2012 Rear Shocks / Nut

Hello to all,

I own a 2012 X & love it & love this forum. I have would rate my skills at solidly intermediate & have worked as a shop tech doing brakes, mufflers, radiators, pumps, alternators, ball joints, electrical etc. The information shared is so helpful.

I have researched here & youtube DIY on doing Xterra rear shocks and the FSM but am stumped. This seems like a simple swap job but I am having a problem I am hoping you can help me with.

I sprayed all bolts & nuts with PB for three days. Last year, due to metal shavings in the rear differential, the entire rear end had to be replaced. A Nissan dealership did the work. So the shock bolts have been moved since 2012. I cannot find any manner to get to access to the nut side which is blocked by the springs. So I have the impact working on the BOLT side, going in reverse (I even had my wife check I was going the proper direction to loosen from the bolt side). Nothing, no movement whatsoever after 2 hours.

I placed a jack under the spring to see if I could move the spring slightly upward in order to get the impact socket on the nut but it doesn't seem like the springs moved at all. The impact socket still hits the spring and will not sit flush against the nut which is no good because I don't want to round off the nut.

What the heck am I doing wrong? This seemed so straight forward. Ugh! I have to leave for Florida in 3 days &, the shocks are shot/not safe and I would like to get these Bilstein 4600s on. Thank you for any insight you can provide.