Rear Shock - How Do You Tighten The Retaining Nut???

[James99]

I have the shock absorber and spring off and have swaped the shock with the new one. I now need to tighten up the top retaining nut but the shock absorber piston rod just turns with the nut. How are you supposed to do this? Is there a special tool?

At the very top of the shock piston there is a flattened bit with which you can turn/hold the piston with, but you can't turn the nut and hold this at the same time.

The spring is not compressed enough to get the piston into a vice to hold it from rotating.

Any ideas???

The retaining nut came off okay because I think it was stiff from not having been undone for a while and it held just enough for me to get it undone.

Thanks

[spartacus 68]

Try this link
http://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel14.shtml

You need to compress the spring sufficiently so that the piston rod can be pulled though the wing aperture. To help, use a scissor jack under the strut assembly to help push it up a little. Now hold the strut rod with locking pliers (taking care not to strip the screw thread) and tighten the retaining nut down. Haven't done this job for a while, so can't remember if you need the special tool to tighten it. The slotted head socket costs under £10 from Ebay. The scissor jack helps put tension on the strut, so once the slotted head nut has been hand tightened, you can use an allen-key drive on the top of the strut rod to hold the strut rod while you tighten it. It needs to be tight, but don't overdo it, or you will strip the allen key aperture.

[spartacus 68]

Forgot to mention, only add the nylon lock nut once the wheel is lowered on the ground and then torque to tighten.

[James99]

Thanks for your help!