Special tool for suspension?

[mattbibbey]

Hi Chaps,

I have just stripped down my front suspension and I cannot get the nut undone to finally withdraw the damper cartridge. I'm talking about the 8 sided nut with 4 indents in the top and is approx 51mm across.

Is there anyone near me who has a tool that will do the job. I have a feeling that was a locally manufactured special tool but if anyone can help, thank you!

The sooner the better on this as I am in some sort of hurry to get all this stuff off to my powder coater.

Regards

Matt

 

[jonbills]

When I did mine, it was the combination of my stilsons, a 4 ft steel tube and a butane torch to heat it up.

 

[mattbibbey]

Oh dear, what a pain. A pipe wrench and brute force. Not very japanese. Haha

Cheers though, I'll buy myself the wrench this afternoon.

 

[uk66fastback]

Nip it down to a local old-skool place and get them to do it for a tenner or so ... might even do it while you wait.

 

[moggy240]

If it is that tight soak with wd40 and use a hammer and chisel. That's what I use.

 

[johnymd]

I have found you often damage the top of the nut when trying to undo it. Are you replacing the gland nut?

 

[moggy240]

Sometimes it will ,other times its very minimal but normally when you get new shocks they often come with new ones

 

[mattbibbey]

At this point, I am only worrying about the strip down to get the stuff powdered. If a clamp and pipe wrench fails then there is a good engineering shop and workshop near by. I was rather hoping that someone would have the special tool. lol.

I'll worry about a replacement gland nut if I knacker it on the way out. I have become more reserved in recent years so I seem to break fewer things by becoming inpatient. Haha. The stuff is really rusty but more just covered in **** from 40 years of unwise protective measures. I.E slapping grease and oil and layers of hammerite over it all.

 

[Mr.F]

When I did mine, it was the combination of my stilsons, a 4 ft steel tube and a butane torch to heat it up.

Long time since I did one, but will second Jon's description. I remember the security of the workbench becoming a problem with the level of force required on particularly on old, rusty, stubborn units.

BTW all new cartridges should come with new gland nuts.

 

[Farmer42]

When I did a similar job on a Mk2 Cavalier a few years back, I clamped the nut in a vice and used a bar on the hub end to turn the casing to release it rather than the other way round. Needed a bit of heat on one of them but worked a treat and didn't damage the nut. That would probably be a bit easier than stillsons.

 

[STEVE BURNS]

, I clamped the nut in a vice and used a bar on the hub end to turn the casing to release it rather than the other way round..

Just being silly But believe that may be the normal way to do it in OZ!!

 

[mattbibbey]

Ok, so after trying it several ways I took it down to a local engineering workshop and they did it in about 5 minutes. All done now. Although one of the cartridges won't come out, I'm sure it will shift out tomorrow after spending the night during wd40.

Thanks everyone for the advice. As with all things, every engineering/mechanical task is easy with the correct tools.

Regards

Matt

 

[uk66fastback]

As with all things, every engineering/mechanical task is easy with the correct tools.

Never a truer word spoken.

 

[mattbibbey]

For anyone who is interested, this is the special tool as shown in the Nissan Dealers Workshop Manual. The one in the middle.

 

[Moriarty]

For anyone who is interested, this is the special tool as shown in the Nissan Dealers Workshop Manual. The one in the middle.

View attachment 19695

Might work fine on a new strut Matt but on 40 + year old units.........hmmmmmm

Stilsons are your friend