Hydro Pneumatic Strut Rebuild? Has Anyone Done This?
 

Just curious if anyone has rebuilt the hydro pneumatic struts on a TD wagon? Would be good to know if possible -

I have a vague memory of a discussion about this years ago. I can't remember anyone doing it in the 10 yrs I've been on the forum. I'm assuming a rebuild would be required due to leaks.

It seems that a reseal would be a good thing on these older struts - Kent Bergsma had mentioned doing so recently on a 6.9

I've never heard or read of anyone rebuilding the struts. I've also never even heard of anyone taking one apart. I don't have a spare one sitting around to mess with, but maybe someone does.

I replaced them on my old 300D about 10 years ago.
Out of curiosity I pulled one to bits.
No big deal, just a spring clip holds the end in.
The internals are basically just hydraulic seals.
If the ball joint on the end of the shaft is good (mine was not) & the shaft is not damaged, I would go for it.

I used to work on aircraft undercarriage struts - if you can taken them to bits as easily as layback40 says then the only problems you are probably going to have will be wear or corrosion related. If you get stuck finding seals I might be able to help... as a wild guess I'd expect to see PTFE seals in there.

So do it!

Do it!

Do it!

(and take some pictures)

Wish I had one to take apart -would be good to have a procedure along with the correct seals, could be a very simple rebuild -

The real issue in doing these, which is IMPORTANT, is the material composition of the hydraulic seal.

Within Citroens, as Army may know, older cars used vegetable-based hydraulic oil and they used EPDM-based seals. aka LHS seals

Later cars used mineral-based fluids which required butyl-N or N-buta seals. aka LHM seals.

I am told Viton seals will work in both types, but have no data to back this up.

I someone wanted to send me a leaking strut which I could rebuild for them, I would make a small sticky on it. I'd also need a tiny bit of the fluid to analyse.

BTW in a pinch mineral-based can use Dexron, but not type F ATF, but it's good to replace it afterwrads, it's only good for a couple years.

Hykon Glacial Blue is usually good for several years.