# removing the top center nut of strut



## nismosentra (Dec 14, 2002)

I have a B13 sentra, and I was trying to remove the center nut of the strut. Every time I turned the nut, it moved the whole assembly. Is there a tool or a method in which to hold the assembly down and remove the nut? Thanks!


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## brucek2 (Sep 25, 2002)

HAHA.... i just replaced my struts and springs with the Tokico Advanced Handling Kit and that was the biggest pain in the ass ever!!! I had to take a drill bit and drill THROUGH the strut mount to get the top nut off. Literally demolishing the nut. It was a huge project. Taking at least 1 hour per strut. Make sure to compress the springs all the way because otherwise it will hit you in the face haha like it did my friend. I'm not sure if there is a tool but my way worked with a lot of elbow grease and time and patience.


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## AznVirus (May 8, 2002)

ive never done it w/o a compressor, you just cant get the velocity by hand. need to use a compressor to get that top nut off. and make sure you compress the spring as well.


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## bahearn (Jul 15, 2002)

All the major tool makers offer an offset box wrench that will allow you to get the nut while using a small open wrench to hold the strut shaft. Impact wrench is not needed but sure makes short work of this.


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## jayman9207 (Nov 20, 2002)

When I did my springs, I used a giant screwdriver to hold the top bolt from spinning and a torque wrench to take the damn thing off. It also took two people: one to make sure the screwdriver stayed in place and to hold the strut down and the other to torque off the nut.


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## brucek2 (Sep 25, 2002)

where did u put the GIANT screwdriver... cause with the torque wrench covers the center nut so you can't get to it...


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## HKS20DET (Nov 8, 2002)

well if u got the suspension on the car still then put the car back on the ground then try. it takes a lot of the pulling stress of the suspension brakes and hub weight off the nut. made my life a lot easier. if not... try to get wrench on the nut then try to grip the tip of the strut with some vice grips. then obviously try to turn the wrench making sure the vice dont slip. that is the way i didnt it the first time around


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## brucek2 (Sep 25, 2002)

What kind of struts are you guys using? I have Tokico non-adjustables...


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## jayman9207 (Nov 20, 2002)

We had to pull the whole strut with spring off of the car (easy as hell to put back on) because we were doing my springs. When it is off, there are the three mounting bolts at the top of the strut and the nut in the middle. I just laid the screwdriver sideways so that is laid in between two of the three mounting bolts at the top. You put the torque wrench on and lay the screwdriver down. One guy holds the screwdriver and strut in place while the other guy wrenches on the torque wrench to get it off. The bolt will only turn so far with the screwdriver in place, but be careful not to let the screwdriver pop out.


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## HKS20DET (Nov 8, 2002)

or just grip the piston with some vice grips. i wouldnt recommend this unless u get new struts.


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## bahearn (Jul 15, 2002)

Do *NOT* use vise grips on the shaft, that will lead to a leaking top seal. Use the proper tools or find someone with them.


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## brucek2 (Sep 25, 2002)

What exactly are the proper tools?


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## HKS20DET (Nov 8, 2002)

air tools!


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## brucek2 (Sep 25, 2002)

bahearn what exactly are the proper tools? cause I tightened it down and i my setup didn't come with spacers so i used washers, and i didn't put enough in before i tightened... and now it's reallly hard to loosen it. Thanks


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## bahearn (Jul 15, 2002)

Proper tools? You didn't read my first response to this thread?


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## tim's 95 se-r (Dec 26, 2002)

ive found that the easiest way is to grab the piece from the top with vise grips, and use a ratchet wrench, or an impact gun. but the beter tool companies, (snap on, sk, matco) make a socket with a square drive to hold the piece. if you dont have the piece sticing out, i guess an impact wrench would be about the only option.


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2003)

For future reference, I always break the bolt loose while it's still on the ground and in the car... much easier. Just make sure you don't take it all the way of or you are going to hurt yourself or the car.


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## MShorten (Jul 19, 2004)

bahearn said:


> All the major tool makers offer an offset box wrench that will allow you to get the nut while using a small open wrench to hold the strut shaft. Impact wrench is not needed but sure makes short work of this.


Hi, I'm going to reopen this thread, because I wanted to be clear about the tools needed to do this job. I'm searching to make sure there's nothing I'm forgetting.

I've read in other posts, like from toolfancp, where apparently the strut isn't built with the type of machining on the shaft that allows you to use an open wrench to hold the strut shaft. 

Before I yank the struts, I wanted to just clear up which is which -- does the inner strut shaft have a hex or machined head/shaft that you can use a box wrench on?

When I look at the FSM, it states to put the lower part of the strut shaft into a "strut attachment tool" that then fits into a vise. It looks like it clamps around the lower strut shaft and then using a bar between two of the three nuts on the upper spring seat, you remove the nut while keeping the seat from moving with the bar.

Regards,
Michael


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

nismosentra said:


> I have a B13 sentra, and I was trying to remove the center nut of the strut. Every time I turned the nut, it moved the whole assembly. Is there a tool or a method in which to hold the assembly down and remove the nut? Thanks!


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## McLaren F1 2003 (Jan 2, 2003)

i have something else to add to that...

what if youre installing tein basic's? couldnt you just take off the strut with the spring still on it and not even have to bother with a spring compressor?


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## pete? (Jul 6, 2004)

McLaren F1 2003 said:


> i have something else to add to that...
> 
> what if youre installing tein basic's? couldnt you just take off the strut with the spring still on it and not even have to bother with a spring compressor?


yup...............


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## bahearn (Jul 15, 2002)

OEM struts indeed have flats ground on the very tip of the shaft so you can get an open-end wrench on it. 10mm, I think.

Go outside and look. Why is there argument on this point?


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## gaberdine (Jul 27, 2013)

On the ground was pointless for me on my B13. This said, so was everything else.


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## gaberdine (Jul 27, 2013)

bahearn said:


> OEM struts indeed have flats ground on the very tip of the shaft so you can get an open-end wrench on it. 10mm, I think.
> 
> Go outside and look. Why is there argument on this point?


Yeah, you can get a wrench on it, but without the special wrench that goes on the nut, this is pointless. You have to either have the special socket or a recessed wrench as the nut is below the surface.


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## gaberdine (Jul 27, 2013)

MShorten said:


> Hi, I'm going to reopen this thread, because I wanted to be clear about the tools needed to do this job. I'm searching to make sure there's nothing I'm forgetting.
> 
> I've read in other posts, like from toolfancp, where apparently the strut isn't built with the type of machining on the shaft that allows you to use an open wrench to hold the strut shaft.
> 
> ...




Holding the top nuts is pointless. There is a bearing between them and the strut shaft. 

No there is not a machined surface except on the extreme end of the center bolt which is covered by a standard socket on the center nut.

Nissan Painted these nuts after they were assembled,


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