Front strut mistake... need a fix

[NewFordGuy24]

Hey everyone I need some help here lol... I tried to install a rough country leveling kit last night and their directions suck a$$ so I used the wrong nuts to attach the spacer to the strut mount. When I tried to replace them with the right ones one of the studs in the strut cap started spinning .
My question is, if it's spinning am I past the point of just being able to replace the stud? I can order a cap but I'm trying to minimize my self-inflicted financial damage and I need to truck driveable within the next 2 days.

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[jhelrey]

You'll be fine once you get it to tighten up. There is a head on the stud to keep it from pulling through, that's what holds it. The splines keep it from turning while tightening.

 

[NewFordGuy24]

I need to get the old nut off, that's the issue. I tried using a flathead to apply enough prying pressure like I've successfully done before but that didn't work. I worry that I stripped out the hole the splines interface with but I won't really know until I get the cap off.

 

[staying_tuned]

Is enough of the RC stud exposed to where you can get vise grips on it while using an open ended wrench to get the old nut off after applying some heat? If that doesn’t work and RC pucks don’t offer access to the head in a way where you can apply a tack weld via JB just to hold it, then you’ll likely have to cut the nut & stud off.

 

[jhelrey]

Pic?

 

[Dakar09]

Pics would definitely help. When you say "wrong nut", what do you mean? Wrong thread pitch, nylock nut instead of regular, etc? Did you already damage the threads on the stud past repair just by slamming the wrong nut on?

To getting it off, how far did you get the nut backed off before the stud started spinning? As noted, if you can get vice grips on if from underneath or grab the shaft of stud below the nut, I'd try a quick blast with an impact or some heat on the nut and try to work it off slowly. May need to hit the stud with a die to fix any thread damage from the vice grips.

 

[NewFordGuy24]

I will take pics and post them after work today. I still have the spacer mounted to the strut so I can't get to the back of the stud yet but I will be disassembling the strut today to gain access to the back. Im gonna heat it up and vice-grip it and hit it with an impact and see if that works. @Dakar09 As for the wrong nut, it was supposed to be a self-locking nut but I installed a regular nut with a serrated bottom in there. It's probably cross threaded so chasing it is gonna be necessary. I might also just get a replacement stud if its messed up enough. I got the nut backed off far enough to fit a #1 flathead in there.

 

[NewFordGuy24]

All right, here are the pics as promised

 

[Dakar09]

Well that sucks. Can't get under it or grab the lower threads.

What I would do (and I'm not a professiona but have gotten myself into situations like this) is try an impact with some sideways pressure on the nut (ie: push the socket all the way on but tilt the gun at an angle putting pressure on the entire bolt & nut assembly). This may cause a little friction where the knurls are and let it spin off.

Or the more tedious approach I'd try is to grab the end of the stud with the thinnest long nose vice grips I could find and try to get an open-end wrench under it.

 

[Texcellent]

I’d remove the two other lock nuts. Put a pry bar between the puck and strut. Cheater bar the pry bar and have the strut mounted to a vise. The force and angle should lock up the stud and let you impact the nut off.

 

[NewFordGuy24]

Not bad ideas. I’m gonna go to harbor freight tomorrow and buy a strut spring compressor and take the cap off, the put it in a vice and see if I can squeeze the backside of the stud enough to keep it still while I impact the nut off.

 

[Jimalt]

Hey everyone I need some help here lol... I tried to install a rough country leveling kit last night and their directions suck a$$ so I used the wrong nuts to attach the spacer to the strut mount. When I tried to replace them with the right ones one of the studs in the strut cap started spinning .
My question is, if it's spinning am I past the point of just being able to replace the stud? I can order a cap but I'm trying to minimize my self-inflicted financial damage and I need to truck driveable within the next 2 days.

Could you whiz wheel a slot for a screwdriver in the stud and try holding it with the screw driver while loosening the nut with an open end? Maybe some heat on the nut to make it larger (try not to heat the stud). Best of luck!

 

[NewFordGuy24]

Could you whiz wheel a slot for a screwdriver in the stud and try holding it with the screw driver while loosening the nut with an open end? Maybe some heat on the nut to make it larger (try not to heat the stud). Best of luck!

I tried to fit an open end in the recess but it doesn't fit I'll try heating things up to hopefully create some movement in there.

 

[TheGoatman]

Do you have an impact?

if you’re going through the trouble of getting a spring compressor and taking the hat off, might as well do bilstein 5100s…but if the hat is damaged/unusable might be better off just accepting your fate and getting assembled 6112s from shocksurplus.

 

[NewFordGuy24]

I have an impact. They put the torque the hardware so damn tight from the factory you need one to loosen anything. I haven't dove in to the endless well of suspension upgrades. But depending on how much just the shock is I might think about upgrading. My only hesitation is I've only had this truck for a few weeks and want to get my money's worth out of the upgraded shocks I paid for.

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