# 2000 GXE rear coil removal



## mspenc8 (Jul 4, 2007)

I'm having trouble with removing the spring seat from the strut. I have the strut/ coil assembly removed from the car and the springs compressed to relieve tension from the spring seats. I also have the seat retaining nut removed from the top of the piston. Unlike the front struts, the seat will not slide off the top of the piston. All though the seat and mount feel loose, I can't rotate it w/o turning the piston, and I've tried knocking it free w/ a hammer, but it hasn't budged as if there is something locking it into place. Can anybody help?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

I've run into similar problems over the years; the top of the piston corrodes to the upper spring seat. I always performed this task on a wall-mounted strut spring compressor, which is the safest method. I would remove the top nut, spray rust penetrant and let it soak around the area, then re-installed the nut but just enough to keep the strut from blowing apart...usually down to the point of engaging all of the threads of the nut but leaving a good gap between the bottom of the nut and the top of the upper spring mount. Then I would carefully unload the coil spring so that it puts pressure on the upper mount. Sometimes this alone will get it to "pop" the mount loose; sometimes you'll need to use some additional "hammer persuasion." Once the mount is broken loose, you re-collapse the spring and can then disassemble. FYI, I have, in my experience, run into two seperate cases where I could not get the mount to break loose from the piston. In those cases, I had to order all new struts mounts, boots, well, everything. I probably could have torched the piston apart and reused the spring, but since it was Nissan footing the bill though warranty, it didn't make any sense to bother trying. If one is using stock shocks (as opposed to a performance upgrade), they do offer reman. strut assys. on the aftermarket that could be a potential option. All you do is swap your whole strut assy. as a core when you puchase the reman. strut assy., which is already put together and ready to be installed.


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## mspenc8 (Jul 4, 2007)

Hey, thanks for the reply. I was able to free one of the struts w/ some rust penetrate and a make shift support to attach to the upper strut mount, and used a punch to hammer out the piston from the mount/seat. Even with the spring carefully unloaded on both of them, the mounts/seats would not budge. On the other strut, I ended up having to buy a new mount and spring seat, and unfortunately the only place I could find the spring seat was at a dealer. All in all, everything worked out. I replaced all the stock struts/springs w/ KYB GR-2 and Vogtland springs... very nice ride.


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