removing damper from strut

[merc-blue]

G'day guys
im trying to remove the damper from inside the strut (corona)
the nut that retains the shock inside the dampner isnt coming off, is there somthing tricky with these?
Cheers

[CLG]

Yep, carry a big stick!!!

1: Hold the complete strut so as to not crush the housing - pipe holders are good if you have the facility.
2: place a spanner over the nut - I use a large adjustable pipe spanner that also has teeth.
3: add a helper bar/pipe over the end of the spanner and turn slowly, it will come eventually - if you still can't get it off, add a bigger pipe!

[merc-blue]

OK its a BF+I sorta job cheers

[Yian]

No trick to it like they have said. Just a lot of swearing. We used a vice grip to secure it... and a very ... very big spanner. Even then it was an arsehole to come off.

[TooF]

what i do is secure the base of the strut in the vice (leave the bolts with nuts on the base of the strut so it dosent turn around and dosent damage it) as per the bgb. then use a pipe spanner/plumbers stilsten, grab and turn.. and yes they can be a bit of a bitch to remove

[CrUZida]

I just use multigrips.

Never had a problem yet.

[merc-blue]

im using stilstens but it isnt budging, and thats with me and my brother pulling on teh sucker, gonna have to get mean soon

[TooF]

is the lower end of the tube secured in the vice ? or secured somehow... ive always found give it plenty of pressure but hold it steady and just keep the pressure on.. as opposed to haveing to *crack* it like a normal nut.

[MR22ZZ]

have you tryed thinking backwards and vicing the nut then turning the strut

[CrUZida]

I find it a lot easier to do it while the strut it still installed in the car.

[TooF]

with the spring still on it or remove strut, remove spring, reinstall then remove gland nut from strut ?