Hey everyone, well got most of the new stuff into the truck today, front and rear xmembers, sway bar drop brackets, etc..

HOWEVER, We CANNOT get the coilovers out to replace the struts.. we tried taking off the nuts on the three studs on the top of the coil, but when you turn the nuts, the entire stud turns with it?! my dad and I are at a complete loss...

We CAN if we absolutely have to compress the coils while they are on the truck still, take out the old strut and put the new ones in, but my dad really does not want to do this..

PLEASE HELP.. this is the last big hurdle we have to finishing the front end...

 

That shouldnt be happening...? they are just a simple lock nut on a threaded stud......Hmmmmm. I took mine of with a wrench with no problem....DO NOT REMOVE THE CENTER BOLT! if you didnt know that already. You also have to remove your balljoints to drop your lower arms and a single bolt that holds the bottome of the coilover.
Pics? i cant figure out why the nut just doesnt come off............ you are taking the whole oem one out right? and replacing it......

 

I think I read about this somewhere before and the problem was that the nut was rusted solid onto the bolt. I think the only fix was to grind off the nut, but I might be wrong. As long as the new coilovers have new studs on them and new bolts to go with it then cutting it off should work. Or maybe the nut stripped out when you tried to loosen it.

 

well, i had planned on using the stock coils, but replacing the struts with the longer skyjacker ones... I would rather not spend the bucks on new coilovers for the front if i dont have to..

Everything is off the truck... A-arms, sway bar, the UCA is still on...Like i said, we dont want to put the coilspring compressors on the coils when they are still on the truck, but it looks like this is going to be the only choice....

 

That's an interesting problem. I just took my truck apart to put a 6 inch lift on it last weekend, and I didn't have any problem with getting my front shocks out. You probably tried this already, but the first step would be to hit it with a hammer a few times and cuss at it a little But seriously, try to put something like a big flat head screwdriver or a prybar between the top of the strut and the pocket it mounts in on the top to try to get some pressure on those 3 bolts. Sometimes that will keep bolts from spinning and allow you to get the nut unscrewed

 

hmmm... we never tried cramming a screw driver up there to get pressure on the bolts... we tried my dads air ratchet, that didnt do anything.. were hoping maybe the friction would keep the bolt from spinning but to no avail.. i REALLY hope i dont have to by new coilovers just for those three bolts..

I know on toyotas you can buy new 'coilover top plates', anyone know if i can just buy that top plate with the three studs?!! if i can do that I can just cut the bolts off and install the new plate

 

My philosophy is to try the easiest, quickest thing first. If I was you, I would try prying on the top of the strut at different angles and applying pressure to different spots in different directions to see if you cab find a sweet spot that holds the bolts still. If it doesn't work then you've only lost 10 minutes, and you're back to where you were with no harm done

 

yeah.. i just found some strut mounts online for anywheres from 50-75 bucks each.. SO If I HAVE to cut the bolts, then i can get replacement mounts.

 

That's not too bad. Be careful with a grinder up there. I would think a sawz-all with a metal blade would be more precise if you have one. A grinder could jerk to the side and hit something you don't want getting hit like tearing up your gap guard. Let me know if prying them works. I've done it on other stuff, but not on strut mounting bolts

 

Yeah, they sell just the strut mount with the 3 bolts. If I were you, I'd cut the bolts and go with a new top, before I wasted too much time on it. You can get them from RockAuto.

Edit: Oops. Too late. I agree with the sawzall approach, though.

 

Rockauto has everything. Love that site. I agree. I wouldn't spend hours trying to get them unscrewed

 

thanks guys! looks like thats what im going to do.. the local oreily's has their house brand for 45 bucks a pop.. not too bad at all, cheaper than rock auto

 

Glad to hear you got it resolved

 

yeah... not so much.. Oreily's wont be able to get them for a few days... and none of the stores within 2 hours of me has them instock either.. WTF lol. on the phone with NAPA to see if they have them

 

Try Auto Zone. They can usually get you stuff the same day if you tell them what you need in the morning. If not today, I know they can have it in the morning