front strut lubing

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tranentbx
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front strut lubing

Post by tranentbx »

morning,

could someone point me in the right direction?

I'm looking for the topic about lubing the front struts. had a good look around on here but no luck!

Thanks

Pascal
Defender110
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by Defender110 »

2 easy ways;

1) get some LHM in an oil can and pull off one leg of the strut return pipe (either will do) and squirt the LHM down the pipe before replacing and doing some Citrobotics to lube the strut.

2) alternately get some clean LHM in a milk bottle, take off one leg of the strut return pipe (again either will do) clean it and place it in the bottle of LHM whilst in low mode, get an assistant to raise the car while you keep the pipe submerged in the bottle. This will suck up the LHM into the strut to lube it. When you've done both sides do a few Citrobotics after refitting the pipes.
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
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rmattila
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by rmattila »

Lubricating won't do much good though, if you have a cup of saltwater sitting in the bottom. IIRC, it might be possible to run a thin suction hose to the bottom of the strut through the return hose orifice, if the strut is in high position.
Speechless quad lying flat on his bed, communicating by moving eyes.
BX Van 1.9D -90 Gone.
BX Van 16S -90 For sale.
BX Van 1.9D -90 (Earned!) Gone.
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MULLEY
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2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by MULLEY »

Hi rmattila, how are you these day's? Glad to see you're still able to post up your thoughts & ideas :)
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
mds141
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by mds141 »

Or place suspension in full low, at the top of the strut top under the bonnet is a rubber bung with a hole in it. I use a small pump style oil can with some tubing on the end and pump some light oil into the top of the strut. Works fine IMHO.
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.

1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
Defender110
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by Defender110 »

mds141 wrote:Or place suspension in full low, at the top of the strut top under the bonnet is a rubber bung with a hole in it. I use a small pump style oil can with some tubing on the end and pump some light oil into the top of the strut. Works fine IMHO.
Unfortunately this doesn't lube the inside of the strut it just puts oil into the the convoluted rubber strut cover which protects the exterior chrome rod of the exterior of the hydraulic ram which just gets scraped off by the scraper seal.
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
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rmattila
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by rmattila »

MULLEY wrote:Hi rmattila, how are you these day's? Glad to see you're still able to post up your thoughts & ideas :)
Still alive and on my own lungs against all odds. Completely bedridden for a year now and lost all consonants which makes speaking most languages impossible (Hawaiian could be an exception). Given away four of my five BX's and bought a Ford Transit with a wheelchair lift. Could definitely benefit from a hydropneumatic rear suspension: my head feels like a bowling ball with most of the neck muscles gone, and my wife has hard time driving carefully enough to avoid breaking my neck.

Sorry for the off-topic.
Speechless quad lying flat on his bed, communicating by moving eyes.
BX Van 1.9D -90 Gone.
BX Van 16S -90 For sale.
BX Van 1.9D -90 (Earned!) Gone.
BX Break 1.9D -90 (officially a "5 seat van" since 2005) Waiting to be towed to a new home.
mds141
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by mds141 »

At least you've still got your sense of humour. :-)
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.

1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
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MULLEY
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Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Re: front strut lubing

Post by MULLEY »

Never mind about the post hi-jack ;) Glad you're still able to get onto the forum, & sounds at least like you can get out & about a little bit. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for you. You were going to do some research into your condition, how have you gotten on?
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
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rmattila
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by rmattila »

[off-topic]We decided to set up a dedicated non-profit organization for promoting our own research and funding that of others. Seems there is interest in the subject among the public.[/off-topic]
Speechless quad lying flat on his bed, communicating by moving eyes.
BX Van 1.9D -90 Gone.
BX Van 16S -90 For sale.
BX Van 1.9D -90 (Earned!) Gone.
BX Break 1.9D -90 (officially a "5 seat van" since 2005) Waiting to be towed to a new home.
User avatar
MULLEY
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Posts: 8406
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Re: front strut lubing

Post by MULLEY »

Wow, amazing effort, only a small portion is in English, do you accept donations?
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
andycadabra
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Re: front strut lubing

Post by andycadabra »

I followed the advice given on the Australian BX forum, which mentioned sucking LHM into the struts by the return pipe, but also, with the suspension on high, pulling down the plasticky rubber upper strut covers, after pinching the tops ( these protrude through two 15mm holes in the top of the Strut) in the engine compartment.
You can then reach about 3 or 4 inches of the inner Strut to smear silicone grease on. This alone has made a noticeable difference - no more of the once-a-second creak when rising to high position.
I also noticed there was a hole where the strut cover is supposed to protrude, on both sides. I think the plastic must have broken, and since you can feel the inner strut through this hole, it may have contributed to letting dirt get in, or the strut drying out, so I blocked it up with silicone grease. It occurs to me that the hole might be there to allow ventilation while the struts are moving, so any opinions would be welcome.
I'll get around to doing the LHM trick in the near future
1992 BX 17TZD 130k
1987 BX 16TRS SORN
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