just buy a set of metric allen keys and then you have one for any occasion Draper Hex Key Set

 

Think I would prefer ones that have a 3/4 or 1/2 socket

 

They worked for me, just used the handle of the double ended screwdriver from the car's toolkit to hold it.
the shock top nuts are pretty well protected from corrosion anyway so should loosen easily enough.
most likely you will need a cutting disc to get the drop links off anyway.

 

more often than not they are chewed up and a torx bit fits better for worn hex fittings

 

my shocks had clearly never been moved so they were fine, drop links had to be cut off

 

Dont have access to a cutting disk. Would one of these give of enough heat to free the nut/bolt?

 

often they get so corroded that the nut rounds off so you can't get a grip, that's when the cutter comes out.

 

4mm or 5mm seems to come to mind.

 

I use impact sockets for pretty much anything as I've had way too many things round off. Don't even know why non impact sockets are sold!

 

I actually bought a cheap impact gun for jobs like this but I haven't used it yet. Kind of worried incase I do round them of with the impact?

 

If your using any type of socket spanner use a 6 point as these are for heavy duty than a 12 point, 6 point is thicker walled and has less chance of slipping off or rounding the nuts. But its just easier using a grinder for the dop links, less hassle and time saver.

 

I've always undone stuff with careful manual pressure. Don't trust impact guns not to round stuff off, likewise with not rocking the bolt in the socket as that rounds off and cracks heads...

 

Yeah you got to be carfull with impact guns as they produce alot of torque at max it can just shear bolting straight off. Where as a spanner you can get a feel for the nut/bolt if its going or not. If I was to use a impact gun it would be on sizable bolting only.

 

Pretty sure they were 5mm or 5.5mm, last time I just used an impact gun and the allen keys weren't needed

 

When I changed my front drop links, the old ones had a hex that you could get a spanner on allowing you to stop the ball spinning. Why aren't all ball joints make like this as its so much easier to get the damn things off. Took 30 minutes to do both fronts including getting all the tools out and jacking the car up.

Did the fronts on my MX5 last week and they had the recess for an Allen key. Mmmm, 3 blinking hours they took me, as the double wishbone suspension made it real awkward to even get the dremel in with a cutting disc.