I'm replacing the front right air bellow whilst retaining my original strut (2007 3.6 TDV8)

Does anyone have any tips on how to get the top cap off the strut - if I remember correctly its glued into place.
I've done it before on the other side but for the life of me I cant recall how it came off.

I've tried everything I can think of this afternoon and it still won't budge. Even shouting and swearing at it had no effect !

Thanks in advance.

Good evening Nick when I replaced mine recently, with complete new ones, I decided to strip the old ones just to see how they went together.
To undo mine I used a sump plug of the correct size, added the correct socket and put on my long arm, held the "strut" still and after much force it just came adrift. When I looked at it, it had some sort off lock tight on it in blue.

I have read somewhere on the forum that sometimes a little heat helps loosen it. But I didn't need it just lots of force.

Hope this helps, good luck. Borrowed Grey 2002 3d 204k for a year
Now own a 2007 Java black Vogue SE 3.6TDV8 160k

They use STC 50554, which apparently is Loctite 648

For Disassembly
1. Remove with standard hand tools.
2. If needed, apply localized heat to the assembly to
approximately 250 °C. Disassemble while hot.
3. If this temperature is not possible, heat as much as
possible and use mechanical aids.

https://docs.rs-online.com/5d25/0900766b800b9992.pdf

That’s assuming the cross reference I found was correct, there is no way mine would release without heat even with a length of bar. They are also only aluminium and quite expensive so I’d be fairly delicate with them. AFAIK they don’t come on new struts and need to be transferred over so either way you need to get them off in one piece.

Mine literally screwed off by hand with a little heat, super frustrating after doing battle for a half hour with it.

Thanks both,

I did try some heat but only from a heat gun and not for long. I didn't try a breaker bar either as I was a bit worried about snapping something.

Will give give it another go tomorrow. Glad to find out its aluminium - It looked like it was plastic to me, hence the reluctance to give it a decent tug !

I assume we are all talking about this btw, the cover over it is plastic but they just pop off.

Yes, that's the one !

Tried arm wrestling it again today with decent heat this time - still no luck

Do you know if this thing threaded or is it just a push fit held by the glue ?

Thanks

It’s threaded  Sold - Bell a 2015 MY16 Loire Blue Autobiography 4.4 SDV8
Previously George a 2007 MY07 Java Black VSE 3.6 TDV8
Previously a 04 MY04 Defender 90

TJH1985 wrote:

T
AFAIK they don’t come on new struts

I’ve spent ages battling with one of these today!

The near side one came off without any problems at all. The drivers side one was an utter sod!

I was replacing the shocks and bags so wasn’t too concerned about damaging the shock.

I removed it from the car with the damper on it and then set about getting it off on the bench. I tried gripping it with water pump pliers and it just spun, I then cut the air bag open and grabbed the damper with a pair of mole grips and tried again but it was the top mount spinning, not the damper.

In the end I used an induction heater to heat the silver collar, I grabbed that with a pair of mole grips and used a 3 foot bar with a hex adapter in a 19mm 1/2” socket and although it was tight the whole way off it did come off.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Getting them to 250 to break the hold is the hard part IMO.. I think I used a 2KW hot air gun and a laser temperature gun, I couldn’t believe it just screwed off (with welders gloves) when it got up to temperature.

I wonder how the dealers do it, assume just new parts… Sold - Bell a 2015 MY16 Loire Blue Autobiography 4.4 SDV8
Previously George a 2007 MY07 Java Black VSE 3.6 TDV8
Previously a 04 MY04 Defender 90

I'm still at it !!

except something weird and maybe lucky has happened.......

So the cap/damper thingy is still as stuck as it ever was but all the banging and crashing has loosened off the damper nut underneath and I've managed to screw off the whole of the damper top in one.
So the black top, silver cup below it are off and the damper nut is still inside the cup !

Any idea of the part number for the damper cap - the one THJ1985 has shown in the photo above?

I think i;m going to just cut it off the retrieve the nut and re-use the cup.

Many thanks

Looks like it’s probably SEB500490:

https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/seb500490-damper.html Sold - Bell a 2015 MY16 Loire Blue Autobiography 4.4 SDV8
Previously George a 2007 MY07 Java Black VSE 3.6 TDV8
Previously a 04 MY04 Defender 90

Yikes!

At £107 quid it’s an expensive lump of metal!

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Double yikes !!

This where the world of spares gets me on my soap box. It's block of shaped aluminium after all.

If I ever do manage to part it from its cup I will be ally welding the damage I've caused !

If you've got the top of the strut off, turn the oven up as hot as it'll go, bung it in it for 20 mins to let it get hot then remove it.

Try and secure the top any which way you can, grips, vice, etc. and see if you can undo the top then. Once I'd got some heat into mine it came off quite easily.

If you were local to me I'd offer to help.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior