Dead Suspension Supports, how to keep a Mc Strut car up when dead

[UFO]

A question has arisen on Aussiefrogs.com regarding keeping CXs up when the suspension is dead. Easy enough - use some hardwood wedges in the right places and you can lock the car "up".

From this someone asked how to keep the front of a McPherson strut front end car raised. I recall seeing something about a slotted collar to go around the piston of the strut but have not been able to remember where.

Surely someone here knows an answer?

[dean]

I have aq funny feeling it was a citroen item/tool that clamped around the strut piston that stopped the front falling, maybe the same setup for the rears but im not really sure to be honest, i know it has been mentioned here before though.


D

[xmexclusive]

Citroen made them as fittings for showroom cars.
Not sure that they made it as parts for general sale.

[noz]

UFO,

You don't explain why you'd want to do this but it would be reasonably straightforward. Jack the car up or lift with the hydraulics if still working. Pull down the plastic concertina boot protecting the piston of the strut just below the strut top. Take a piece of pipe, say 2"(50mm) diameter and say, 4"(100mm) long and and slit it lengthways down both sides so that you are holding the two halves of the pipe in your hands. Place each half around the piston until they meet up to form a complete circle again. Put a couple of tie wraps or a jubilee clip or two around them to keep them together. Let the car down and the pipe will become jammed between the strut top and the strut itself preventing the car from falling further.

Do not drive the car in this condition.

Cheers

Noz

[UFO]

Thanks Noz - a perfectly logical answer. As I no longer have a McStrut Cit it is no great problem to me, however I will copy your answer (with credit to you) and post in the thread on Aussiefrogs.

EXCELLENT!

Thanks again

(BTW - the question came about re keeping dead cits "up" so that they can be more easily moved around when needed. Sometimes you need to push them around the garage or you know the pressure will be off and you want to leave it in a situation where you can still get a jack under it etc...)

This post has been edited by UFO on May 16, 2010 09:25 am

[noz]

UFO,

You are most welcome. We are here to help.

You may want to add to the previous post that the strut top has a large rubber component. I'm not sure where the split tube will come to rest at the top end. If it will damage the rubber then simply cut a circle or square, say 75mm diameter, out of 1/4"(6mm) steel plate, drill a clearance hole of the size of the piston and then slice the place across the middle. Place the plate on top of the split pipe and it will protect the rubber in the strut top.

cheers

noz