Hi all, new to this forum.

I'm curently replacing the stock springs with lowered ones. The backs are done, Piece of Piss! The fronts however are a little more tricky.

The 19mm Nut that holds the top of the strut onto a metal cap and then the car body is being a bitch!!! I can do everything else fine its just removing that nut. I've tried using penetrating oil to loosen it up but it doesn't seem to do anything. I've been trying to shift it using a deep-set 19mm ring spanner and an 8mm socket on top. rounded the 8mm at the top so hammered on a 7mm ring spanner. the 7mm spanner bent and the nut hasn't budged at all. The haynes manual says its torqued to 60nm and i think its a locknut but this bastard is on there well. I think the monkeys at kwik-fit must have overtightened them prob wiv an airgun!!! what can i do???

If all else fails I'm gunna chisel the bastard off and just replace the nut, but i'd rather do it without damaging the whole thing. Any suggestions more than welcome!!! Cheers Dan.

Swan neck spanner on the 19, good set of mole grips on the insert.

Or a buzzgun.

If you are replacing the strut just grip the shiney shaft within the spring with a good set of mole grips like explained above. Or Dremel the nut off as you will get new ones with your new struts. A hot air gun will also soften the locknut plastic part.

First time I dremeled the nuts off... took hours!

Second time I got an impact socket (one of the ones you hit with a hammer), a couple of minutes and they were off!

Cheers guys, I tried holding the damper rod with pliers with a bar on each handle and a rubber strip to grip and not damage it while a mate tried turning the nut, was holding the pliers so hard that they bent, the nut didn't even move!!!

I dont even think an impact driver would shift it cus the nut seems to be torqued on well.

(The driveshaft nut wasn't even on this tight!!!)

Thanks again for the quick responses i think i will get the chisle and hammer on it!!!

PS I am not replacing the strut just the springs , so would like to keep the strut in a 'reasonable' condition.

I was tempted to melt the nylock in the nut with a blow-torch but i think there is a small fuel leak

So abandoned this route.

Replace springs (So Far) = 2 x Bent Spanners, Bent Pliers, 4 x wasted hours

Buzzgun it.

I generally buzz them off before jacking the car.

Edited 11 February, 200818 yr by Yeti

Buzzgun it.

I generally buzz them off before jacking the car.

Do you mean an air gun?

How would you hold the strut still?

Do you need to hold the strut still with the power + speed of an air-gun?

I dont have an airgun/compressor at the moment, might get one.

Would it still work even though the bolt is on really tight?

Will it knacker the whole strut?

Cant think of any other questions. You seem to know what your talking about Yeti so these questions should be no prob :-D

a nut runner/ airgun with 9/10 times shock the nut enough to remove it, take it to your local tyre garage, most of the time they will do it for a drink, when they have removed the nut's, oil/grease the thread's and replace them not tightening them too much, then you will be able to do it when you get home with less grief...

They're always a bitch!

Thats cool cuz my mate works in a garage, should have asked him first oh well.

If only the f'in haynes manual told you to loosen the top nut first instead of last!!!

might have another problem, forgot to put the front ARB washers in (the ones either side of the track rod) and now the car feels like the wheels arn't connected!!! hope i havn't done too much damage!!!

says after fitting: What the fcuk are these washers??? Bollucks!!! oh well it'll be OK :-D

I think I'm gunna put them back in 2nite.

cheers for the help guys

Buzzgun it.

I generally buzz them off before jacking the car.

Do you mean an air gun?

How would you hold the strut still?

Do you need to hold the strut still with the power + speed of an air-gun?

I dont have an airgun/compressor at the moment, might get one.

Would it still work even though the bolt is on really tight?

Will it knacker the whole strut?

Cant think of any other questions. You seem to know what your talking about Yeti so these questions should be no prob :-D

You don't need to hold the insert, 9 out of 10 times, it'll just shock it into turning. I can't see it spinning the whole strut, but mind your shins just in case something daft occurs. It won't cause any damage unless there's a fudged thread somewhere already. I generally find it goes better when the car's still on the ground just because it puches everything together a bit if you see what I mean.

If you haven't got access to a compressor, try HSS, they hire out electric powered impact guns, and from what I've seen of contractors using them at work to fasten pillars down, they work well. You'll need an impact socket though, as there is a chance using a regular chrome socket in an impact driver will break the socket.

PS I am not replacing the strut just the springs , so would like to keep the strut in a 'reasonable' condition.

If you scored the shaft by holding it with pliers then it will destroy the oil seal as it passes in to the strut body.

I wrapped a bike inner tubed around the rod or that rubber strap thing from the boot??? then gripped the pliers over it. I know that the rod and oil seal have to make a good contact otherwise youve got a big problem!!!

The rubber helps grip and protect the rod so shouldn't cause any damage even though the pliers bent!!!

I've suffered this poor sealing on my old cb500. The forks just used to piss out oil all the time, this did have an interesting effect on the brakes and grip of the front wheel can anyone say 'Front Wheel Drift'. oh the fun :-D

If i was replacing the strut i would probably just drill through the 8mm top mount?

I would replace the struts with some from a scrappy but if i cant get these ones off then how would i get the ones off the car in the scrap yard??? Seems a bit pointless.

I think (The Answer = Air Gun) :-D

Oh yeah the Anti Roll Bar prob is sorted :grin:

I underestimated the importance of the ARB on a car without wishbones!!

The whole suspension system does seem to be a bit flimsy imo.

Well the car was designed around the average granny i guess.

Do the G40s differ???

i was doing the same job this morning, except my shocks have been replaced at somestage, so had a 6mm allen head on the top and came out easy as pie. you shouldnt lower the car on standard shockers anyway, spend the extra 55quid and do it properly

philJ sells them CLICKY

I dont think they would fit my polo, the strut and the damper is all in one, not bolted together.

Why shouldn't i use the original dampers???

the backs are fine (ok the backs are relatively simple compared to the fronts)

and do you work for Jackson Tuning only kiddin

my springs cost me £50 for the set so it isn't really worth it.

Cheers for the support!!!

Edited 13 February, 200818 yr by silentbob1989

Cheers for the support!!!

There is one more method nobody's mentioned here; if you grip the outside of the spring cap with a swn-necked wrench (water pump pliers) whilst the car is still on the ground, the nut will usually come undone. Can't remember precisely what the setup is on polos but I'm prety sure it's the same as every other VAG on the road, & this method hasn't failed me yet...

Cheers for the support!!!

There is one more method nobody's mentioned here; if you grip the outside of the spring cap with a swn-necked wrench (water pump pliers) whilst the car is still on the ground, the nut will usually come undone. Can't remember precisely what the setup is on polos but I'm prety sure it's the same as every other VAG on the road, & this method hasn't failed me yet...

Which part is the spring cap?

Oh I get it!!! (The cap at the top of the strut under the strut nut)

Thats not a bad idea. :-D

Cheers Benjo, I will give that a go 2day otherwise its airgun time tommorow.

The damper is inside the strut, yes, but the kits you get are a damper insert.

There's a huge nut on top of the strut which lets the damper piston come out.. with alot of oil....

The length of the damper is shorter which is far more suited to shorter (lowering) springs!

Cheers Benjo for the idea but the nuts are on too tight!!!

Still havn't seen my mate who's a mechanic.

polopete, sorry for my ignorance i understand about the 'insert' now from looking at the kits and installs elsewhere on the forum. (bearing in mind i hav'nt had a good look at the struts as they are still on the bsatard car!!!)

Thinking about just taking it to a garge and asking them nicely to take the f'in nuts off!

what do you all think? Have any garages been helpfull for things like this before?

I know that if i was buying somthing then it would be better.

No point getting the tracking done before i lower the car!

Take it to a garage/tyre fitters not far away, ask them to stick the impact gun on the nuts then do them up with a spanner not too tight, should take 3 mins max, tuck them a couple of quid or tell them you'll be back to have the tracking done.

Take it to a garage/tyre fitters not far away, ask them to stick the impact gun on the nuts then do them up with a spanner not too tight, should take 3 mins max, tuck them a couple of quid or tell them you'll be back to have the tracking done.

Good thinking!!! :-D

I'm getting the air-gun on them tonight!!! Finally sourced one and a decent compressor.

If you hear no reply then i probably died in a horrific mcfearson strut accident (national news etc etc)

man I'm bored!

Success, the airgun did the job!!!

Slight problem: i have screwed the thread up on top of the n/s strut and cant get the nut back on!!!

Trying to fix it :mad: , might need some new shocks afterall!!!

Cheers for the support and advice guys, much appreceated.