Front strut replacement troubles

[MW2]

I am new to this forum and I am replacing my front struts on my 2010 SHO. I am trying to remove the nut off the lower ball joint and the ball joint bolt spins. There is a hex shape at the top of the bolt but it is rounded off. A 10 mm wrench is too small and a 11 mm is too big. A vise grip will hold it but it gets in the way of removing the nut. I do not want to cut the bolt and have to replace the entire control arm. I tried using a jack under the control arm to put pressure on the ball joint to keep it from spinning , but no luck it still spins. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thank you,
Mike

 

[SHOdded]

Seems like the suspension has been worked on in the past with power tools at that.

From the manual

1. NOTE: Use the hex-holding feature to prevent the stud from turning while removing the nut.
   
   Using a crowfoot wrench, remove and discard the lower ball joint nut.

Maybe you can drill a hole in it to hold it, IDK. But in case you should have to "destroy" it to get it off, I believe this will suffice as replacement
https://parts.levittownfordparts.co.../?part_name=lower-cntrl-arm-nut&position=left

 

[MW2]

Seems like the suspension has been worked on in the past with power tools at that.

From the manual

1. NOTE: Use the hex-holding feature to prevent the stud from turning while removing the nut.
   
   Using a crowfoot wrench, remove and discard the lower ball joint nut.

Maybe you can drill a hole in it to hold it, IDK. But in case you should have to "destroy" it to get it off, I believe this will suffice as replacement
https://parts.levittownfordparts.co.../?part_name=lower-cntrl-arm-nut&position=left

SHOdded, thanks for the reply. I will keep that in mind about replacing the nut. I think if I destroy the nut I probably would have destroyed the ball joint at that point also.

 

[xFallenxCripplex]

What is the hex holding method?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[MW2]

What is the hex holding method?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

You cant get a socket on top of it because the drive axle is in the way, so I was trying a wrench.

 

[SilverSH0]

What is the hex holding method?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I removed mine when I replaced the rear turbo and it wasn't much fun. The hex holding feature is a hex head on top of the stud (if I remember correctly, it's a 10mm hex head). You have to put a wrench on the head head to hold the stud in place and then use a large wrench to turn the nut. From what I remember I used the 10mm 6 point socket on the end of the stud. Then I had to use a 6 point wrench on the nut to slowly turn it off (it was probably 1/8 turn before I had to remove both wrenches and re-position them). When I tried to use a box end wrench on the nut, it wanted to round the nut. Once the nut is removed you really should replace it with a new one because they are nylon lock nuts and not the old fashion castle nuts with cotter pins. Reusing the same nut won't necessarily give you the same antivibration protection (plus the replacement is cheap).

Since the hex head on the OP's stud is messed up, it's going to make removal very difficult. I would first go in with a small file and try to file the rounded burs off so you can get a 6 point closed end wrench on the end of the stud. I would make sure it's a 6 point wrench because it's going to want to turn/round and a 12 point is probably going to allow that. If that didn't work then I would start getting more drastic where things could get not fun and permanent real quick. I would get some nice vice grips and try to use those to hold the stud in place while rotating the nut. Just remember, whatever you do to get the nut off you're going to have to do the opposite to put it back on.

 

[6500rpm]

Why are you taking the lower ball joints loose to replace the struts?

 

[itwonder]

Skill Secure Grip wrench, Weichuan Adjustable Wrench, or use a Dremel to gently grind the flats until a 10mm wrench fits.

 

[SHOdded]

Why are you taking the lower ball joints loose to replace the struts?

Part of the FSM procedure for 2010-12. 2013+ setups are different/easier.

 

[6500rpm]

Part of the FSM procedure for 2010-12. 2013+ setups are different/easier.

So the earlier Gen 4 used a strut that sits inside the knuckle like the ford Escape. It might be possible to remove the pinch bolts, drive a chisel in the slot to spread it slightly, and hose it down with PB Blaster, but now I understand. That style can be a pita to separate. I get it.

 

[MW2]

I am thinking now of possibly removing the lower control arm along with the strut and steering knuckle as a unit. I know it will be heavy but with two people it may work. This way I wouldn't have to separate the steering knuckle from the control arm via the ball joint. How hard is it to remove the lower control arm on a 2010 SHO?

 

[Boosted Sho]

Just did mine it was a b**** anyways you lift the car from the lower the weight should stop it from spinning


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Boosted Sho]

Just did mine it was a b**** anyways you lift the car from the lower the weight should stop it from spinning


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But didn't work on the other side hex got stripped and there was a fine wire on the threads just on top of the nylock had to back and forth it till it came off hours messing with it finally got it done


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[shaker281]

Yipes, I was thinking about pre-emptively replacing my front struts, given almost 100K miles, now reading this I'm giving it a second thought.

Has the FSM procedure for the 2010 SHO been uploaded anywhere for review?

SHOdded, thanks for the link to the replacement nut.

 

[2011TAURUSSEL]

For anyone thinking of R/R the front struts might I strongly recommend getting the pre loaded strut assembly. Might be more expensive initially but reduced labor for removing and replacing the entire assembly as one might offset most if not all of the extra cost. They are taking the strut assembly off anyway just remove and put a fresh new assembly in place. All new Hardware, struts, new springs. If you are doing it yourself make sure you don't pull too ******* the CV Axle boot, it is easier than you think to pull the CV axle too far and out of the transaxle housing and or tearing the dust boot of the CV axle itself.

 

[GongSho]

When I installed my lowering springs on my 2011 I had the same issues. I just removed the control arms with the knuckles. It was way easier than trying to undo the ball joint nut. The nylon on the nut always jams up in the threads when trying to undo the nut.