Strut Install Question - Remove Top Nut with Strut In Car? Topic is solved

BackRoadSeeker · Post by **BackRoadSeeker** » 23 Oct 2016, 15:32

Hey guys,

Just noticed a mistake that I made when reassembling my new struts... I put the new strut mount cap on backwards! I only noticed this today; did the job a month ago and the car has been riding great!

My question is this - can I remove the top nut (I think 22 mm) with the strut in the car and the car on the ground? I have access to a powerful impact gun so removal isn't an issue.

Picture below to show what I'm talking about.

Post by **tryingbe** » 23 Oct 2016, 15:53

Just remove it on the ground. No big deal.

BackRoadSeeker · Post by **BackRoadSeeker** » 23 Oct 2016, 16:17

It's fixed, thanks! I was a little surprised to find the cross nut to be loose on one side... I tightened it down though.

Post by **JimBee** » 24 Oct 2016, 08:27

There was a discussion about the crossnut and visible threads on the north end of the strut shaft between the crossnut and the top of the seat bushing. This could result from not compressing the spring enough when reassembling the new strut hardware. Then when you load the weight of the front of the vehicle onto the struts, the crossnut is loose. Leaving it this way could allow vertical play between the crossnut and the bushing which might act like a slide hammer that could cause the spring seat bushing to lose its bond to the seat.

Jaguar xjs · Post by **Jaguar xjs** » 25 Oct 2016, 15:15

Timely post for me. I've just a ordered a complete suspension kit from FCP and looked at some of the videos on line.

Jim, would you suggest running down the cross nut down with no tension on the strut, or said another way, tighten the cross nut with spring compressed?

Gordon

Post by **oragex** » 25 Oct 2016, 15:45

When tightening the crossnut I have the spring compressed enough so as the spring seat starts being loose. This way I can tighten the cross nut properly otherwise it will break loose while driving. As for the top nut shown in the picture above it has to stay in place as long as the spring is not compressed.

Post by **erikv11** » 25 Oct 2016, 16:46

Jaguar xjs wrote: ... would you suggest running down the cross nut down with no tension on the strut, or said another way, tighten the cross nut with spring compressed?

Yes: With the spring compressed enough that the spring seat is loose, put on the components (bump stop, spring seat, strut mount), then tighten down the cross-shaped nut. The cross nut holds the top/capping assembly "all the way down" on the mounting portion of the strut piston. Then the big washer and top nut serves as insurance.

BackRoadSeeker · Post by **BackRoadSeeker** » 26 Oct 2016, 07:00

This is odd. I remember we had the coil compressed enough when re-assembling the struts to run the cross nut down all the way over all of the components. The struts have been performing fine - no squeaks or noises of any kind. When I went to remove the top washer/nut with the strut in the car as outlined above, one of the cross nuts was loose. I tightened it back down as best I could with the tool FCP offers and haven't thought of it since. Do I have a reason to be concerned here?

Post by **erikv11** » 26 Oct 2016, 07:24

Is the amount of thread between the top nut and the end of the strut, the same on both sides now? If it is, I wouldn't sweat it.

Post by **oragex** » 26 Oct 2016, 07:49

BackRoadSeeker wrote:This is odd. I remember we had the coil compressed enough when re-assembling the struts to run the cross nut down all the way over all of the components. The struts have been performing fine - no squeaks or noises of any kind. When I went to remove the top washer/nut with the strut in the car as outlined above, one of the cross nuts was loose. I tightened it back down as best I could with the tool FCP offers and haven't thought of it since. Do I have a reason to be concerned here?

I too found the cross nut on one side had loosened. It is not exactly easy to tighten securely maybe a heavy duty locking washer could help. I don't think it's a concern as long as the top nut is securely in place.