How best to salvage front struts but leave a rolling shell.

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Thickasmud
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How best to salvage front struts but leave a rolling shell.

Post by Thickasmud »

Is the above possible? I am wanting to remove the front strut assemblies and FDV from a car that is being broken before its sold as a shell to a salvage yard, however the yard will not take shell unless it's "rolling freely " for loading. If hubs are left attached will the suspension arm and axle be enough to give clearance to roll the car? Need the struts for my meteor as it's failed the ,MOT on top mounts and leaking FDV.
Kitch
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Re: How best to salvage front struts but leave a rolling shell.

Post by Kitch »

No, it'll collapse on the floor.

Use a yard that will pick the car up (literally)? Or if it's not your car, offer the owner a few extra quid to use such a yard.
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Kitch
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Re: How best to salvage front struts but leave a rolling shell.

Post by Kitch »

Or (2nd option) make some dummy struts out of exhaust pipe to prop it up?
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

CCC BX registrar: The national BX register - click to submit a car!

1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
Thickasmud
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Re: How best to salvage front struts but leave a rolling shell.

Post by Thickasmud »

Hmm dummy struts, but it's the top mounts I m really after so how would I attach the temp strut or could i just wedge a piece of timber to the underside of the strut mount turret ?
Kitch
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Re: How best to salvage front struts but leave a rolling shell.

Post by Kitch »

Yeah a bit of timber or a couple of bits of bar or thick plated welded to the 'dummy'.

Other option is to make a quick dolly to sling under the front end with castors on it. I've done that a few times!
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

CCC BX registrar: The national BX register - click to submit a car!

1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
Thickasmud
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Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 4:26 pm
Location: London England
x 4

Re: How best to salvage front struts but leave a rolling shell.

Post by Thickasmud »

Thanks Kitch for your suggestions, went with the timber struts made up of 1.5"x1.5" batons approx 18" long shaped to jam into my old knackered top mounts, which all transplanted into the donor car, keeping the sump and gearbox a good 8" clear off the ground for rolling salvage.To keep the wheels as upright as possible allow at least 2" of the baton to sit in the hub socket and make sure the hubs are suspended or the anti rollbar will work against you as you slot the temp struts into the vacant top mounts. Hope the above helps any others looking to save old working struts and top mounts before the crusher beckons.

One of the strut pistons was easily pushed down below the wing turret, the other simply would not, so I removed the whole assembly, any ideas why, as the whole system was depressurised, before dismantling the car rose smoothly and dropped without groaning etc. So I know the struts both were working ok.
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