Koni yellow strut is messed up, what would you do?

[Mark99GT]

Not doing well with car mods lately.... So, I'm installing my springs, MM CC plates, struts and somehow as I'm REMOVING the strut nut on my Koni yellows to add another spacer and it cross threads or something so bad I can't get the ****ing thing off. It got to the point where I had an 11mm wrench on the strut shaft hex with a jack handle for leverage and an adjustable wrench on the nut with another jack handle for leverage trying to unscrew it and the strut shaft hex just eventually stripped. Now I'm trying to grip the shaft under the MM spacer with pliers/vise grips and hold it while I hit the nut with a 1/2" impact. I can't get it to budge any further. The impact is destroying the nut (metal shavings flying off and it's getting hot), the shaft is ripped to shreds from the pliers, and the shaft hex and threads are ****ed.

But...WHAT THE ****!?!? How does a nut cross thread COMING OFF? It screwed on fine, I definitely did not cross thread it....I'm so pissed, this strut is trashed. What would you do to get this off, sawzall under the nut and just cut the shaft? I considered a dremel on the nut too, but I'm not sure about a shower of sparks near the fuel lines.

 

[2003RedfireVert]

Cut it off beneath the nut. That sucks dude. I feel bad for you. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Mark99GT]

Cut it off beneath the nut. That sucks dude. I feel bad for you. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks man, so damn frustrating. I guess I'm gonna sawzall the bastard tomorrow morning. Throwing in the towel tonight.

 

[COOL COBRA]

Those self locking nuts can gum up the threads on removal. That’ll cause it to cross when unscrewing. It sucks, but it happens.

 

[Mark99GT]

Those self locking nuts can gum up the threads on removal. That’ll cause it to cross when unscrewing. It sucks, but it happens.

I'm reluctant to use the nut from the driver side strut I still have to install. I'm thinking about buying new nuts and using a dab of blue loctite instead. Thoughts on that?

 

[Mark99GT]

I sawzalled the shaft below the nut and got it off. Made a mess of leaking oil. Anyone know the thread pitch on Koni yellows (8741 1402SPORT)? I can't find anything online and their website is useless.

I picked up an M16-2 nut at HD to test fit, the only thread pitch they had in the M16 size, and it threads right on, but feels a touch loose. I used my calipers on the strut threads and thought it was an M16-1.5 with the way it measured. Would a 2 pitch nut thread on 1.5 threads?

 

[Mark99GT]

I sawzalled the shaft below the nut and got it off. Made a mess of leaking oil. Anyone know the thread pitch on Koni yellows (8741 1402SPORT)? I can't find anything online and their website is useless.

I picked up an M16-2 nut at HD to test fit, the only thread pitch they had in the M16 size, and it threads right on, but feels a touch loose. I used my calipers on the strut threads and thought it was an M16-1.5 with the way it measured. Would a 2 pitch nut thread on 1.5 threads?

In case anyone references this thread in the future, I email Koni and they replied it is indeed an M16-2 24mm socket size.

 

[AustinSN]

FWIW, when I bought my set of Koni's I am pretty sure I got the fronts from tire rack and the rears from eBay because that was the cheapest option.

They look like they are $205 right now for a front.

Also, don't feel too bad, I did something similar with the caliper bolts in the aluminum knuckle of my GT350.

 

[Mark99GT]

FWIW, when I bought my set of Koni's I am pretty sure I got the fronts from tire rack and the rears from eBay because that was the cheapest option.

They look like they are $205 right now for a front.

Also, don't feel too bad, I did something similar with the caliper bolts in the aluminum knuckle of my GT350.

Yup exactly what I did, got the new front from tire rack, getting delivered today, bought the rears on ebay.

 

[shurur]

Not sure that it would have worked for you, but for future reference there is something called a nut-splitter.....

 

[Mark99GT]

Not sure that it would have worked for you, but for future reference there is something called a nut-splitter.....

I actually saw that tool after I cut the strut. It may have worked, but I think the threads on the strut were pretty ****ed.

 

[shurur]

I actually saw that tool after I cut the strut. It may have worked, but I think the threads on the strut were pretty ****ed.

I hear you...the tool may have ruined the threads anyway.
I haven't ever actually used one myself.

I plan to try it out for the experience on the audi topside motor mount bolts this Summer.