One of the nuts holding the shock to the shock tower is rounded off and now beat to **** after I tried taking it off. I tried the sockets that take off stripped bolts with no luck. Also tried a nut cracker/splitter but it's a tight fit and it kept slipping off. If I were to grind off the nut with the bolt will I be able to find a replacement bolt? If so, where?

 

vice grips? or vice grips after heating the nut?

or file down two sides to make it flat on each side and then a plumbers wrench?

I think the bolt is more like a stud, where it is part of the fixture of the top of your strut. I could be wrong though, but that is generally the case. Since you have access to it, though, you could drill out what was ground off, and run a bolt through the strut mount and to the body as if it were OEM - however this is your suspension and I dont know what spec (if any) you would need to meet to make it safe.

 

I ended up just going to a mechanic to save myself some time and a headache. The guy hammered a socket onto the nut and it came loose. Thankfully the threads of the bolt are still fine even after my attemps so I don't have to worry about replacing it.
Thanks for your suggestions!

 

I just removed my OEM struts last weekend and did not run into this issue, but based on your story I just let out a sigh of relief regardless haha

 

I think the shop that installed my lowering springs just overtightened that nut and maybe slightly stripped it. Oh well, worked out in the end.

 

This is what I was gonna say. That, and use some PB Blaster oil on it before you attempt to remove it. But the heat gun works really well! Actually a good old propane torch, but then again, you might end up scalding the area around it...

 

VO has a point (he always has a point). NOW is the time to research how to remove a siezed/stripped nut or bolt. If you're dedicated enough to undertake shock replacement, you should have the regular tips under you belt and in your head.

Remember, heat guns only work on nuts. Bolts need a different action. Heat makes metal expand. You turn on the hot water in your house and the flow slows down...because the pipes expanded from the heat...decreasing the force.

VO's PB Blaster suggestion tip is gold. Any time you work on suspension, spray it with PB Blaster the night before you do the work.