Difference between rear struts for estate and hatch?

[KevR]

I know (I think) the estate ones are bigger diameter, but without having one of each to hand, any quick way of telling whether one is estate or hatch? Diameters? Identifying marks?

[Mothman]

Ile go do you some piccies of an Estate in a tick if that helps?

Andy

[Mothman]

Sorry bud, too dark, camera wont focus, do some for u tmorra.

Andy

[KevR]

I think they look the same externally Andy - I think it's the inside that's different, I just don't know exactly how!

[Mothman]

Dont think they are the same, i think the length is different too.


Sort pix tomorrow.

Andy

[sdelasal]

I think the difference is the piston diameter - 35mm for the saloon and 37mm for the estate.

[mat_fenwick]

Yes, they are the same casting but machined out to a thinner wall thickness for the estate (although I couldn't remember the exact ID). Hence a greater tendency to corrode through. I don't have a hatchback strut at the moment to compare side by side, but from what I recall there was no visible difference externally.

[electrokid]

Hence a greater tendency to corrode through

I had one fail - in the works car park just after doing some Citrobics and saying "look - the supension goes up and down"

At the time I didn't know there was a difference between the hatchback and the estate - so I didn't check that the right one was fitted as the replacement, but

35mm for the saloon and 37mm for the estate

is only a 5.7 % difference - so how much difference does it make ? And what would be the effect of fitting the wrong type to one side ?

[Mothman]

Here are a few piccies, dont know if they will help or not.

Andy

[KevR]

Sorry Andy, confusion creeping in here.... I meant suspension struts/cylinders.... Should have made that clear....

[MULLEY]

Andy's one's are a damn sight cheaper than the usual one's fitted, i'm going to try & fit some

My understanding is that the piston rod is a different length, so you'd need to swap them over if you don't have the right one's, along with the rubber gaitor as this is a different length also. No idea about thickness, doubt it'll make much difference tbh.

[Way2go]

The thickness will make difference because the law of hydraulics is "force per unit area" therefore making it easier to achieve lift on a heavy load with a bigger piston.

[Mothman]

Sorry Andy, confusion creeping in here.... I meant suspension struts/cylinders.... Should have made that clear....

Sorry bud, i assumed you meant tailgate struts, silly me, never heard rear cylinders called struts before. Sorry.

Andy

[Tim Leech]

damn, I need a pair of struts for the estate aswell (tailgate ones)