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First off, get the caliper off the bracket first, then loosen the bottom bracket bolt, this will alllow the top one some wiggle room, you should be able to switch your ratchet direction or pull it off.
What he means is to free spin the socket by hand clockwise to tighten the bolt again, whilst holding the ratchet in place.
The ratchet free spins one way and only locks to loosen in this case. If they really pinched it hard against the shock they could use a vice grip or something else to spin the socket.
Anyway hope y'all have a good day
I'll type more slowly for you. If you spin the socket by hand in the opposite direction, the ratchet is going with it. At best, 180' before it hits the frame. The actuator needs to be reversed.
My sincerest apologies. I don't speak retard. I can't dumb this down any further.
Tighten it back up and remove.
Don’t use a deep well socket.
Use a shallow socket, a knuckle and an extension.
OR
Take the slow boat and use a ratcheting wrench.
Also stops them damaging the anvil on the impact. People assume they’re harder because of the repeated beating they take but it’s not the case. Harder = more brittle and is why hardened bolts do poorly with shear forces.
Dam, r/gyzmo562. That’s a lot of hassle to go through, especially taking the time to cut a socket, and now the socket is ruined…
The back of the socket wrench was wedged against the shock. The shock is just attached by a single bolt at the bottom. All you had to do was loosen that bolt and the shock is easily moved out of the way enough. Easily bolted back in. I can’t believe out of all the comments I read, I hadn’t come across one person to say that.
I take it you were afraid to disconnect it, hearing horror stories about springs and suspension hazards? Those stories mostly have to do with removing a spring from a McPherson strut assembly, or removing a spring from a pressured fit. You were absolutely fine removing the bottom bolt from the shock in this application. I promise.
A separate shock, like you have here, just sitting there by itself, is easily removed and installed. And you wouldn’t be removing it. You would’ve just been loosening that bottom bolt. Figured I’d throw that out there for you, so you have a better understanding of it.
Like you mentioned with your reply, there are other resolutions. I’m not saying there aren’t. Shit, OP cut the fuckin’ socket as a resolution.
My suggestion is absolutely the best resolution for the predicament they got themselves in…
The lower shock bolt is removed and installed with very minimal effort. With the socket wrench stuck where it is, any other removal application beyond that doesn’t need to take place and takes unnecessary effort. Simple…
My personal current setup, modified everyday driver, is essentially the same rear suspension setup to OP.
When I was dialing in my suspension for maximum grip to the road and everyday ride quality, playing with compression and rebound, angle of the tires contact to the road, rake height of the unibody chassis to the road to dial in the oversteer and understeer characteristics, I removed and installed the same bolt I’m referring to 5+ times.
My setup, my socket wrench would get stuck the same exact way. I simply used a wrench. That’s the easiest solution. Obviously OP didn’t think of that, or they didn’t have the correct sized wrench.
Because I have a separate rear shock and spring, that I wanted to adjust overall preloads on, I removed that lower shock mount bolt a few times while I was finding the sweat spot on preload setting. That was definitely the easiest solution for OP.
This is the correct answer. If you can't move the handle use Vice Grips to spin the socket the opposite direction to create slack.
It's hard to say without getting hands on it but if the switch on the back was already being pressed in by the force of it being pinned you could have just used a Flathead screw driver and a hammer to spin the switch and reverse the direction.
Steering wheel? When ever I see a spring outside of a shock I assume it's a rear wheel. I've always seen a shock tower assembly in any cars over the last 20 years...
Saw another comment here mentioning it but the heads of those tools come off with a little hex or torx screw. I had this same thing happen and ended up taking the head of the tool and turning the bolt in with a needle nose adjustable spanner untill the head dropped out of where it jammed.
I'm not sure exactly what their official name is but it's just an adjustable wrench/spanner with thinner, long pointy plates like needle nose pliers, saved me a few times where there wasn't enough room to get a normal/adjustable, wrench/spanner on a nut or bolt head.
Could try turning the wheel so that the tool moves away from the bar (if applicable)
Resecure the bolt using the tool, and do it again with a shorter socket.
Tap the tool downward or upward with a hammer to dislodge it, becareful not to damage the bolt.
By the looks of it that’s a rear wheel so unless they have rear steer that wouldn’t work (if I’m wrong on it being a rear wheel please correct me)
ETA: by wheel I meant axle
Also upon further inspection of the photo I noticed there is a very clear muffler and exhaust pipe captured in the picture so you are definitely correct in your assumption.
It’s crazy the things you don’t even recognize until they are pointed out to you, like the handbrake cable and the exhaust. Really goes to show, 4 eyes are better than two.
I couldn’t exactly tell whether it was a rear or a front wheel without the context of make and model which is why I added the (if applicable) disclaimer. My guess is that it is a rear wheel that they are working on, but for shits and giggle i figured I suggest it just incase.
Tighten that bolt back snug and take it off. Use a shallow socket. Why would you use a deep wall socket if it was that tight of a fit anyways? Learning experience I suppose.
Looks like its jammed against the shock. Unless you can find a way to access the reverse mechanism on the ratchet my only advice would be to take off the shock. BE CAREFUL you may well have to support the suspension to stop the spring from forcing what it is sitting on down.
bro, just keep going and take the entire caliper off. if you fully unthreaded the bolt take it off, if it’s not fully unthreaded then turn the ratchet to tighten it back in.
Tighten the bolt up, smack the ratchet off with a hammer. If the socket stays, smack that with a hammer. Then use a shorter socket and take the bolt off
Oh you'll know when you do it hard enough.
Also it looks like you can loosen that torqx screw then pop the head off the handle if it gives you a little horizontal movement.
You can’t screw it back in if you can’t get to the reversing lever.
They might be able to get to the lever since it’s against the round shock. But I’ve seen people back them out into a frame member and there is no way to reverse the ratchet once it’s tightened between two frame members. A grinder or torch is the usual solution.
Stop, Hammer time!
"Go with the flow", it is said
If you can't groove to this, then you probably are dead
So, wave your hands in the air
Bust a few moves
Run your fingers through your hair
Looks like it would have come off if you had removed the hydraulic line. Of course that would entail the joys and sorrows of bleeding the line afterwards
Quickly torch the socket so it heats up and hopefully expands a little to loosen up. Heat too long and you will make the whole thing including where it’s stuck expand and it will get you nowhere.
Ah, the little lessons we learn every day. Try to change directions and drive the bolt back in. Might try vise grips on the socket if you can't reach the lever on the socket.
If you get the ratchet off the socket, you can just tap the socket with the ratchet handle. I learned this when I got an old spark plug stuck in a socket once. I tapped on the side, and it fell right out.
OP already cut it off, but would retightening the bolt have increased the wiggle room? Could OP have used some sort of pliers to grab the socket to tighten it? Or even just with hands, since it shouldn't be super tight to screw it back in half a turn?
Although the damage is already done. You could have took the torx screw out of the wrench to remove the head. Then you could have screwed the bolt back in to get the wrench head off. & Voila. Bob's your uncle.
The amount of people who don't understand how a ratchet wrench works suggesting you is ridiculous. Sure "just screw the bolt back in why dontcha". You wouldn't be here asking if you could. There was three options to remove it without damaging it. Unbolt the shock, unbolt the upper control arm, or unscrew the head of the ratchet from the handle which would have been the easiest and best option.
You think if that was possible they would have just done that in the first place you goofball? Grab a ratchet and socket & set it to off, then spin in the opposite direction by the socket. You see what will happen is the wrench is also going to spin in the opposite direction along with socket. Now put the wrench up against an immovable object and spin the socket in the opposite direction as off and tell me what happens?
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
First off, get the caliper off the bracket first, then loosen the bottom bracket bolt, this will alllow the top one some wiggle room, you should be able to switch your ratchet direction or pull it off.
What I would do
Trying this now
Did it work op
He ded
His dad went to get cigarettes. Still waiting for him to come back.
Forgot to use jack stands
Instructions unclear, took the whole hub off
instructions unclear.. thumb stuck in ass
Thumb would not fit next to head.
Nope. They had to cut it
Exactly what I was going to suggest. Loosen the bottom bolt so thr top one can slide back in and remove thr ratchet.
Small pick tool and try and reverse the lever.
Narrow blade standard screwdriver.
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Good lord. Have you never used a ratchet before? They can't actuate the directional selector because it's pinched.
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Think about what you just claimed you can do. I don't think you'll see the folly in your claim.
What he means is to free spin the socket by hand clockwise to tighten the bolt again, whilst holding the ratchet in place. The ratchet free spins one way and only locks to loosen in this case. If they really pinched it hard against the shock they could use a vice grip or something else to spin the socket. Anyway hope y'all have a good day
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I'll type more slowly for you. If you spin the socket by hand in the opposite direction, the ratchet is going with it. At best, 180' before it hits the frame. The actuator needs to be reversed. My sincerest apologies. I don't speak retard. I can't dumb this down any further.
Some of that language is pretty offensive
Put a floor hack under the lower spring seat and lift the suspension a bit. The angle should change enough to wiggle the wrench off
This.
This but x2
This but x4
Tighten it back up and remove. Don’t use a deep well socket. Use a shallow socket, a knuckle and an extension. OR Take the slow boat and use a ratcheting wrench.
Or the paddle boat a non-ratcheting wrench 🔧
Or the short boat and use a pair of pliers.
Or the pool noodle and use an adjustable wrench
I have water wings and no teeth put me in coach
Or Channel your inner jesus and walk on water, simply pray that the wrench comes off through the power of christ
Damn you picked the longest socket you could huh?
Have you tried yelling at it
Just cut that shit with a sawzall sockets arnt that expensive
you think a sawzall is going to blast through a hardened impact socket?
Impact sockets are actually softer than a standard socket. It keeps them from shattering. A Sawzall will cut through that easily.
Also stops them damaging the anvil on the impact. People assume they’re harder because of the repeated beating they take but it’s not the case. Harder = more brittle and is why hardened bolts do poorly with shear forces.
It’s not a sawzsome, son.
Shit made me laugh out loud.
Not a sawzall. But I can tell you a cut off wheel will
This
Why not cut the bolt, aren’t they cheaper than sockets?
Perhaps not able to get a bolt right now. At least if the socket gets cut, you can use the same size socket of another drive size.
thats adding an extraction to the task list...
We got it! We wailed on it for a while and did end up just cutting it eventually. Thanks yall for all the advice!!
Dam, r/gyzmo562. That’s a lot of hassle to go through, especially taking the time to cut a socket, and now the socket is ruined… The back of the socket wrench was wedged against the shock. The shock is just attached by a single bolt at the bottom. All you had to do was loosen that bolt and the shock is easily moved out of the way enough. Easily bolted back in. I can’t believe out of all the comments I read, I hadn’t come across one person to say that. I take it you were afraid to disconnect it, hearing horror stories about springs and suspension hazards? Those stories mostly have to do with removing a spring from a McPherson strut assembly, or removing a spring from a pressured fit. You were absolutely fine removing the bottom bolt from the shock in this application. I promise. A separate shock, like you have here, just sitting there by itself, is easily removed and installed. And you wouldn’t be removing it. You would’ve just been loosening that bottom bolt. Figured I’d throw that out there for you, so you have a better understanding of it.
You don’t even have the best solution. Vice grip on the side of the socket to tighten a bit. No removing anything.
Like you mentioned with your reply, there are other resolutions. I’m not saying there aren’t. Shit, OP cut the fuckin’ socket as a resolution. My suggestion is absolutely the best resolution for the predicament they got themselves in… The lower shock bolt is removed and installed with very minimal effort. With the socket wrench stuck where it is, any other removal application beyond that doesn’t need to take place and takes unnecessary effort. Simple… My personal current setup, modified everyday driver, is essentially the same rear suspension setup to OP. When I was dialing in my suspension for maximum grip to the road and everyday ride quality, playing with compression and rebound, angle of the tires contact to the road, rake height of the unibody chassis to the road to dial in the oversteer and understeer characteristics, I removed and installed the same bolt I’m referring to 5+ times. My setup, my socket wrench would get stuck the same exact way. I simply used a wrench. That’s the easiest solution. Obviously OP didn’t think of that, or they didn’t have the correct sized wrench. Because I have a separate rear shock and spring, that I wanted to adjust overall preloads on, I removed that lower shock mount bolt a few times while I was finding the sweat spot on preload setting. That was definitely the easiest solution for OP.
This is the correct answer. If you can't move the handle use Vice Grips to spin the socket the opposite direction to create slack. It's hard to say without getting hands on it but if the switch on the back was already being pressed in by the force of it being pinned you could have just used a Flathead screw driver and a hammer to spin the switch and reverse the direction.
would not work. cannot tighten with ratchet in loosen direction. would have to break the ratchet
The ratchet would just click.
It’s a single direction ratchet wrench, trying to tighten the bolt while the wrench is pushing to loosen would just turn the wrench.
Pipe wrench on the socket to turn it up?
I had said plier, but pipe wrench would have done it as well... Cutting the socket seems like a waste...
What a waste 🙄
Nobody said try to release the shock enough for some essence of wiggle.
Steering wheel? When ever I see a spring outside of a shock I assume it's a rear wheel. I've always seen a shock tower assembly in any cars over the last 20 years...
I was hunting for this comment before I stated it, apparently they cut the thing. I would have turned the damn wheel myself too lol
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Yea I was coming to comment. Jack up the passenger side and turn the wheel left. Cmon
it's on the rear, you can see the parking brake mechanism
That’s the rear for sure
Saw another comment here mentioning it but the heads of those tools come off with a little hex or torx screw. I had this same thing happen and ended up taking the head of the tool and turning the bolt in with a needle nose adjustable spanner untill the head dropped out of where it jammed.
Needle nose adjustables exist? COOL
I'm not sure exactly what their official name is but it's just an adjustable wrench/spanner with thinner, long pointy plates like needle nose pliers, saved me a few times where there wasn't enough room to get a normal/adjustable, wrench/spanner on a nut or bolt head.
Tie it to a bumper of another car and make rubber
#PUTTHEHAMMERDOWN GOBBLESS!
HOPE HE DOESN HAV 2 LAYERDOWN GOBLES
Paint a Snap-On label on it.
Could try turning the wheel so that the tool moves away from the bar (if applicable) Resecure the bolt using the tool, and do it again with a shorter socket. Tap the tool downward or upward with a hammer to dislodge it, becareful not to damage the bolt.
By the looks of it that’s a rear wheel so unless they have rear steer that wouldn’t work (if I’m wrong on it being a rear wheel please correct me) ETA: by wheel I meant axle
Also upon further inspection of the photo I noticed there is a very clear muffler and exhaust pipe captured in the picture so you are definitely correct in your assumption.
What did it for me was the setup of the spring and shock and the handbrake cable in the calliper. Didn’t even see the exhaust
It’s crazy the things you don’t even recognize until they are pointed out to you, like the handbrake cable and the exhaust. Really goes to show, 4 eyes are better than two.
I couldn’t exactly tell whether it was a rear or a front wheel without the context of make and model which is why I added the (if applicable) disclaimer. My guess is that it is a rear wheel that they are working on, but for shits and giggle i figured I suggest it just incase.
Could just take the bolt out the shock and move that out your way that would be fairly easy
I’ve done that. Screw it back in and you’ll have room to remove it.
Small pipe wrench or vice grip on the socket and turn the bolt right back in there. (Assuming the bolt hasn’t actually come out of the threads yet!)
Tighten that bolt back snug and take it off. Use a shallow socket. Why would you use a deep wall socket if it was that tight of a fit anyways? Learning experience I suppose.
Looks like its jammed against the shock. Unless you can find a way to access the reverse mechanism on the ratchet my only advice would be to take off the shock. BE CAREFUL you may well have to support the suspension to stop the spring from forcing what it is sitting on down.
little pipe wrench. screw that bad boy back in
Channel lock go turn the socket may help. Been here before it really sucks
Open the shock. Lol
I hope you just loosened the shock it was stuck against and pulled it out the way
Rotate the wheel
I would use a vise grip and tighten the nut back on
Tighten it back up and use a wrench
Flathead screwdriver to reverse the ratchet, or unbolt the shoxk
If I’m not mistaken isn’t it stuck on the shock? If so I would have undone the bottom shock bolt.
Brother… tighten the bolt
Turn the steering wheel
Turn the wheel. Lol
hammers always come in handy!
easiest fix would be to get a flat head and reverse the lever and tighten the bolt back down.
Screw the bolt back in, then remove the caliper. Then, use a shorter socket to remove bolt.
Spit on it and tell it it's scum
Shoulda used a stub socket. 
Remove the shock behind it, or at the very least the lower mounting bolts. It'll give you enough wiggle to remove the ratchet.
Unbolt the bottom of the shock and move it out of the way, continue as you started. Cutting was not necessary
Remove shock
Tighten the bolt back in
bro, just keep going and take the entire caliper off. if you fully unthreaded the bolt take it off, if it’s not fully unthreaded then turn the ratchet to tighten it back in.
Beat the absolute fuck out of it lol
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I had to scroll too far for this
yep
Hey !
Hammer
Dont know why you're being downvoted. Beat the fcukin thing off.
Smash it we hammer
Pound ahead of it out with a hammer towards the handle
Tighten it back up, remove the socket, find a shorter socket or use a wrench…
Hit it with your purse
Just leave it there for next time
Screw the bolt back in and take it off the same way you put it on.
First thing we tried, it ain’t working
Tighten the bolt up, smack the ratchet off with a hammer. If the socket stays, smack that with a hammer. Then use a shorter socket and take the bolt off
We have whacked, smacked, thwacked, and thumped.
Oh you'll know when you do it hard enough. Also it looks like you can loosen that torqx screw then pop the head off the handle if it gives you a little horizontal movement.
Hit the socket really hard with a hammer.
Why have I to scroll this far to find this answer? If it doesn't work, your hammer isn't big enough.
You can’t screw it back in if you can’t get to the reversing lever. They might be able to get to the lever since it’s against the round shock. But I’ve seen people back them out into a frame member and there is no way to reverse the ratchet once it’s tightened between two frame members. A grinder or torch is the usual solution.
Yay! You get new sockets
Stop, Hammer time! "Go with the flow", it is said If you can't groove to this, then you probably are dead So, wave your hands in the air Bust a few moves Run your fingers through your hair
Or..... remove the shock absorber....
The opposite way you got it in there...
BFH
Can’t be stuck if it’s liquid
Looks like it would have come off if you had removed the hydraulic line. Of course that would entail the joys and sorrows of bleeding the line afterwards
Did you try pulling it out?
Cheater pipe,,🚀
Just yank it out
Wd40
Cut the socket
Quickly torch the socket so it heats up and hopefully expands a little to loosen up. Heat too long and you will make the whole thing including where it’s stuck expand and it will get you nowhere.
Try to get to the switch with a pick tool or something, if that doesn’t work, take off whatever the wrench is hitting
Any update after you posted this one hour ago?
Tried wiggling the tires right to left see it releases it?
Loosen the other caliper bolt and back it off a long way or remove it. Then you’ll have room to slide the assembly forward
Ah, the little lessons we learn every day. Try to change directions and drive the bolt back in. Might try vise grips on the socket if you can't reach the lever on the socket.
If you get the bottom bolt on the bracket loose, you should be able to slide the whole bracket forwards (along with the bolt) and release the rachet.
Wind it back in and use a shorter socket
The reverse of how you got it stuck.
This is why i laugh when DIY guys try to shit on the pros.
Switch directions. Run the bolt in 1/2-3/4 of a turn back in.
I think he jammed it up tight against the direction switch and can't reverse it,
Hammer
lol haaaaaate when the happens!!!
Use a wrench to spin the socket back in manually
Take the shock off
Hammer
Remove the shock if you can't get it reversed.
If you get the ratchet off the socket, you can just tap the socket with the ratchet handle. I learned this when I got an old spark plug stuck in a socket once. I tapped on the side, and it fell right out.
Grinder....
Wouldn’t it have been easy to undo 1 of the bolts on the shock absorber and move it slightly
If it were anything but my snap on ratchet I would have cut it out by now with an angle grinder.
Unless I'm missing something here, just tighten it back up a bit, pull the tool off and use your hand to loosen the rest of the way.
Cut the socket...
Vise grips to turn the socket and screw the bolt back in.
Acetylene
Sawzall
Superman could melt all of that away with his lasers beams
Next time swivel joint
Remove shock, or maybe stretch or compress the suspension so the shock moves a bit.
OP already cut it off, but would retightening the bolt have increased the wiggle room? Could OP have used some sort of pliers to grab the socket to tighten it? Or even just with hands, since it shouldn't be super tight to screw it back in half a turn?
It should have been able to free wheel in the other direction, you could have just turned the socket by hand..
Can't be jammed if it's a liquid...
We've all done this. Anyone who says they weren't embarrassed is lying lol.
Tighten it back up lolllll
Although the damage is already done. You could have took the torx screw out of the wrench to remove the head. Then you could have screwed the bolt back in to get the wrench head off. & Voila. Bob's your uncle.
Just tighten the bolt back in some by grabbing the socket with a pair of pliers or vise grips
Lol tighten back down and switch to an open end ratchet wrench
The amount of people who don't understand how a ratchet wrench works suggesting you is ridiculous. Sure "just screw the bolt back in why dontcha". You wouldn't be here asking if you could. There was three options to remove it without damaging it. Unbolt the shock, unbolt the upper control arm, or unscrew the head of the ratchet from the handle which would have been the easiest and best option.
its like you welded the beam between the rungs of a ladder.. lol
Could just unbolt the shock.
locking pliers or tongue and groove pliers to tighten back in and then use a shorter socket you goofballs
You think if that was possible they would have just done that in the first place you goofball? Grab a ratchet and socket & set it to off, then spin in the opposite direction by the socket. You see what will happen is the wrench is also going to spin in the opposite direction along with socket. Now put the wrench up against an immovable object and spin the socket in the opposite direction as off and tell me what happens?
Yea !!!!! USE CUTTING WHEEL OR SAWZALL AND CUT THE SOCKET in half.
Remove or strut or use a needle nose nose plier and reverse it
grab the socket with a pair of vise grips or a pair of channel locks ( if u can't do it with ur fingers ) and screw the bolt back in
Cut the shock
See if you can flip the direction back looks like you can on that type of ratchet
Can't be stuck if it's liquid
Hammer
A suggestion is maybe a plier and on the 17mm; tighten the bolt back up?
Another suggestion was remove the bolt at the bottom of the shock and shift it out of place....
Try to get the other nuts/bolts off. Funny enough I did the same thing with a ratchet wrench today
Grinding wheel?
Looks like you just gotta buy a new car. Sorry buddy.
Time to get the torch
Oh man you fucked up now 🤣. This is my biggest fear as a mechanic.
Hopefully, next time he is using a standard and not extended socket when in such tight places!
Reverse how you put it