Removed a rear shock absorber from a BMW mini tonight and it was all going swimmingly until getting to this mount... can’t remove the nut... seems it needs a torx Allen key down the middle at the same time as the Hex nut is being undone... think maybe a ‘pass through ratchet’ is needed but not sure... got lots of tools, socket sets, torx this, ring spanners that but no ‘pass through ratchet’... can I improvise? Someone needs car back on road for 10am tomorrow and there are now components strewn across the garage floor 🙄

These are the tools the ‘how to’ video shows for undoing said nut...

Click image to enlarge

I may be wrong but that picture looks like an Allen key & ratchet spanner?
Wouldn’t a ring spanner & torx bit do it?

Rob. 2011 (MY12) 4.4 TDV8 Vogue
2016 Golf GTI PP

Gone
Audi A4
VW Passat
VW Corrado G60
VW Golf GTI
BMW E30
Mini
Vauxhall Chvette

Can’t get the ring spanner do sit down on the nut

a socket with mole grips on it this can allow the allen key to go through the middle of the socket.. ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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I have this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Laser-7673-Shock-...amp;sr=1-4

Tried the blue Peter methods, wanted to avoid the brute force impact method, and wanted to get the job done properly. Great quality kit, provided me with great control to fit and secure the suspension quickly and safely.

We just had a similar issue with a Freelander 2 spring replacement.

A lot of places recommended just gripping the strut with molegrips which I wasn't happy with so I used a socket in a pair of grips with an Allen key through the middle of the socket. I used a shift spanner to hold the molegrips.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

pld118 wrote:

Can’t get the ring spanner do sit down on the nut

If it’s for someone else, and you don’t have the tools and can’t wait, then do what too many high street garages do. Impact wrench on the nut. It makes me cry, but it gets the job “done”.

Twas all fixed in time, thanks for the replies. Searched the garage and found a tool to improvise whilst a pair of mole grips were actually en route (didn't have time to buy the open ratchet spanner but will now)...

The tool? A nut splitter bought for changing suspension components when we had our silver L322 SC (knew that SC would be good for something one day

Placed a Hex socket inside the nut splitter, tightened the splitter onto the socket and voila! A home made special spanner and just perfect for the job. Was then able to seat the socket on the nut and could also use the appropriate torx key through the hole in the Hex socket. After all that faffing, nut removed in about 1 minute...

Pictures of the improvised components

Well done,
Great improvisation.  2011 (MY12) 4.4 TDV8 Vogue
2016 Golf GTI PP

Gone
Audi A4
VW Passat
VW Corrado G60
VW Golf GTI
BMW E30
Mini
Vauxhall Chvette

Ingenious

After you get your ratchet ring spanners, then there will be the angled off set ratchet ring spanners, then there will be the ........... it never ends

Love a bit of improv Ryan. I’m a big fan of using what you have lying around, each tool had many uses to the creative mind! Well done 👍🏻 There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Cheers chaps...

The problematic nut was actually supposed to be tightened to a specific torque so because of the need to improv and knowing that it was a factory fitted part still on the car, one resorted to counting the exposed thread lines from the outgoing nut and just tightened the new one to leave the same number thread lines exposed (and it was definitely put back on tight enough, yet not overtight

Just need to work out now the best value torque spanner thingy to buy for what will probably be occasional use...

You can buy dead cheap torque wrenches. I managed to get one from Aldi a few years back. Lasted well and when I started doing a bit more I bought a Teng one off Amazon. Again not dead expensive but pretty decent.

Amazon do a Basics one which should be ok for most jobs for about £30 which is the same (or very similar) as the one I got from Aldi. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial