Quick question! Center shock nut stripped!
09-12-17, 07:52 AM
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Quick question! Center shock nut stripped!
So i finished installing my Rsr down springs last night, long story short my driver side top hat center shock nut got stripped wont loosen or tighten now, but its pretty much on there good. The amount of threads left on the passenger side vs the driver side is noticeable. would i be fine leaving as it is and leaving it alone?
09-12-17, 08:03 AM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
Nope. This happened to me. Your strut will knock around annoyingly if there's any gap. I had to drill it out and buy a new strut from Lexus. $280
Anyone doing this mod be careful as the threads are very sensitive. Make sure no particles on threads as you tighten. And grab the shaft securely with a proper tool
GO SLOW!
By the way you may be able to salvage this by getting one of those L shaped wrenches that allows it to set down onto the nut and get a wrench on the top. Check harbor freight. In my case I couldve done that but I did not have enough meat on top to grab with a wrench to hold the shaft still. Looks like you do.
Anyone doing this mod be careful as the threads are very sensitive. Make sure no particles on threads as you tighten. And grab the shaft securely with a proper tool
GO SLOW!
By the way you may be able to salvage this by getting one of those L shaped wrenches that allows it to set down onto the nut and get a wrench on the top. Check harbor freight. In my case I couldve done that but I did not have enough meat on top to grab with a wrench to hold the shaft still. Looks like you do.
Last edited by E46CT; 09-12-17 at 08:07 AM.
09-12-17, 08:25 AM
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Nope. This happened to me. Your strut will knock around annoyingly if there's any gap. I had to drill it out and buy a new strut from Lexus. $280
Anyone doing this mod be careful as the threads are very sensitive. Make sure no particles on threads as you tighten. And grab the shaft securely with a proper tool
GO SLOW!
By the way you may be able to salvage this by getting one of those L shaped wrenches that allows it to set down onto the nut and get a wrench on the top. Check harbor freight. In my case I couldve done that but I did not have enough meat on top to grab with a wrench to hold the shaft still. Looks like you do.
Anyone doing this mod be careful as the threads are very sensitive. Make sure no particles on threads as you tighten. And grab the shaft securely with a proper tool
GO SLOW!
By the way you may be able to salvage this by getting one of those L shaped wrenches that allows it to set down onto the nut and get a wrench on the top. Check harbor freight. In my case I couldve done that but I did not have enough meat on top to grab with a wrench to hold the shaft still. Looks like you do.
im going to try and rethread it.
09-12-17, 08:57 AM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
The nut has to be tight. there's a reason why the other side looks much different. there's a lot of gap
09-12-17, 11:07 AM
#5
Yeah best thing you can do is pull the strut back out and on a bench use 2 wrenches to get it back off.
Throw the OEM nut away and get a new one. Also buy a die and run it on the threads of the strut to repair them.
Throw the OEM nut away and get a new one. Also buy a die and run it on the threads of the strut to repair them.
09-12-17, 12:18 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
You have more than enough shaft to grab onto at the top.
Trust me on this method. Best and cheapest way for you. Just hope you don't own your car the next time you have to get the strut out.
09-12-17, 06:03 PM
#7
Trying to drive a cross threaded nut on any further will destroy whats left and there is a good chance it would end up requiring strut replacement.
You can't ruin already ruined threads. Trust me I deal with these types of issues daily. Best to get the old nut off, clean the threads with a proper die, and get a new nut, but to do it, it's going to have to come out of the car as the strut plate is in the way of running the die all the way down the existing threads.
Last edited by brendanf; 09-12-17 at 06:05 PM. Reason: spelling errors
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09-12-17, 06:18 PM
#8
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He's already said he can't get it to go any further.
Trying to drive a cross threaded nut on any further will destroy whats left and there is a good chance it would end up requiring strut replacement.
You can't ruin already ruined threads. Trust me I deal with these types of issues daily. Best to get the old nut off, clean the threads with a proper die, and get a new nut, but to do it, it's going to have to come out of the car as the strut plate is in the way of running the die all the way down the existing threads.
Trying to drive a cross threaded nut on any further will destroy whats left and there is a good chance it would end up requiring strut replacement.
You can't ruin already ruined threads. Trust me I deal with these types of issues daily. Best to get the old nut off, clean the threads with a proper die, and get a new nut, but to do it, it's going to have to come out of the car as the strut plate is in the way of running the die all the way down the existing threads.
To the OP...brendanf is correct. If there is any hope of fixing this, and fixing it properly, the strut has to come out.
A new nut is definitely going to be needed. If the threads on the strut can be saved, then the die is the only way.
Why did the nut strip? Did you tighten the nut while the spring was compressed while the strut was out of the vehicle? If you did, then this shouldn't have happened.
Sorry E46CT...if your repair worked for you, and you're ok driving around like 'that', more power to ya! I'd rather see the OP fix this right, before a half baked repair gets him into trouble...I wanted to say something else than 'baked', but it would have been censored.
09-12-17, 07:00 PM
#9
Lexus Test Driver
He said it won't tighten or loosen, but he didn't say definitively whether or not that's because the strut shaft is spinning. Which it will be if you DON'T HAVE THE TOOL I LINKED. I've already been here done this with my car. Same exact scenario. This occurs when the strut shaft itself strips from the shock mount so it SPINS within the mount. The nut can't MOVE BECAUSE OF THE NYLON INSERT. And the only way you fix this is if you SECURE the shaft relative to the NUT. And the way you do that is with the method and tool I linked. I don't see how he could've destroyed the threads BELOW the nut which should be virgin thread and therefore he WILL BE ABLE TO GO DOWN if he uses the tool I mentioned.
Based on the info GIVEN, this is THE fix short of replacing the strut. In my case I did not have enough shaft on top to engage my 10mm wrench so I had to drill the nut off and thus destroy the strut.
OP has enough shaft to engage the wrench based on the photo. He is lucky here.
Just trust me on this OP. Do what I say and you'll fix this.
Based on the info GIVEN, this is THE fix short of replacing the strut. In my case I did not have enough shaft on top to engage my 10mm wrench so I had to drill the nut off and thus destroy the strut.
OP has enough shaft to engage the wrench based on the photo. He is lucky here.
Just trust me on this OP. Do what I say and you'll fix this.
09-12-17, 07:08 PM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
I've rebuilt over 12 BMWs from the ground up, engines out, some of which achieved worldwide recognition including on national TV BY BMW USA. I know my way around a car and what it takes to get stuff done. **** happens like this where stuff strips. The supplier here used soft metal so it strips easy.
Another thing OP can do is heat the nut so the nylon gets soft and it will unlock.
Either way he's not removing that strut without drilling the nut and with that comes a high chance of destroying the shaft.
OP should list what tool he used and what happens exactly when he tightens the nut down. Does it spin?
Another thing OP can do is heat the nut so the nylon gets soft and it will unlock.
Either way he's not removing that strut without drilling the nut and with that comes a high chance of destroying the shaft.
OP should list what tool he used and what happens exactly when he tightens the nut down. Does it spin?
09-12-17, 07:22 PM
#11
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And rebuilding 12 turds, and having one of those turds recognized on TV, still makes it a turd...don't kid yourself.
The threaded portion of the strut rod is keyed to the strut mount...if the rod is spinning, then the hole in the mount is likely screwed.
It might be possible to tighten the nut...maybe...but if the mount is screwed, I'd rather take it apart and fix it the right way.
Tell ya what...let the OP try it your way, and when it fails, he can fix it the right way.
And don't be flexing your muscles with posts like that...you ain't gaining any respect from anyone like that.
09-12-17, 07:35 PM
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So i finally got it fixed without taking the strut out of the car and saving the strut!
i attached all the pictures and what happened.
e46ct was right, the shaft strut was spinning so i couldn't get the lock nut out. made a slit so i could try and fit a flathead and use a wrench, but that didn't work.
instead, i shaved off the sides of the nut and got it out. the lock nut was completely destroyed. no more threads left on it. re threaded the shaft strut 12x1.25 with a impact, used washers, lock washer, double-nutted and used lock tite so this will for sure never back out. did all this without taking the strut out of the car!
drove the car, and its smooth as butter, no more clunking or popping.
i attached all the pictures and what happened.
e46ct was right, the shaft strut was spinning so i couldn't get the lock nut out. made a slit so i could try and fit a flathead and use a wrench, but that didn't work.
instead, i shaved off the sides of the nut and got it out. the lock nut was completely destroyed. no more threads left on it. re threaded the shaft strut 12x1.25 with a impact, used washers, lock washer, double-nutted and used lock tite so this will for sure never back out. did all this without taking the strut out of the car!
drove the car, and its smooth as butter, no more clunking or popping.
09-12-17, 07:37 PM
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He said it won't tighten or loosen, but he didn't say definitively whether or not that's because the strut shaft is spinning. Which it will be if you DON'T HAVE THE TOOL I LINKED. I've already been here done this with my car. Same exact scenario. This occurs when the strut shaft itself strips from the shock mount so it SPINS within the mount. The nut can't MOVE BECAUSE OF THE NYLON INSERT. And the only way you fix this is if you SECURE the shaft relative to the NUT. And the way you do that is with the method and tool I linked. I don't see how he could've destroyed the threads BELOW the nut which should be virgin thread and therefore he WILL BE ABLE TO GO DOWN if he uses the tool I mentioned.
Based on the info GIVEN, this is THE fix short of replacing the strut. In my case I did not have enough shaft on top to engage my 10mm wrench so I had to drill the nut off and thus destroy the strut.
OP has enough shaft to engage the wrench based on the photo. He is lucky here.
Just trust me on this OP. Do what I say and you'll fix this.
Based on the info GIVEN, this is THE fix short of replacing the strut. In my case I did not have enough shaft on top to engage my 10mm wrench so I had to drill the nut off and thus destroy the strut.
OP has enough shaft to engage the wrench based on the photo. He is lucky here.
Just trust me on this OP. Do what I say and you'll fix this.
09-12-17, 07:41 PM
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So i finally got it fixed without taking the strut out of the car and saving the strut!
i attached all the pictures and what happened.
e46ct was right, the shaft strut was spinning so i couldn't get the lock nut out. made a slit so i could try and fit a flathead and use a wrench, but that didn't work.
instead, i shaved off the sides of the nut and got it out. the lock nut was completely destroyed. no more threads left on it. re threaded the shaft strut 12x1.25 with a impact, used washers, lock washer, double-nutted and used lock tite so this will for sure never back out. did all this without taking the strut out of the car!
drove the car, and its smooth as butter, no more clunking or popping.
i attached all the pictures and what happened.
e46ct was right, the shaft strut was spinning so i couldn't get the lock nut out. made a slit so i could try and fit a flathead and use a wrench, but that didn't work.
instead, i shaved off the sides of the nut and got it out. the lock nut was completely destroyed. no more threads left on it. re threaded the shaft strut 12x1.25 with a impact, used washers, lock washer, double-nutted and used lock tite so this will for sure never back out. did all this without taking the strut out of the car!
drove the car, and its smooth as butter, no more clunking or popping.
At least you were able to get the die in like brendanf suggested.
If it does come loose in the future though, you likely will need a strut and mount. The strut rod should never spin independent of the mount...that means the hole in the mount is also damaged as they are keyed together.
09-12-17, 07:48 PM
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I'm glad you got it tight, but damn...washers and double nutted...I hope it all holds together.
At least you were able to get the die in like brendanf suggested.
If it does come loose in the future though, you likely will need a strut and mount. The strut rod should never spin independent of the mount...that means the hole in the mount is also damaged as they are keyed together.
At least you were able to get the die in like brendanf suggested.
If it does come loose in the future though, you likely will need a strut and mount. The strut rod should never spin independent of the mount...that means the hole in the mount is also damaged as they are keyed together.