Struts replaced and all is not well

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:36 pm

The ride at the front is now quite firm although i can feel struts are supple. I wonder if i've done something wrong. I aligned the holes at top of strut 90 degrees to sphere, i wonder should they be in line? Or perhaps i still have air in the system although i bled using all using all usual techniques. Spheres were fine before but it now has the characteristic of ones that need changing with reduced travel. Not a happy bunny! Hoping to get it sorted tomorrow. Any ideas?

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:08 pm

I take it you've only change the strut leg, leaving the top in situ? I've never done it that way, I've always changed the whole lot, it's much easier.

Where did you get the struts from?
Sounds to me like at least one of them is no good

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 12:49 am

I got them from Pleiades - 'as new' reconned struts, yes just the legs minus the sphere mounts and strut mount, so i had to undo the very tight 36mm nut at the top and drop the leg out. There are a couple of o-rings in there which I renewed with new ones from Pleiades. I'll get on the phone to them tomorrow. I suspect the two holes that feed LHM to the sphere should be in line with the sphere hole through the sphere mount so providing smooth flow of LHM. I put them at 90 degrees for some reason - i thought that seemed right, and thinking the LHM would flow round the sides, but maybe this causes extra resistance. Either that or i've damaged the spheres. I didn't remove them from the mounts when dropping the leg. Anyway i'll talk to them tomorrow, i'm sure they'll be able to put me right.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 7:54 am

im sure it doesnt matter were the holes are as there is a small chamber
in the strut top between the two O rings,

regards malcolm

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 11:00 am

well after talking to Pleiades it seems like i have done everything right. Our current theory is that my old struts were leaking past their seals so much that they were effectively masking the flat spheres and providing softness. There were very wet from the gaitor downwards and it was very messy down there. No puns please.

I don't know how old the front spheres are on this car are so i'm going to change them in the hope that will sort things.
Trouble is i cant' get any new spheres til Monday / tuesday and i've got a load of driving to do in between and i really wanted to have them sorted.

They said the holes don't have to line up but curiously in the early days they thought they did and were very careful to get them in line, but after a while realised it didn't matter!