i did it without air tools the first time. wimp!

 

OH ****!

 

me and a buddy tried forever, even broke tools doing it... all that ever happened was the entire strut would spin

 

you need the special vicegripsocket tool.

 

you mean, a sparkplug socket, star allen, and a crescent wrench?

yea, we tried that, broke the star allen

 

eh, ya that would work. i used a socket, vice grips and the torx bit with another vice grips. worked well

 

I broke two star allens. You know what the trick is? Compress the spring more than you think you need to. That stupid nut just comes right off if you compress the spring enough.

-edit-

To clarify: I tried using an impact wrench, and the damn thing wouldnt come off. Then I just compressed the spring some more (read: a lot more) and I could do it by hand.

 

ive done 3 now...2 with air tools and one without...you just have to know in what order to undo what and you can do it with or without...i can do the whole car in 1.5 hrs or less lol