Rounded Hex

Ovrhill

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Jul 9, 2019
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Haltom City, Texas
TDI
'04 Jetta Wagon BEW, '06 Golf BEW, '15 Golf TDI(sold), '05 Golf TDI (wrecked)
Have a rounded out hex connection on top of a front strut. Can't hold the shaft in place to remove the top nut.
Tried an air impact with no help. Shaft still just spins.
Looking for suggestions on removal without damaging the strut. I plan to reinstall it with a new mount.
Also tried some heat. No help either.
Any ideas?
 

STDOUBT

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Jul 30, 2007
Location
Portland, effing Oregon
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dos jettas
Which nut is it? The one right on top of the mount?
There's a (usually) 7 mm hole for an Allen bit to hold the shaft in place while you turn.
Maybe something like this - a pass-through bit, slightly smaller than the nut pounded onto it might grip enough to allow it to turn while you hold the 7 mm Allen in there:
 

ts888

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PNW US
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03 ALH
Split a piece of heater hose so it can be slipped over the shock shaft and clamp it with a large locking plier (aka Vise-Grip).
 

Ovrhill

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Location
Haltom City, Texas
TDI
'04 Jetta Wagon BEW, '06 Golf BEW, '15 Golf TDI(sold), '05 Golf TDI (wrecked)
Which nut is it? The one right on top of the mount?
There's a (usually) 7 mm hole for an Allen bit to hold the shaft in place while you turn.
Maybe something like this - a pass-through bit, slightly smaller than the nut pounded onto it might grip enough to allow it to turn while you hold the 7 mm Allen in there:
It's the top nut and I have a proper 7/8 deep socket and a long hex to slip through the center.
But, the hex connection on top of the strut shaft is rounded out. Can't get a grip to keep the shaft from rotating.
 

Ovrhill

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'04 Jetta Wagon BEW, '06 Golf BEW, '15 Golf TDI(sold), '05 Golf TDI (wrecked)
Split a piece of heater hose so it can be slipped over the shock shaft and clamp it with a large locking plier (aka Vise-Grip).
I might try that. I just don't want to damage the threads or get it out of round.
Someone really cranked the nut down.
 

Brett San Diego

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San Diego
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02 Jetta wagon manual
Vice grip may work. If you can grip it up high enough, you can probably be above the "working" section of the shaft that goes into the shock body at full compression, so you may not need to worry about protecting the shaft. I don't know where that point is on the shaft.

Try hammering a slightly oversize torx bit into it so long as you don't mind buying a new one. Or go to Harbor Freight and buy a new set of torx bits first and try it. If you damage or break it, lifetime warranty.

Last resort, cut a slot in the shaft with a Dremel tool and cutoff wheel, and use a large flathead screwdriver or other suitable tool to counterhold the strut shaft.

How to you intend to tighten the strut nut when reassembling?

Brett
 
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Ovrhill

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Joined
Jul 9, 2019
Location
Haltom City, Texas
TDI
'04 Jetta Wagon BEW, '06 Golf BEW, '15 Golf TDI(sold), '05 Golf TDI (wrecked)
Good advise.
I tried hammering a larger hex into the rounded hole. I just made the rounded hole larger in the end.
I have not seem the pipe nipple extractors before.
I'll explore that one.
 

turbodieseldyke

Top Post Dawg
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Free Mustache Rides
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98 jetta
What a retarded design this is. These VW morons and their 6mm hex screws everywhere. This is what happens when you lose a war. You lose all hope for the future and you do stupid crap like this because nothing matters any more.
 

Ovrhill

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Location
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TDI
'04 Jetta Wagon BEW, '06 Golf BEW, '15 Golf TDI(sold), '05 Golf TDI (wrecked)
I'm still in the fight.

It's no worse than most of the other designs that I have seen. They are all a lttle messed up.
 

Steve Addy

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Location
Iowa
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97 Mk3
I'm still in the fight.

It's no worse than most of the other designs that I have seen. They are all a lttle messed up.
You might try an SAE allen (hex) bit and file / grind it down just a tad and then tap it into the hole.

These strut nuts need to be soaked liberally before removing and I don't use deep sockets or long allen bits if I can help it. I know my method is wonky but I take a large vice grip and tightly clamp it to a standard 1/2" drive 21/22 (which ever it happens to use) and then drop a short allen (hex) bit down through the center and use a 3/8 to1/2 adapter and breaker bar to hold it while it undo the nut with the vice grip 'wrench.' It sounds ghetto but it's never failed me and I've used it on some very old and crusty strut tops....cuz you know the protective covers are always missing!!!

The other key is to only use the hex bit to hold the strut in place, do the loosening with the wrench part on the nut.

That's my 2 cents on this...

Steve
 

Steve Addy

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Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
What a retarded design this is. These VW morons and their 6mm hex screws everywhere. This is what happens when you lose a war. You lose all hope for the future and you do stupid crap like this because nothing matters any more.
Oh that's nothin...it's torx everywhere now...everything is torx...FFS.

Steve
 

Shenandoah

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I had this happen on one of my mk4 VWs. I drilled holes all around the nut in the metal "cup" that goes on before the nut. I was then able to remove the strut (nut still on). I have four parts cars, so I was able to take one off the parts car to replace the one I had to destroy to get the strut out.

Not sure what this part is called, but it is the round cup with the rubber ring around the edge that hold the strut in place. It's right under the nut you are trying to remove.

Eric
 

Zak99b5

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2003 Jetta TDI
Since the hole is rounded out already, maybe try running a tap in it. Then insert a bolt in there, tighten in down, and counter-hold with that?
 

jimbote

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spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
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I had this happen on one of my mk4 VWs. I drilled holes all around the nut in the metal "cup" that goes on before the nut. I was then able to remove the strut (nut still on). I have four parts cars, so I was able to take one off the parts car to replace the one I had to destroy to get the strut out.

Not sure what this part is called, but it is the round cup with the rubber ring around the edge that hold the strut in place. It's right under the nut you are trying to remove.

Eric
Might be called the strut retainer plate?
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
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Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
Maybe try hammering an oversize torx bit into the hole. And oh yeah, NEVER use an impact to install that nut. It's okay for removal but when you use an impact to install it it ends up spinning the shaft out of the strut assembly nut. Then you've got a loose stack going on and it causes weird handling and crazy wear on the strut shaft.
 

Bradm

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I had this happen on one of my mk4 VWs. I drilled holes all around the nut in the metal "cup" that goes on before the nut. I was then able to remove the strut (nut still on). I have four parts cars, so I was able to take one off the parts car to replace the one I had to destroy to get the strut out.

Not sure what this part is called, but it is the round cup with the rubber ring around the edge that hold the strut in place. It's right under the nut you are trying to remove.

Eric
Spring hat/top hat
 

Ovrhill

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Location
Haltom City, Texas
TDI
'04 Jetta Wagon BEW, '06 Golf BEW, '15 Golf TDI(sold), '05 Golf TDI (wrecked)
Since the hole is rounded out already, maybe try running a tap in it. Then insert a bolt in there, tighten in down, and counter-hold with that?
That idea, if it were to work, would give me a way to reinstall the assembly as well.
I'll be back on it this morning and will report back.
Appreciate everyone's ideas.
 
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