I tried putting my springs on yesterday, but I couldn't get the nut off the struts on the front. I don't have a compressor, so I can't use an impact wrench. The strut shaft, top mount and assembly all move independently so I can't keep everything from spinning to create enought force to break the nut.

any suggestions, or I'm I SOL with out an impact wrench?

 

when i did mine I used just elbow greese.... if i remember right the nut u are talking about isn't supposed to move... try putting a wrench on the spinning nut to take the bolt off...u might need a buddy though

 

You shouldn't need to use an impact wrench on anything on the car--Mostly they just strip bolts, or fly off and gouge paint.

You need a torque wrench. You can find a good one at Sears for $60.00, or an OK one for about 30-40.

Or, you should be able to rent one from a local hardware/home improvement store.

You CAN remove it with elbow grease--But I broke a cheap socket wrench doing it that way, and it's really not safe to not return the nuts to proper torque.

 

I do have a 1/2" drive torque wrench, but that wouldn't help me get the nut off. If it is possible to get the nut off, without an impact wrench, how do you keep the strut shaft from spinning with the nut? I could hold the assembly tight and try and loosen the nut, but the entire shaft was spinning (part that nut is threaded onto).

I should also note that the dealer ship installed my TRD springs and Struts, which makes me think they put that nut back on way too tight.

 

Are you talking about the two big nuts that hold the strut and the lower arm together? or the nut on the top of shock tower that is covered by the rubber piece?

 

that one

 

if its the two bolts on the bottom, you need to loosen the bolt and not the nut. the nut has teeth and wont move.

if its the one on the top, the shock nut, i think you need an allen wrench to hold the spinning part while you loosen the nut.

when i did it on mine, i didnt have to use the allen wrench, it just came out, but the direcdtions i had did say to use an allen wrench to keep the shock piston (i thinkt thats what its called) from turning...hope that helps

 

The tie rod bolt is the one with the allen wrench, there is nothing to keep the strut shaft from spining with the bolt.

 

I think I had the same exact problem as you InLikeFlint. I rememered it spinning and nothing loosening. I eventually got it off. I had a friend help me. I put the spring compressors on and compressed the springs so when you try to lossen the top shock tower nut, the shock won't just shoot out because of the spring releasing. I think I had my friend hold the shock/spring piece on the ground while I I tried loosening it. I do remember also that top nut was hard to get off.

 

I have an '05 tc, and it doesn't matter what side you remove the bolts that connect the strut to the spindle from, there aren't any teeth on the back of the nuts that "lock" it in. Those are only on the rear bottom shock mounts, and if you're using an impact like i do, you'll be hard pressed to be able to fit the impact in there in order to remove the nut anyway. It's pretty much foolproof, but then again there is Murphy's Law.

This is just a little fyi, I've swapped out my springs a few times so I'm pretty familiar with the process, atleast on the '05.

Maybe its different on the '06's or '07's?