Need Help with Front Shocks
 

I am in the process (and believe me its been a process) of changing the front shocks on my 84 911. Things have been going more or less OK but now I am at the point of removing the old shock and cannot loosen the "castellated" nut at the bottom (its about 2 inches in diameter and has 4 "castles").

Is there a special tool for this? If anyone has some tips on how to remove it I'd appreciate them immensely. (even tried a pipe wrench but not enough of the nut sticks out to get a good bite.)

TIA,

Art

I believe you're talking about the ball joint nut. This is the correct tool for the job:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/911M/POR_911M_suspen_pg10.htm#item36

However, if you're just replacing your shocks, then you don't really need to remove the ball joint. You need to press or hammer out the pin depicted here (part # C-341-119-06):
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/images/suspension_parts/front_strut_bolt.gif

But since you're in there, I do recommend replacing the ball joints if the mileage on them is excessive. Have you read this article?
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_914_strut_removal/911_914_strut_removal.htm

I hope it will help you out. Good luck.

use a dremel tool and cut the nut off

If your 84 is like my 86 (Boge struts with inserts)....then you do not need to remove that nut at the ball joint at all... You can just tilt the strut out from under the fender (collapsing the insert to get room). Be careful of the brake lines.

Are you talking about the big round nut that screws down over the insert...holding it inside the strut?? Bilstein has a "tool" that they make available for this. Personally, I just used a pair of big round channel locks.

Both front inserts took less than an hour to do.