Deep offset box wrenches for strut work?

[n8n]

Any recommendations? I am going to be installing new front struts on my E92 chassis BMW 335i. I don't have access to air tools anymore. Will any work, and what to get? Would rather buy a whole set because I've been told that different brand struts may require different sized tools. I do have a Hazet cutaway socket from years ago working on VWs, but I don't know if it will be the same size, or even if the old (OEM presumably Sachs) and new (Koni Special Active) struts will have the same top nut size, as the new struts are on order but haven't arrived yet. I do have a good set of hex key sockets so that's covered, as well as E-torx, XZN, all the stupid special stuff that modern cars seem to require these days.

 

[DadsTools]

I have some Proto and I like them, nice handles too. I have noticed that there are "extra" deep offset wrenches out there too, so the depths can vary.

 

[sberry]

All that is nice and great if you are installing struts on a regular basis but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, shopping is so much easier than it used to be and I now let stores keep a lot of it on the shelf in case I need it. Since this appears like this is rather 1 off vs fleet work see if what you got works or zip back to the parts store and buy a tool you need vs trying to predict every future event.

 

[m6z]

It's been awhile since I've done struts on anything, but I don't remember having any clearance issues using a ratchet.

I've actually never ran into a situation where the answer was a deep offset box wrench.

 

[drtyler]

The deep offset wrenches sold by Capri Tools have the thinnest heads of most available.

If you wrench fairly regularly, this might be the time to get an 18V mid-torque impact by Rigid, Makita or Milwaukee. Might be a better use of the $$ than some wrenches that you won't use again for a while.

 

[n8n]

I'm almost thinking now it'd be easier to get a cheap HF air compressor and then just sell it on Craigslist when I'm done. There doesn't seem to be any good tool for this job other than an impact, and I have several - just no compressor, and no real place to store it.

 

[n8n]

It's been awhile since I've done struts on anything, but I don't remember having any clearance issues using a ratchet.

I've actually never ran into a situation where the answer was a deep offset box wrench.

How do you get the big nut off the top to remove the spring? only good way seems to be an impact, or a homemade tool.

 

[sberry]

Those wrenches have further reach than the 1 off stuff I need to buy this morning, wrecked a 35$ tool the othjer day and then the guyu thinks he is doing me a favor sending me something I didnt want vs the 1 I did because the parts on the list didnt seem to match. Kind of ticks me off to pay 30$ for a torx bit I already had and left without 1 I need.
I have that conversation with the counter man at the electric store the other day,,, if you think I am wrong do not sub without calling me, another supplier the same way recently,,, well I thought,,, etc and I am stuff with **** hard to return.
So,,, back to the wrenches,,, they have other uses, they are often part of a masters set but,, I hate buying tools anymore and really try to master what I have if its practical. Thats different than being cheap, its different than regular work should be made easier or sped up. I have bought some after the fact thinking it would be perfect and never need it again.
Time is money,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, if it takes me 5 minutes longer, if it takes 30 longer for 1 or 2 off then I am willing to trade that for 80-100$ or way more in new stuff. Its more shat I got to take care of, pay for, acquire which may drive it up farther, insurance etc. Different if its 8or 10$ and stopping work. Same for parts, I fix a lot, will clean and put a bush in a starter or brushes in something especially if I can return to service and sometimes in cost. We pulled the turn out of a pickup the other day, new was 30$, took 10 minutes to remove it, first instinct is to run to the store, we stop just a minute and look and a bent tab later its going back in, made it 100$ an hour rate for that few minutes and 30 less I got to write the check for at the end of the month. Double relevant considering the book value of what its going on, saved an hour wait. Got an annoying chore done fast and we can go back to drinking coffee.

 

[m6z]

How do you get the big nut off the top to remove the spring? only good way seems to be an impact, or a homemade tool.

I should have said socket. Yeah, an impact is about the only way.

Might be a good time to invest in a battery powered impact.

Struts can be a complete pain in the ***. I can recall having to cut a strut off on a low mileage car when installing lowering springs.

These days I'd probably just pay someone to do them. You're going to need to take it to a shop for an alignment anyways, sometimes it's easier to just pay them to do all the work.

 

[sberry]

If you are young, got a long career ahead as a master, need a pile of tools in the future as I did at one point, provide for other men that are costing then all this makes a difference.
If I had it to do over would learn this a little earlier, would have saved a lot of effort could have been better utilized. On its own not a deal breaker, maybe you dont care but it sounds like it is a value question and the times we live in have changed some of this when options were wayyyy fewer and often had to wait on mail order or the tool trucks and auto parts were limited.
Now 6 stores in a mile, maybe more very competitive for sales, couple of them open 24 hrs a day, parts stores open till 10PM.

 

[sberry]

I agree about impact. It multiplies work plus saves time and reduces strain. Second,, not familiar with this job but easy strut assemblies now available for many cars so a guy doesnt have to do some hard labor. Control arms the same way. Only save 10 or 20$ on domestics to diy for 2 hrs hard work.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

IMO the winner hear is the pass-thru sockets. Wall thickness of nearly every box end wrench I have is thicker than those are. I bought deep offset toptul wrenches with the same application in mind, and they just don't fit in the space available in most upper mounts. The are very nice for suspension work - feel free to still buy a set.

FWIW on some "economy" minded quick struts, they add little tabs sticking out to prevent accessing the top nut with a traditional socket. They need ground off to tighten the nut the factory left ever-so-slightly loose.

 

[Mr_B]

winner for home diy guy is old deep or mid length socket and grind flats drive end so can put crescent wrench on it and use the drive square hole as pass through .
You can also weld old ring wrench to socket or even a hex nut so can use a ring wrench on it if got a welder.
this free to couple of bucks from used socket bins and even if buy new from likes of HF or advance auto etc it like under 10bucks sort something out .

 

[n8n]

These days I'd probably just pay someone to do (struts). You're going to need to take it to a shop for an alignment anyways, sometimes it's easier to just pay them to do all the work.

Where I live, I can't find anyone to do anything for cheap enough that it's worth it to pay them unless it's a PITA job. There is one local guy I take stuff to but if I already have most of the tools and it's not a hard job I'll do it myself. I've done this before, just not any time recently.

Car is an E92 chassis BMW, the rears actually look cake easy as they're shocks not struts, I just know the fronts I have to deal with that top nut.

You don't even want to know what the BMW dealership quoted me to bring my car back to spec when I took it in for a recall... and they didn't even catch the roached clutch LOL. If anyone made a new car anything like it it'd probably be more economical to do that but where can you find a good handling RWD car with a true old school manual transmixer anymore?

 

[Fedwrench]

Lately at work, we've been using the Steelman set with excellent results.

I don't work on bimmers but, a few of my techs do and they swear by the strut tool sets. Here are some examples.

Just don't cheap out on the spring compressor.

https://www.steelmantools.com/strut-shock-installation-kit

https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/PEL026901SCH01A.htm?pn=PEL-026901SCH01A&bt=Y&fs=0&SVSVSI=

https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/PEL003046SCHKT.htm?pn=PEL-003046SCHKT&bt=Y&fs=0&SVSVSI=

https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/PEL017822SCH01A.htm?pn=PEL-017822SCH01A&bt=Y&fs=0&SVSVSI=

 

[2ndGearRubber]

winner for home diy guy is old deep or mid length socket and grind flats drive end so can put crescent wrench on it and use the drive square hole as pass through .
You can also weld old ring wrench to socket or even a hex nut so can use a ring wrench on it if got a welder.
this free to couple of bucks from used socket bins and even if buy new from likes of HF or advance auto etc it like under 10bucks sort something out .

Or if you're a real animal, vice-grips on the socket.

 

[Jersey Drew]

Something like this should work if youcan find one that has a 22mm. I am showing this for concept of tool.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Crescen...et-11-Piece-CPTAW8/205642158#product-overview

My 22mm scket has the ground down sides and that worked but was a real pain.


Otherwise get the mid torque milwaukee and you can have it for future use, even wheel swaps or rotating tires (if you have square setup)

Word of warning.... you can break the threaded tip off the strut if you use impact gun! I have used impact gun a half dozen times without a problem but i have heard some real horror stories in my bimmerforums days!

 

[Nineeightyone]

http://www.metalnerd.com/catalog/product/3a8d93bf5f724fad84fcb3bc5de6dec1

Depending on the size, this is what we over in VW/Audi land use. Works great, has provisions to use a torque wrench, and in general it's come in very handy repeatedly.

 

[Jersey Drew]

Thinking about it you might be able to use an O2 sensor crow foot. Tekton has a 6 point one

 

[wkndwarrior29]

I've done a few suspensions in the past few years and these did the trick for my VW so that I could torque them in: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B000HB00CA/

I don't recall the size of the top nut on the BMW's, however.

 

[goblue1998]

I was able to remove the front struts from the springs on my 2007 335i with a spark plug socket. Paid about $3 at advance auto.

Just used a ratchet. Nothing special. I used 3 cheap spring compressors and it was easy and felt safe. The 3rd really helped.

 

[goblue1998]

It was a 13/16 (21mm) spark plug socket. I did have to cut the ball tip off my hex bit because it was slipping.

 

[Mr_B]

weld an appropriate sized hex nut to drive end of semi deep or deep sockets and you got lovely tool for this sort of scenario .
the spark plug sockets with hex form great solution when sizes appropriate ...
I done this in sizes from 17 to 24mm for special scenarios as very useful end tool and it low cost quick and easy .

 

[MrNatural]

IMO the winner hear is the pass-thru sockets. Wall thickness of nearly every box end wrench I have is thicker than those are. I bought deep offset toptul wrenches with the same application in mind, and they just don't fit in the space available in most upper mounts. The are very nice for suspension work - feel free to still buy a set.

FWIW on some "economy" minded quick struts, they add little tabs sticking out to prevent accessing the top nut with a traditional socket. They need ground off to tighten the nut the factory left ever-so-slightly loose.

This

Pass through socket on the retaining Nut with the appropriate bit socket holding the strut shaft steady. A ring spanner will do exactly the same job just a few moments slower.

 

[dnschmidt]

The best wrench for this job is the angled socket wrench. Which are used extensively in Europe but seldom, if ever, seen in America. This is what one looks like: https://www.toptul.com/en/product-325459/Angled-Socket-Wrench.html These are very handy on motorcycles as well.

That stated an impact is the true answer. Even a cheap corded model from Harbor Freight should get the job done. Personally, I use Milwaukee FUEL impacts but that's just me.

 

[n8n]

I've done a few suspensions in the past few years and these did the trick for my VW so that I could torque them in: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B000HB00CA/

I don't recall the size of the top nut on the BMW's, however.

21mm, but apparently that's only true for the stock ones. Aftermarket can apparently be anywhere from 17mm to 24mm. Tempted to buy that set, although some have said they aren't steep enough. I did order a Gearwrench pass thru set yesterday as it was payday and i was ordering the last of the suspension stuff. we will see if that is adequate or no.

 

[wkndwarrior29]

21mm, but apparently that's only true for the stock ones. Aftermarket can apparently be anywhere from 17mm to 24mm. Tempted to buy that set, although some have said they aren't steep enough. I did order a Gearwrench pass thru set yesterday as it was payday and i was ordering the last of the suspension stuff. we will see if that is adequate or no.

I hate to throw another option in the mix, but if it's not too late to cancel the gearwrench order - I highly recommend this pass through set:

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B005HVWRU8/

I think it comes out to about $130 from amazon.de and mine came in under a week, for my BMW's I really appreciate the spline drive and e-torx adapters. It's a high quality set - not like the spline drive stuff that will strip fasteners. I also have an older craftsman pass-through set which I believe to be comparable to gearwrench - it's nice but the selector switch is awful loose.