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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Suspension | Brakes | Chassis > Can you tighten front strut nut with a socket only when it is installed?



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      04-18-2019, 05:44 PM   #1
TheMidnightNarwhal
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Can you tighten front strut nut with a socket only when it is installed?

Doing coilover install. I got a special half cut Shcwaben socket to be able to tight and untight the strut nut holding the top plate but the problem is the new struts are 19mm compared to BMW 21mm which I got the socket for.

I went locally to hardware store to get a pass through socket set but the most it will go up to is 17mm.

What are my other solutions at this point without using an impact? If I install the strut in the mount and attach it to the top, the rod is still going to spin right if I then torque the nut down?

I can get a Shwaben from Amazon Canada but it will only be here wednesday if no other solutions...

I was also thinking DIY cutting my own socket in half ti make it like schwaben with a grinder to be able to fit a hex to hold the rod.
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      04-18-2019, 05:56 PM   #2
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I used a spark plug socket which had a hex on it - the larger of the 2 standard sizes is 19mm...maybe your existing tool set has one?

I've also heard that an impact driver does no harm to the damper etc...don't quote me though! I just ground spanner flats on a socket when I needed a 21mm one the other day, instead of borrowing a mate's impact driver; I just didn't fancy it!
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      04-18-2019, 06:26 PM   #3
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As I mentioned in your other thread, just gun down with an impact until it tightens and then torque to spec... With the car on the ground, not in the air.

I've done six suspension installs on E9X over the years and never need that dumb socket.
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      04-18-2019, 06:27 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tambohamilton View Post
I used a spark plug socket which had a hex on it - the larger of the 2 standard sizes is 19mm...maybe your existing tool set has one?

I've also heard that an impact driver does no harm to the damper etc...don't quote me though! I just ground spanner flats on a socket when I needed a 21mm one the other day, instead of borrowing a mate's impact driver; I just didn't fancy it!
And then use like a wrench to turn the socket while you use socket's hole to put a hex key?

As for impact wrench it's more that I have no idea how much torque I will apply an I'm very anal about torque specs lol.
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      04-18-2019, 06:29 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6ixSpd View Post
As I mentioned in your other thread, just gun down with an impact until it tightens and then torque to spec... With the car on the ground, not in the air.

I've done six suspension installs on E9X over the years and never need that dumb socket.
Oh sorry I didn't realize you had posted that. For using the imapct do you let it hit a few times or don't let it hit at all?

Because when I was doing my wheels, I tried to tighten my lugs like just a little bit before using torque wrench, but it had tighten all of them past 85 ft lbs. I didn't hold trigger much at all.

Last edited by TheMidnightNarwhal; 04-18-2019 at 06:37 PM..
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      04-18-2019, 06:32 PM   #6
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There's nothing wrong with using an impact until the bolt/nut you're tightening stops moving. It's when you keep gunning away relentlessly after it's secure that you run into breaking things.
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      04-19-2019, 01:31 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal View Post
And then use like a wrench to turn the socket while you use socket's hole to put a hex key?

As for impact wrench it's more that I have no idea how much torque I will apply an I'm very anal about torque specs lol.
Yeah, that's the notion with the socket.

As 6isSpd says, you're unlikely to do any harm with the impact unless you're daft with it.
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      04-19-2019, 08:12 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6ixSpd View Post
As I mentioned in your other thread, just gun down with an impact until it tightens and then torque to spec... With the car on the ground, not in the air.

I've done six suspension installs on E9X over the years and never need that dumb socket.
Tried to use torque wrench when the car on the ground it wouldn't work at all. Shaft was still spinning.

I ended up using spark plug socket but even trying to tight it I couldn't hold onto the hex but it got it tight enough.

I guess I'll see with the upcoming days lol.
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      04-20-2019, 11:18 AM   #9
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It'll probably be alright. Any noise from there and you'll know where to look anyhow!

It's supposed to get 64Nm, which seems pretty tough to me, considering you're holding with a 6mm Allen key...
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...struts/5WkUxru
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      04-20-2019, 02:18 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tambohamilton View Post
It'll probably be alright. Any noise from there and you'll know where to look anyhow!

It's supposed to get 64Nm, which seems pretty tough to me, considering you're holding with a 6mm Allen key...
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...struts/5WkUxru
Speaking of noise... I do get an odd noise from the front right... it's not like a clunk it's more of a metal ping or tick when steering sometimes. Perhaps it's the top mounts hmm. I think I'll just let it like that though.

And yeah, in my Bilstein manual though it goes by thread size and for the the nut it's a M12 they say 32 ft lbs.
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      04-21-2019, 12:40 AM   #11
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Air gun works fine for me, be nice and slow.
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      04-21-2019, 12:48 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal View Post
Speaking of noise... I do get an odd noise from the front right... it's not like a clunk it's more of a metal ping or tick when steering sometimes. Perhaps it's the top mounts hmm. I think I'll just let it like that though.

And yeah, in my Bilstein manual though it goes by thread size and for the the nut it's a M12 they say 32 ft lbs.
Yeah, probably something in the top mount or spring perch... Would probably need to take it apart, clean, grease, reassemble. A lot of hassle and it's probably not doing any harm!
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      04-21-2019, 05:54 AM   #13
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I just put springs on my car on Thursday and had the shock spin on the driver side front. I wrapped a 19mm socket in several layers of movers tape that I had around, grabbed it with some channel lock pliers, and tightened it with a hex bit through the top. Worked like a charm.
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      05-01-2019, 12:20 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ericforman70 View Post
I just put springs on my car on Thursday and had the shock spin on the driver side front. I wrapped a 19mm socket in several layers of movers tape that I had around, grabbed it with some channel lock pliers, and tightened it with a hex bit through the top. Worked like a charm.
haha this is what I did, though without the mover's tape. My socket is a little scarred, but no biggie.
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