[C5 X7] Another failed experiment: Aftermarket pneumatic bonnet strut retrofit

[the-termin8r]

Another day another failed experiment.

This time I wanted to try and retrofit pneumatic bonnet struts to my X7. Those familiar will know that Mk1 and 2 C5s had proper bonnet struts, X7s have a traditional stay (presumably for cost cutting). I don't like being stripped of features so I wanted to do something about it. I stumbled on this AliExpress listing and was intrigued. A bit of digging around and it seems to be a mod that owners have actually made to their cars and a couple of Youtube videos show that they do function.

I figured for 23 quid a pop I'd give it a bash. Of course I'm never going to fully trust a cheap Chinese strut to not decapitate me so I actually bought a pair with the intention of mounting one on each side. They came with typically rubbish instructions, but they're fairly intuitive to install. They come with a couple of ball studs and an L-shaped bracket. The bracket mounts to the top of the suspension strut tower (remove one screw, put the bracket in and retighten to 26 Nm). The other ball stud mounts in place of one of the clips holding the bonnet sound deadening in. Then you just clip the bonnet strut's ball joints in and that's it. No drilling or bodging required, it's all reversible and causes no damage.

Of course it wasn't quite so simple. On the 3L diesel (and probably the 2.7 as well) you can't mount it to the left strut tower as the bracket isn't tall enough to clear the fuse box cover. You can mount it to the right tower, but then the issue is on the other end. You can't actually fully close the bonnet as the bonnet strut catches on the corner of the engine cover. The bonnet will go to the first catch, but if you try to force it into the second one you'll break something.

On top of all that, I also noticed the bracket flex a little when I went to push the bonnet down, so buying two seemed to be the right call (if they had fit). So far the only upside this mod has is that it gives the bonnet a wider opening than stock.

I'll try and mount them to my 2L either later today or over the weekend and report back.

[wurlycorner]

Nice try Rob.
I’m with you on it being frustrating that the mk1 and 2 c5’s had struts while the x7 had a prop. Single handed operation and no prop in the way does make a difference.

[wurlycorner]

The c6 has struts - two each side. I wonder, would that setup fit an x7?
(Looks like they would actually get in the way if working on the engine from the side though tbf!)

[wurlycorner]

Actually, perhaps better… the Peugeot 508 setup?


(That’s an R83, but the W23 has the same setup)


Isn’t the W23 the same chassis? So should fit??? (But then it doesn’t explain why Citroen didn’t install it in the first place)

[the-termin8r]

Looking at the video of the 508, I think the lower mount exists on my X7, but I think the strut would catch even more of the engine and the belt(?) cover. Whereas on the top I think it would either hit the LDS tank or the same spot on the engine cover as before depending on which clip hole I use. I'll give it a try during lunch and report back, but I'm not hopeful.

[wurlycorner]

They didn’t offer the 508 with the v6 yep - and that may indeed be the limiting factor with that design of strut.
I didn’t have access to mine this morning, so wasn’t able to check before posting the suggestions.

[the-termin8r]

Not sure if it's a bug or if I'm losing my mind, but I could have sworn I just posted an update to the thread.

Here it goes again:

Went back out. The lower mount exists on the X7 as well, but is too recessed, the overhang above it stops the strut from achieving the correct angle. I only offered the part up without mounting it, but as I predicted, the strut would catch that cover with the two pipes to the left of the chevrons seen in the first photo of the OP.

I'll try mounting both to the 2L when I get home from work later. If they fit I'll just leave them on the 2L instead of faffing about with a return.

[myglaren]

Not sure if it's a bug or if I'm losing my mind, but I could have sworn I just posted an update to the thread.

Try using the back button, CTRL+Z or Alt +←. I have in occasion failed to hit the submit button and been able to recover the post.

[the-termin8r]

I decidedly made the post. Hit the post button and it showed up on the chain, but it's gone now. Oh well.

[xantia_v6]

I have checked the forum logs, and there was no post deleted from this topic by any known mechanism. If it happens again, don't make any more posts in the same topic, notify me and wait until I have had time to make a forensic backup to examine the state of the forum database.

[the-termin8r]

Will do.

[the-termin8r]

Right, I tried them on the 2L today. Like on the 3L, you can't fit one on the left strut tower as the fuse box gets in the way. It does however fit on the right and the bonnet can close just about, the clearance looks very tight from what little I could see. Curiously, the 2L doesn't have the mount like the 3L and the 508 at the top of the bulkhead. I'll be sending them back for a refund though because the L-bracket flexing when pushing the bonnet down sketches me out and I wouldn't trust a single strut either.

[wurlycorner]

Odd that the 2L doesn’t have the mount like the 3.0. Would have thought the chassis would be identical.

[the-termin8r]

I suspect they probably started putting it on after a certain RPO. Either that or they use a common bulkhead.