Creaky struts again!

[ohms]

Hi Chaps,

have tried all the usual cures, but thus far to no avail. Sucking the LHM up the leak off pipes, LHM soaked rag up strut, etc etc.

The struts are good, no leaking, but creak there ruddy heads off!

has anybody cured the problem without resorting to rebuilding? I'm sure i read about some magic lubricating potion on the old Andyspares forum some years ago(shows age and extent of OCD for all things B and X)!

[MULLEY]

Try some 3in1 oil in the hole on the side of the top part of the strut (where the sphere is located), just a few drops, leave overnight & see if that cures it.

[ken newbold]

Try some 3in1 oil in the hole on the side of the top part of the strut (where the sphere is located), just a few drops, leave overnight & see if that cures it.

Did it cure yours

[MULLEY]

No , but it wasn't quite so noisy, got to be worth a try as its cheap.

[AlanS]

Tom discovered the "sucking" method for the LHM via the lines fitted to the subframe that come from the struts.
I found this to be somewhat successful, but more successful if used in tandem with the old "greasing" method.
The 'hole' referred to in the strut top is from what I can see, a breather for the gator so that it doesn't pop off when the suspension is at its lowest and the top of this gator is quite easy to disconnect.
Opposite the hole you'll see whjat appears to be a black button protruding through the strut top. Push it with your index finger and you discover it's a semi hard plastic material and is in fact part of the gator.
Set the suspension at the top and stick your hand under the guard and grab the gator as high up as you can. Wriggle it back and forth and if it feels a bit stiff, push that "button" back through the strut top. (Don't panic, it pushes back out)
Once it has moved far enough to have the button and the hole move slightly away from the strut top, pull it downwards. This will expose the silver part of the strut.
Now, spray that silver part with WD40 or similar and wipe off. Do it a couple of more times until the rag is not showing any signs of dirt on it. In between sprays and wipe offs, put the suspension up and down a few times so as to scrub the silver as well as dislodge any scum on the nylon sleeve at the bottom.
If you have a tube of silicone grease, you then smear the entire silver part with this and again run the suspension up and down a couple of times. Regrease it and do the ups and downs again until it is smooth all the way.
Regrease by removing the grease you originally put on there by wiping lightly (no need for the WD) and refitting the gator.
This is done by simply pushing it hard to the top and wriggling until the hole and the button find the holes and pop in.
I then usually do the suck method with the LHM and the lines and that's it.
Originally, they needed this doing to them every 3/5 months for a couple of times, but these days I go over 12 months before doing it and my struts on all my cars is smooth all the way up and down.
There are other things apart from silicone grease you can try, including waterproof axle grease as used on boat trailers, left overs from tubes of gearbox additives and I have even heard of spray on bike chain lube being used. I prefer silicone for many reasons, but consider axle grease the next best.
It works on the principle of getting the scummy film off first by using the WD, then getting a slippery surface to replace it.
Give it a try, I'm sure you'll be happy with the results; there are no shortcuts that are really successful I'm afraid.



Alan S

[ohms]

Thanks for the advice Alan.

Did everything you said today and the creaky struts are cured! As soon as the creaking comes back I'll do it all over again, but for the moment it's all good!!

[Mike Holdstock]

[quote="AlanS"]Tom discovered the "sucking" method for the LHM via the lines fitted to the subframe that come from the struts.
I found this to be somewhat successful, but more successful if used in tandem with the old "greasing" method.
The 'hole' referred to in the strut top is from what I can see, a breather for the gator so that it doesn't pop off when the suspension is at its lowest and the top of this gator is quite easy to disconnect.
Opposite the hole you'll see whjat appears to be a black button protruding through the strut top. Push it with your index finger and you discover it's a semi hard plastic material and is in fact part of the gator.
Set the suspension at the top and stick your hand under the guard and grab the gator as high up as you can. Wriggle it back and forth and if it feels a bit stiff, push that "button" back through the strut top. (Don't panic, it pushes back out)
Once it has moved far enough to have the button and the hole move slightly away from the strut top, pull it downwards. This will expose the silver part of the strut.
....

Got as far as identifying the hole and black button and the gator, but no amount of wiggling indiactes they have anything to do with each other i there is lots of goo on there?.
Could it be an idea to be generous with WD or similar and leave it to loosen up a little (through the hole opposite the button, up from under the wheel arch/mudgaurd) overnight, or are there risks of getting too much WD onto the strut silver and damaging something?

Mike

[MULLEY]

There's actually no need to pull the gaitor down, just push it up as far as it'll go & you'll see where the piston comes out of the top of the strut, just put some 3in1 oil on the strut shaft piston.

I personally wouldnt use wd40, unless that was a last effort strategy as i'm not sure that it might cause a problem? It might initially work, but then it could contaminate the natural lubricant which is the lhm inside the strut? Perhaps the strut experts can clarify this?