top strut mounts how difficult to replace

mallyg · Post by **mallyg** » 26 Jun 2007, 12:08

My 1995 M xantia 1.8i has failed MOT on top strut mounts. how difficult are they to replace. i have been told they are citroen part only at £130 each.

Post by **CitroJim** » 26 Jun 2007, 12:32

Not hard at all

I posted this a long time ago..

Yes, a Citroen only part and there are different types depending on if yours is Hydractive or non-Hydractive.

And cost is about right

These tips may be useful for anyone else doing the job...

Before you start, make sure you have two 3.5mm hydraulic pipe seals, Sphere seals and some LHM. I also recommed a new set of drop links be on hand too in case they won't play ball when disconnecting them from the strut.

Set suspension on high and firmly support the front of the car on axle stands. Don't take chances, they don't take prisoners, these hydraulic Cits.

Set suspension on low and depressurise.

Disconnect the drop link at the strut, remove the hub pinch bolt that clamps the bottom of the strut to the hub. Loosen slightly (but do not remove) the sphere, hydraulic pipe and strut top nut.

Ease the strut bottom clamp apart using an 8mm Allen key.

Manually pump the strut up to minimum height (full compression) to get rid of as much trapped LHM as possible. leaving the hydraulic pipes and sphere in place but slightly loose will prevent a spray of LHM across the engine bay. Hold the strut at this point with a trolley jack under the bottom balljoint.

Remove the sphere and hydraulic feed pipe, carefully disconnect the strut LHM return pipe at the pipe attached to the wheelarch. Pull gently on the rubber pipe.

Let the jack down a long way now to allow the strut to grow in length and carefully separate the strut from the hub.

Loosen the four 13mm bolts holding the strut top to the wing. Remove three but leave one loose. Grasp the strut and remove the last bolt. Remove strut complete with the top. Pull the gaiter off the strut top.

On the floor, on top of newspaper to absorb any LHM, can be a lot, you'd be surprised. Lay the strut and top and undo the top nut until it is just proud of the top of the threads. Carefully give the nut a good firm wallop with a large hammer to separate the strut from the top. Immediately wrap the tapered part of the strut piston in clean rag to prevent dirt ingress. It will need a good controlled heavy whack to separate the two but be careful not to do damage.

Lubricate the topmost part of the bore in the new top with a bit of LHM (around the two green "O" rings) and reassemble the strut into the new top.

Reassembly is a reverse of the disassembly (in the finest tradition of the BOL). Lubricate the new hydraulic seals with LHM during fitting and do a few Citarobics whilst looking for leaks. Job done.

Sorry for the long post, hope it's useful.

The most difficult job was getting the gaiter back on!

Hope it helps a bit...

UFO · Post by **UFO** » 26 Jun 2007, 13:32

This may give some tips - it is for an XM but essentially the same process

http://www.craigdeb.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=16

davethewheel · Post by **davethewheel** » 26 Jun 2007, 21:09

i fitted new ones to my old Xantia and then i bought a different car so had to swap them again it's a fairly easy job, i didn't remove the droplink or loosen the the bolt at the bottom of the strut ,it can be done without removing them it's just a little tighter to do, don't do what i did on the second car....i managed to pull the drive shaft out of the gear box and dumping the gear box oil all over my drive

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 27 Jun 2007, 13:30

I bought a XM with a failed strut top. I changed the entire strut and top in the guys front garden. Put it on the trailer and went home. Not too difficult at all. Have you checked for second hand ones prices? I got 2 complete struts and tops for less than £90 from a member of XM-L group.

Steve.