Rusted nut on shock stud

[amputee]

In one line: What the heck is the easiest way to get the dang rusted-on nut off the top of the old rear shocks in order to get off the mounting bracket to put on the new shocks?

Background: Over 53K and my 2007 Aveo5 SV hatchback was at a disreputable chain for a brake job due to noise (they replaced the pads AND rotors, due to the rotors "rusting through"). They wanted to replace the rear shocks as said they were "leaking like a sieve." I declined, the bounce test seemed fine but the shocks did not look great and had a lot of mileage. Watched some videos and read up here about it, looked easy, so I ordered a couple of Monroe #5794 SensaTrac shocks from Rock Auto as my usual parts place didn't have Aveo shocks.

Put the back left on a jackstand, took the tire off and put the jack under the spring, with some difficulty and an extender I loosened the two 14mm bolts on the mounting bracket in the wheel well, but the 14mm bolt at the bottom would not budge, even though I had thoroughly oiled it days earlier. Went and bought a longer/better ratchet ad got all three bolts out and pulled out the shock. It did seem bad, not pushing back out when I pushed it in.

The mounting bracket is held onto the shock stud by another 14mm nut. This is not accessible without taking it off so I had no way to oil it in advance, but I added some immediately. Turning it with a socket or wrench just turned the whole shock body. Tips online included holding the flat end or the bar with a vise-grip. This was a joke: that rusted nut is on tight, and even putting it in a big clamp with tremendous force, using the wrench on the nut would just rotate the shock.

I finally hacked off the nut with a hacksaw, which left me in worse shape as the top mount was still stuck in place and there was no longer anything to turn. I ended up taking it to a shop and they torched the end off, so I could get the mounting bracket off and put the new shock in, but unfortunately I didn't have an extra jack or time to get the other shock off, so by the time I got the other shock out the shop was closed, I have to go to work in the morning, and of course the nut on the shock is just as immovable, if anything worse. I sprayed some liquid wrench crap on the nut before I put that shock back on hoping maybe it will loosen up in time, but I am not hopeful.

Seriously is there anything other than a torch that will take this nut off? There has to be a better way. Swapping out shocks looked like such an easy task but I spent five hours on it with only one new shock on to show for it and feel pretty broken up.

P.S. This is stupid but there was a wire looped on either end of the shock holding it together in the box, I took it off as it seemed to be obviously for packaging, but I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere and now the left side is noticeably higher than than the right, as mounted it is quite extended to the point where there is a small gap between the top and bottom half, I hope that is OK. I'm pretty sure I was supposed to remove that but I hope that the Monroe 5794 is the correct part for this car, it was listed as compatible...

Also how bad is driving with one new shock and one old/bad in back? It can't be good and I'll replace the other on ASAP but I hope it's not a deathtrap on the highway in the meantime.

[rodo]

P.S. This is stupid but there was a wire looped on either end of the shock holding it together in the box, I took it off as it seemed to be obviously for packaging, but I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere and now the left side is noticeably higher than than the right...

It's a gas charged shock so this is normal once the shipping band is removed; should be fine.

[petrified.rabbit]

first thing, would have been spending the $40 on two new complete upper mounts with the hardware, so your shocks would be all new "as pulled" from that car before disassembling the mount.

aside from that, cutting the nut seems to have hurt you more, as taking an impact to it should take it right off.

replacing one shock isnt ideal, but you probably wont notice it. your rear beam equalizes the shocks pretty well by design.

The wire, if i understand your question, does need removed, after removing it, the shocks will expand, but as long as they are the same shock dont worry about uninstalled length "differences" unless its the difference in the actual shock body or shaft, not where the shaft extended too.

[amputee]

Thanks, both of you, I feel a bit better about this now. Will see how the 30mi commute goes tomorrow and try to find someone in town to knock the nut off the other shock.

I'm obviously not a mechanic, previously I've been limited to maintenance like oil changes, plugs, filters etc., so no air tools or blow torch for that matter. Just trying to learn to do more myself...

You're completely right about the mounting kit, I didn't know you could get that mount other than from a dealer, but it's right there on Rock Auto under another tab. Guess I'll know for next time. Autozone didn't even have any shocks for the Aveo.

[gclark8]

Good info, I just ordered a pair of Monroe 5794 rear shocks from Amazon, $85 inc air freight.
My car does a little "yaw" above 95kph. The car is stable at speed, 170kph, but the body yaws. The man who did the springs said it is cheap shocks, so see how we go with new rear ones. Done 2,500kms now!

[petrified.rabbit]

the front and rear struts are the same from 2004 on..

[gclark8]

the front and rear struts are the same from 2004 on..

I wish!

Monroe rear shocks were fitted yesterday. Originals were very soft @ 3,000km!

Front struts, be careful here, if the car has ABS (mine does) then only AC-DELCO make front struts for the car. (Rock Auto) Older, non-ABS cars, have a greater choice including Monroe SensaTrak to match the rear.