M F'er Gland Nut. NEED HELP!

[Ben's Z]

Some jagoff used a 1600 ft lbs. torque wrench apparently to put this POS gland nut on this crappy Datsun designed strut tube (heaven forbid you actually you use a real strut instead of this cartridge) assembly. I have big arse set of channel locks and the strut clamped in my vise below the spring perch and this sonofabitch is not turning. Do they make a socket for an air impact to get this nut off? How do you get these off without destroying your tube and spindle? How deep does this thing go in to the tube? My struts I can put by hand in to the tube and they don't pop back out, would it be safe to apply heat? Whoever thought of this at Datsun is a retard.

[Ptero]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

The gland nut is about 3/4 inch into the strut tube. To be honest, I used a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to unscrew it.

Edited June 23, 2011 by Ptero

[acador]

I had the same issue. I used a Home Depot benzene torch to heat it up and it came right off with the screw driver method.

[Ben's Z]

Would an air hammer work better? I will try some heat tomorrow too.

[cozye]

I used a pipe wrench, carefully placed on the edge of the gland nut as not to grab or scrape on the strut tube.

[Arne]

FWIW, the strut tube design on our S30s is totally standard practice for the '70s. I can't recall any car maker using a complete (i.e. sealed) strut assembly until the early '80s. The tube/insert design was used by Datsun, Toyota, Mazda, VW, Audi, Fiat, Ford-Europe, etc. Nothing unusual for a car of this age.

[Ben's Z]

Arne I was born in '81 this is all I know. This car is older than me!

FWIW, the strut tube design on our S30s is totally standard practice for the '70s. I can't recall any car maker using a complete (i.e. sealed) strut assembly until the early '80s. The tube/insert design was used by Datsun, Toyota, Mazda, VW, Audi, Fiat, Ford-Europe, etc. Nothing unusual for a car of this age.

[Ben's Z]

Tried MAPP gas and a hammer with large screw driver, not even close to budging. These things don't look like they rust, why are they so tough? This made my spindle pins seem like a brake pad change. Hopefully when I borrow a pipe wrench that will do it.

[Arne]

I use a large pipe wrench on mine. When I did these for a living, we had a VERY large pair of channel locks that was the preferred tool.

[zKars]

This is a pain in the you know what on some struts. I've had to weld a fat 1x1 steel rectangular bar to gland nut and use 36 inches + of cheater bar to get one set to break free. This even after several days of penetrant soaking and heat treatment. I just hate heating shocks though, definite explosion risk there....

Sounds like you're having fun! I'm waiting for the post about your spindle pin removal!

[John Coffey]

Soak it with some kind of penetrant. Heat the tube, not the nut. Hit the nut with a blast of Freon. Air chisel/hammer in the loosening direction. Repeat.

[Ben's Z]

Spindle pins are out, took me about 90 minutes a side.

This is a pain in the you know what on some struts. I've had to weld a fat 1x1 steel rectangular bar to gland nut and use 36 inches + of cheater bar to get one set to break free. This even after several days of penetrant soaking and heat treatment. I just hate heating shocks though, definite explosion risk there....

Sounds like you're having fun! I'm waiting for the post about your spindle pin removal!