I'm replacing my upper strut mounts, and need to know if there is some trick to breaking the nut loose. This is the nut that holds the strut rod in the mount above the bearing. The rod has an allen key, the nut looks like urathane self locking. But it also has a couple of nicks in the top like I would need a punch and hammer to break it loose. Any suggestions.

Ray

 

you want to crack it loose while it's on the car (you won't need the
hex key to break it loose, just use a socket).

afterwards, there's a special socket to loosen the nut while holding the
hex key. i don't have that socket, so i dropped my 1/2 drive socket onto
the nut with no ratchet attached, dropped the hex hey through the socket's
1/2 hole, and used a channel-lock to turn the socket.

 

Thanks, it came apart way to easy. I'll put it back together and try it.

 

BMW makes a special tool to do this but it is so expensive the counterperson was embarrassed to tell me the price. I decided to create my own tool which will release the nut (with springs collapsed). I bought a deep 13/16" socket and took the Dremmel to it to cut a workable window to hold the hex nut with the hex wrench (note the cheater pipe to increase leverage).
Seems to work well and I can put a torque wrench on the modified socket to make sure the nut is on right.

 

O.K. I'll post a few pictures when I figure out how to take an 800 x 800 JPEG picture.
Later.

 

Thanks I got it apart and replaced the strut mounts, they were pretty tore up. Also added a M7 strut bar which (has the tower reinforcements). Nice Stuff. Don't have to worry about mushrooming.
I would like to see the tool cyates made though. Thanks.

 

ray59, any picts of your new stb and your car?