Temporary repair

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MULLEY
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Temporary repair

Post by MULLEY »

Changed the wheels on my TXD today & noticed that one out of the 2 strut pipes has split into 2 parts, wondered why that strut was groaning a bit.

Ive placed a couple of bungs on the seperated pipe to stop anymore lhm spilling out. Is it still ok to drive the car? & should i as a precaution try sucking up some extra lhm from the one good pipe to relubricate the strut?

Another daft question, the locator pin on the hub, is that just for the rears or the fronts as well?

Thanks guys....
prm
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Post by prm »

The wheel to hub location pins can be a right pain to locate, when it’s peeing down with rain changing wheels!!
Removed all mine, (alloy wheels), and replaced with std C/S screws.

I believe these were fitted for on-the-wheel tyre balancing, where pins and locating holes were position colour coded. Balancing this way on a BX, can sometimes improve the ride, due to the hydraulic suspension being interconnected.

Tyre life is slightly extended balancing this way as all rotating hubs/shafts are included. Ideal if your experiencing any noticeable vibration after fitting new tyres, balanced off the car. Where the centre hole used for centralising, on tyre balancing machines, maybe out of true with wheel stud/bolt hole positions.

One pointer that may help with older type wheels. Is to get the tyre fitter to run the wheels first, without the tyres. Highlights any buckled or out of balance/centre OE ones.

Locating pins recommended for estates, on the rear wheels, constantly carrying any weight.
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Re: Temporary repair

Post by Way2go »

MULLEY wrote:Changed the wheels on my TXD today & noticed that one out of the 2 strut pipes has split into 2 parts, wondered why that strut was groaning a bit.

Ive placed a couple of bungs on the seperated pipe to stop anymore lhm spilling out. Is it still ok to drive the car? & should i as a precaution try sucking up some extra lhm from the one good pipe to relubricate the strut?

Another daft question, the locator pin on the hub, is that just for the rears or the fronts as well?

Thanks guys....
If the pipes split (as they do) just replace with inexpensive assembly and new clip from GSF. If the pipes are passing LHM then it is naturally lubricating & sucking up LHM is short-termism (OK Doc, I know LHM+ is not as good a lubricant as LHM :) ).However if you are passing lots of LHM through them then the strut seals are fucked and I would suggest that you replace them before the struts fail big time away from home as happened to me. Believe me they can empty the reservoir in under a mile. The pressure of LHM will blow these returns off or apart. Resulting in front suspension on bump stops, then loss of power steering and if you push it further loss of brakes. :shock: :cry:

Locator pins only seem to be fitted to the BX rear wheels as presumably dynamic balance is more critical on the non-driven wheels than the driven front.
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cauchoiskev
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Re: Temporary repair

Post by cauchoiskev »

MULLEY wrote: Ive placed a couple of bungs on the seperated pipe to stop anymore lhm spilling out. Is it still ok to drive the car?
If you're lucky, the broken pipe is the one which allows air into the cyclinder, and you might just get away with it. If not it's the one which lets the LHM out, and it's going to have to get out some way or other. Either by blowing your bung, or by blowing the seal at the top of the cylinder, which would be more problematical...

It would be far far better to try to bodge a solution with a suitable bit of tubing to link the broken ends.
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Re: Temporary repair

Post by Way2go »

cauchoiskev wrote:It would be far far better to try to bodge a solution with a suitable bit of tubing to link the broken ends.
If the pipe is broken it's because it's perished or ruptured under too much LHM return (although too much return would normally blow good pipes off at the metal connections)

If it's perished, theres no point in bodging it, it will go again soon.

For the small cost and time, replace the rubber & clip. It is an MOT inspection and fail issue after all.
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MULLEY
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Post by MULLEY »

Cheers guys, i do have a new replacement ready to be fitted, can i actually take off the old one & fit the new one without removing the whole strut? & i dont have any pincers so wont be able to re-attach the clip anyway..... something so simple eh?????

Cant really see any LHM having escaped, perhaps the strut is bone dry?? i'm going to try sucking up some lhm from the one good pipe to see if i can get the strut working ok again, its a bit creaky at the mo....

Once thats done i'll be able to inspect to see if the other one blows off when doing some more driving.... just what i needed this weekend....
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Post by jeremy »

Both pipes are connected to a common chamber in the rubber block attached to the strut - so try and suck LHM with one pipe means that air only will be drawn in through the other. So its a question of blocking the broken one.

You can hold the black rubber manifold over the hole in the strut with a jubilee clip (you may want to use the metal block - don't overtighten). Alternatives are cable ties.

This job can be done without removing the strut.
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MULLEY
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1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
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Post by MULLEY »

Right, just tried sucking up lhm with the one good pipe, didnt really take much up at all, so instead re-attached the good one back on to the metal pipe & unblocked the bust one at the strut end & squirted lhm into it with a syringe whilst on low & putting it on high, did this a few times & it all took.

So hopefully i will have a run tomorrow & see if the noise lessens. Did notice that the pipe had also fractured right at the base which fits over the strut, so thats a bit annoying as a bit of lhm weeped out.....

It just gets better....:cry:
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Post by mat_fenwick »

MULLEY wrote:i dont have any pincers so wont be able to re-attach the clip anyway.....
Do you have any tile cutters? The 'nibbler' type? As they will work well enough to clip the pipe onto the strut.

On the bright side, any LHM that escapes willl help prevent rust...best of luck anyway.
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Post by Way2go »

MULLEY wrote:perhaps the strut is bone dry?? i'm going to try sucking up some lhm from the one good pipe to see if i can get the strut working ok again, its a bit creaky at the mo........
Can someone explain how this gives any benefit other than psychological? Surely the strut is lubricated by the lhm on the hp side of the strut piston & the lowmost extent of the piston travel has lubrication from the leakage passed that is collected by the return tubes.
Seems to me that if this gives any positive result then the strut must be at the end of its life....or is there another explanation :?:
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Post by MULLEY »

In the DIY section of this site their is an explanation of this proceedure, have a read & then try it on your struts to see if there's any difference....

You may well be right and that the strut is furbar, the noise seems to have quietened down a bit since doing it, its not 100%, but it is better. Hopefully the solution is to change the strut pipes which may well fix the noise issue...
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MULLEY
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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

Post by MULLEY »

Is anyone around on Monday to give me a hand in changing these bloomin strut pipes, i've got to go upto Skipton that day & am worried that i might encounter probs....

I must get a tool that does the job of clipping the clip back together.....
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Post by AndersDK »

MULLEY wrote:Is anyone around on Monday to give me a hand in changing these bloomin strut pipes, i've got to go upto Skipton that day & am worried that i might encounter probs....

I must get a tool that does the job of clipping the clip back together.....
Its been quite a long thread on a very simple issue now.
Instead of that dodgy clip, you can use a large diameter hose worm clip, either a ready made - or made from those universal cut to size/diameter types.
Or use an 8mm wide nylon zipper tiestrap long enough, or use a ...

As longa as you re-use the stainless steel plate its very, very, very easy ...

Hope I've encouraged you to understand this is really one of the simplest jobs in the world :lol:
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MULLEY
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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

Post by MULLEY »

Ok Anders, i'll give it a go......
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Post by Way2go »

[quote="AndersDK"]
Or use an 8mm wide nylon zipper tiestrap long enough,
As longa as you re-use the stainless steel plate its very, very, very easy ...
[quote]

Not necessarily..had done this ..MOT Man said FAIL this year...........gotta use the correct clips. Previous MOT OK but rules or their interpretation seem to have changed.
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