Front strut shock removal

[cozyheatdave]

I'm trying to get the shock out of the front strut tube. The manual says to loosen the nut with a special tool. Mine actually has a hex that I can get large pliers on. But, I've tried everything I can think of and can't break anything loose.
Any ideas? What have you done? I'm afraid of collapsing the outer tube with my vice. Something makes me think I'm doing something wrong.

[Orange Rag]

I had the same problem, finally got it off with a pipe wrench. If you look closely there maybe a dimple in the threaded area on the side of the tube. If it has that you will need to drill it out with an 1/8 drill bit and then it should free up. Mine did not have the dimple but I understand some do. I poured pen lube on it for todays and then used the pipe wrench.

[Cobber]

<font size="2"><font face="Comic Sans MS">Mate... large pliers are not the correct tool for dealing with hex heads, try the correct size spanner (wrench to our US friends) if there is a dimple do as Orange Rag suggests then soak the nut with penetrating fluid such as Onox, WD40 RP7 etc. the supporting it in a vice a pipe vice would be best, apply the spanner to the nut if it still doesn't budge give the spanner a good tap with a FBH (f**king big hammer) there are even proper spanners for this called flogging spanners. If you still have trouble getting it to turn using 2 hammers (FMH will do)1 in each hand strike the nut simultaneously from both sides a few times (a well aimed good sharp tap is preferable to wild swings)then try to turn it.</font id="Comic Sans MS"></font id="size2">

80'Triumph TR7, , 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
85'Alfa 90, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100

[FI Spyder]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Cobber</i>

Mate... large pliers are not the correct tool for dealing with hex heads,
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Maybe not the correct tool but it works. Mine came off with a couple of good tugs. Didn't know if I had the dimple, didn't know about it at the time so I didn't check for it.



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[Cobber]

<font size="2"><font face="Comic Sans MS">F1 the trouble is when it doesn't work and the hex is butchered then you can't do it the proper way! Then you have to resort to extreme violence and tools of great barbarity not to mention all the extra time effort, trauma, expense and of course there will be much wailing and gnashing off teeth as well! [:0]</font id="Comic Sans MS"></font id="size2">

80'Triumph TR7, , 73'Land Rover (Ford 351. V8),
'89 Ford Fairlane
85'Alfa 90, 69'Ford F250.
76' Ford F100

[cozyheatdave]

Thanks guys for the tips and help. I find so often that some well used direct heat does wonders.
Some time, WD-40, and some red hot heat did the trick!
Same goes for the ball joints - good and hot and they drop right out.