When I got the car a couple months back, I wanted to do a basic tune-up which included changing the spark plugs. I read that removing the strut bar makes things a whole lot easier so as I went to remove the nuts to the strut bar, a couple of them stripped but I was able to remove them later with a damaged nut remover tool.. well all but one. See the pic below.



I've tried several damaged nut removal tools and pb blaster on this pesky nut and I'm out of ideas of what to do. It seems like it is completely rounded and nothings gripping it.

Any ideas besides Dremeling it out? I'm trying to avoid that because of the risk of cutting into the threads.

Damn, all I wanted to do was change the spark plugs.

 

take it to any garage and they probably have a better rounded nut remover than the one you have, or dremel slowly. were u using a 12 point socket originally? if you were, get a set of the 6 point metric sockets.

 

Looks pretty mangled. Probably will have to cut it off. You could also try a hammer and a sharp chisel to see if you can knock it loose, then back it off by hand.

 

Another method that I've seen my friend that owns the exhaust shop use is to find a six point socket that's close in size to what's left of the nut you have.

The socket should come close to fitting but is just a bit too small. Heat the nut up with a torch until it's glowing and then hammer on the socket. The metal of heated nut should deform to fit into the socket. Let it cool a bit and then insert rachet and unbolt. You will need to replace the nut with a new one of course.

Unfortunately the location of this nut may prevent you from heating it up with a torch, and there's not much metal left on that nut; but it might still be worth a try hammering on an undersized socket.

I sympathize with your predicament. When I installed the A-Spec suspension I had to remove this brace as well. I used a 12 point socket without thinking and partially rounded 2 out of the 3 nuts on the passenger side with couple of strokes of the rachet.

Luckily I stopped to check because it didn't feel like a loosened off nut should feel and found the socket had slipped. The third came off okay.

I phoned my buddy up (the same one that does the heat and hammer on method) to tell him I was coming by to get his help but he said to try a 6 point socket first.

I didn't think I had any then I remembered I had an impact socket set I rarely used. All the sockets are 6 point.

I dug out the kit, found the right 6 point socket, fitted it onto the 2 partially rounded nuts (needed to be lightly tapped on with a hammer due to the mild deformation) and the last two nuts came off without a hitch.

I reinstalled all the nuts using the 6 point socket after that.

Two things I concluded after this.

One is that I had the 3rd gear TSB done just a couple of months before. The tech probably had to remove this bar and likely retorqued it on with way more torque than spec'd. They only need about 35lbft IIRC.

Second, the nuts appear to be made of a softer metal than normal. They don't seem to be high strength steel. If anything they look almost like brass. No idea why Honda/Acura chose this soft of a metal.

Good luck with the removal!

 

Not really much of a choice now. Dremel it and then finish it off with a chisel.

 

+1. Been there and done that.

 

It's a bitch of an area to use a Dremel there.

 

hammer on a smaller socket and call it a day. Or you could tack weld a socket on there too, or even JB weld it if you were going to wait another day to finsish this.

 

I tried hammering a smaller socket on there already, and I've thought about tack welding a socket there... but I'm afraid that the A/C line right next to it might be a problem... also I've used JB weld before and it's good stuff but I don't think it will be strong enough for this.

 

It's also got a huge shoulder on it, making it all the harder to split. You'll be cutting with a Dremel for a while to get through all that material.

At this point, if you don't want to damage any of the surrounding area yourself, it might best to take it to a mechanic and ask what they can do.

 

JB weld will hold, you need to let it cure for the full 24hrs(?) though. Thats why I said use it only if you are gonna try and fix it another day that way it has time to cure. A tack weld wont harm those ac lines, a full bead may but not a tack. Anyway good luck with it, I know how you feel I was doing my jpipe and one of the precat studs was stripped from factory and couldn't get it back in. Had to hold off and fix the threads first. Always something stupid that comes up

 

what ever happened to using some large Pliers to take it off....

 

Trust, btdt. Not enough room there, and even tried big beefy vice-grips perpendicular to it and turning that with another set of pliers and no go.

I'ma try to tap it loose with a chisel against it and then see what happens.

 

so you busted a nut eh? lol was it good for you? lol

All kiding aside I am with speedy six, heat the nut and pound a 6 sided socket on it . remove and i would use a socket that you can sacrafice because you might not get your nut out of it.

 

Fck yeh, Pop's and I chiseled it loose then used the damaged nut remover to finish the job. Finally can change my spark plugs, I'm a happy camper.

 

What.... the.... fuck...? Those bolts shouldn't have more than ~25 lbs of tq on them. jeeez.. not only that, where's the other two original ones that secure the strut tower?

Next time let some penetrant seep in before going to those extremes. Channel locks should've been able to twist it off.