sounds "shadetree" i know but maybe once they are on the car and off the jack you can loosen and retorque. Thanks for pointing out the fact that I'm a halfass. Hahaha goodluck

[tenn1]

Well Carmo, here's what I did. I took your advice and tried a pipe wrench and the damper shaft was too slick for that, then I put a vise grip wrench on and it held pretty good and I was able to get the nut off. yahoo. Well I still had the problem of putting a nut on the new strut without the damper rod turning. So, while installing the spring and strut mount to the new strut I put the new bump stop/bellows over the damper rod but did not install it into the strut mount. I then put the vise grip at the very top end of the damper rod - an area that will never go into the strut - and installed the strut mount. I wasn't able to get the 45 ftlb I was looking for probably due to worn out vise grips but I got pretty close and all slack was taken out. After that I pushed the bump stop/bellows up into the strut mount with a screw driver and it seated fine. The nut is a nyloc nut which makes me feel better and I'll keep an eye on it to make sure it's ok over time.

I'm still mystified as to how the rest of the world out there achieves this 45 ftlb called for in the manuals without the rod turning on them.

Larry

[MaximA32]

I'm still mystified as to how the rest of the world out there achieves this 45 ftlb called for in the manuals without the rod turning on them.

Air tools.

[carmo]

Airtools. At the shop we have special tool used to keep struts from falling down while you put the springs on. Apparently on some struts this is a problem. I suppose you could use that thing to hold the strut rod, I don't know if it will get tight enough.