So I installed new bilstein 5100 shocks on my truck around a month ago. My trucks been squeaking really bad and finally realized that the nut on top of the ...

So I installed new bilstein 5100 shocks on my truck around a month ago. My trucks been squeaking really bad and finally realized that the nut on top of the strut is actually loose. I cannot tighten it for the life of me without the stem rod spinning. Does anyone have a trick to tighten this or is there a special tool I can buy?

The top of the rod has a flat spot to put a wrench on. So you hold the rod with an open end wrench and tighten the nut with another wrench.

Pain in the butt to do though because of how it sits down in the mount. What I did (CAREFULLY after ripping one apart like an idiot) is use my impact as each "hit" would tighten the nut slightly before spinning the shaft. I'd do it in little bursts (since the first one I didn't and it just ripped it apart) so it was easy to tell when it tightened up.

Close to 3k miles since then and so far no noises from them and everything still seems tight.

I tried using two wrenched earlier today and ended up getting aggravated and walking away. Ill try again tommoro. I don't have an impact to try it the other way.

Put allen wrench in it and use a pair of vise grips.

I don't see anywhere to put an allen wrench into?

They do make a special tool for that purpose. Check any good auto part store.

Still struggling with this nut. I bought a special socket for the stem and used a 15mm open end wrench on the nut but it won't budge. It has to be loose.. the washer underneath the nut shouldn't move around freely correct? Im starting to wonder if the guy I had compress the springs for me used loctite on the nut.

Ok here is what I did after I got quite frustrated with mine. I actually snapped the rod on one by accident previously using my impact gun. Im not proud of that. So what I did was I grabbed my smaller impact and tried bursts and it seemed to help,b ut not much. I had previously tried using the special socket and an oxxset box wrench, but what a total PITA. A pass thru socket didnt work any better.

Finally I decided to say F it. I took some good vise grips (not chinese junk), the kind that are flat. I locked the jaws on shaft as carefully but tight as possible. Then I zipped zipped along with my smaller 3/8 cordless impact. Then finished it off with a regular old ratchet. Wouldnt you know tight, no more squeaks, and the truck actually handles better. Frig them and their ultra low torque..I had nothing but issues until I did it my way. Should they come loose they are getting doubl nutted or perhaps loctite.