Top nut KW V3
 

Can someone help me on how to tighten the top nut on my kw V3? I'm using the stock top hats and torqued everything down except for that center nut. I can't use my torque wrench because I'll spin the shaft and that's no good. So how am I supposed to torque this without spinning the strut?? What tool do I need?

I would suggest getting a pass through socket set and allen wrench set. This is how to tighten the nut without spinning the shaft. I couldn't find a pic of a BRZ/FR-S part, but it is essentially the same as below.




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Sweet! Thanks guys! Can I use this while the coils are on the car under load, or would you suggest them on the car but not under load, or just off all together? Also how would I torque this...?

You can use a strap wrench on the shock shaft.

Or a vice grip and a regular socket...


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Not with a KW v3.

Ok. Why not?

I already suggested the correct way in a previous post...

There's no hole for an allen key in the top of the shock shaft because there's a rebound adjuster there.

After wrecking the little hex in the top of my dampers (Be careful you're not using the adjuster to keep the damper from spinning!) I use a corded impact driver which is how Vorshlag suggested. Just a little tap of the impact to ensure it's snugged up, you don't need to make these super tight, but any looseness will make a helluva racket.

iirc KW uses a hex around the adjuster so you'd have a regular small socket inside of the pass through if you decided to do it by hand.

Given that we just had someone break the top off an st coilover, it's probably good to use a torque wrench on these. There are some pass through torque wrenches and adapters out there it seems, but just wrapping a strap around the shock shaft is probably going to be the quickest and easiest way to do it without buying extra/special tools.

I believe it's 26 lb-ft front and 15 rear.

Be careful if you use an impact driver (or, don't use an impact).
Don't grip the shaft directly with vice grips.
Try not to touch the shaft much with your hands either.
Don't use the rebound adjuster allen to hold the shaft.
Strap wrench highly encouraged.
Take your time and don't freak out. :)

- andrew

Howdy,


I have some clunking noise going on in the rear suspension and want to make sure the top nut below is tightened.


If the coils are already installed in the car, is it safe to just throw a deep socket over the threaded shaft and onto the nut and torque it down to spec? I was thinking that the shaft wouldn't spin due to everything being connected in the car but am not sure.


Alternatively, if it's safer, I'm happy to buy the pass-through sockets. I don't understand where to "hold" the threaded part though. There is a small allen key on top of the threaded part but that's for adjusting the damper and doesn't seem like the right thing to hold.


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