[s-cars] Strut Wrench Fabrication

[Charlie Smith]

You can make a Bilstein strut wrench very easily.  

Take a piece of tailpipe about 12" long, with a diameter that goes 
through the strut tower hole and about matches the Bilstein nut.

The small square steel bits are easy.  Go to a hardware store and
buy some 1/4" square keystock.  This is used to make keys for pulleys
on notched shafts and such.  Cut pieces about 3/8" long and make 
corresponding slots in the end of the tailpipe.  

Braze the pieces of key stock into the slots so that they line up with
the notches on the Bilstein nut.

On the other end of the piece of tailpipe, braze a piece of sheetmetal
so it covers up the end of the tailpipe.  Then, braze an old socket
onto the center of the (now covered) end of the tailpipe.

This gives you a Bilstein strut tool so you can use a socket wrench
to install and remove the Bilstein strut nuts.

    - Charlie


  Charlie Smith  charlie {at} elektro.cmhnet.org  614-471-1418  
  http://www.elektro.com/~charlie          Columbus Ohio   USA
  http://www.elektro.com/~audi         photos & technical info

  95 S6 Quattro  -  24 PSI, RS2 6 speed, and other features  
  97 Dodge Ram   -  40 PSI, 4x4 w/Cummins turbo diesel




Earlier, Mark Strangways wrote:
> 
> The nut can be had from Bilstein, and the wrench is best made (or bought) 
> out of 1 1/2 black pipe and some small square steel bits (hardened ?)
> 
> Mark
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Evan Desjardins" <evan.desjardins at gmail.com>
> Subject: [s-cars] Parts Needed
> 
> > Fellow gluttons for punishment,
> >
> > This one may be a tough one to find, but I'm trying to find a
> > retaining nut for a Bilstein strut cartridge and the spanner wrench to
> > put it on.
> >
> > The Gods of Audi have spoken - I'm damned.
> >
> > -Evan
> > '95 //$6