dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Pictures are exactly the same as this tutorial (MK4)
http://www.astraownersclub.com/documents/technical/bonnetlifters.pdf
Basically they wont compress at all. Ive had the hairdryer on the thicker barrel to see if the oil inside needs loosening up as I cant compress them either with them attached to the car or in the house, gets to the point where if i press any harder i think i might snap / bend them.
They are in the oven atm at 100C  See if that helps at all. Any other ideas? They are the INXX ones
[Edited on 08-08-2008 by dannymccann]
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supermike
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Registered: 6th Sep 05
Location: Aberdeen. Drives: 1.4 16v Corsa
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Just fitted mine tonight, the first initial push is quite hard, just donnt be scared to give them a good push, you will struggle to bed or break them. I also have the INXX ones. As for heating them i would not recommend that at all
[Edited on 07-08-2008 by supermike]
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Would or wouldnt recommend? I only dont want to push any harder as the bonnet hinges are creaking  Id rather not snap a bonnet hinge
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Thing is im pushing on them as hard as I can in the house (even tried tapping a hammer on one end to get it to budge) but they just refuse to move?
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supermike
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Location: Aberdeen. Drives: 1.4 16v Corsa
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You wont snap a bonnet hinge. They do require a bit of force though. Wouldn't recommend it at all. Mine took a bit of a shove, first ones i fitted to my other corsa i thought the same as you was scared to break them.
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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You are 100% on the bonnet hinge yea? I really realy dont want / need that....
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supermike
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Location: Aberdeen. Drives: 1.4 16v Corsa
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100% mate. you will notice you have to put a bit of force in the first time just to break the seal so to speak, once you have done it once they are far easier
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supermike
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Location: Aberdeen. Drives: 1.4 16v Corsa
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but for f**k sake take them out of the oven
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supermike
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Registered: 6th Sep 05
Location: Aberdeen. Drives: 1.4 16v Corsa
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Also you will never compress them by hand
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Lol they are out the oven now 
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supermike
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Location: Aberdeen. Drives: 1.4 16v Corsa
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good stuff mate.
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Working, thanks mike. I swear down though when I pulled on them before they wouldnt budge, so I think the heat treatment did a little loosening
Edit - in the process I managed to lose one of those curvy bits of metal (spring clip?) into the engine bay so ive got a strut missing a locking piece. Where can I get one from without paying stupid money
[Edited on 07-08-2008 by dannymccann]
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supermike
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Location: Aberdeen. Drives: 1.4 16v Corsa
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use a small split pin or soemthing along those lines, otherwise a hardware shop should do something for pennies. Not a problem mate were all on here to help if we can
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Gareth F
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Registered: 16th Jan 08
Location: Location Location
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Worth keeping the thin bit greased as mine dried out and leaked, one lifter just doesnt cut it 
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Ian
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Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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quote:
Originally posted by supermike
Also you will never compress them by hand
Disagree - I've had mine off tonight to paint them as they had corroded a little and they were quite easy to press. In fact, I could press two of them together to see if they returned at the same speed.
[Edited on 08-08-2008 by Ian]
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alan-g-w
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Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
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quote:
Originally posted by munk3yrac3r
Worth keeping the thin bit greased as mine dried out and leaked, one lifter just doesnt cut it
If the thin bit is facing down that usually stops that from happening
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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i never thought about mounting them upside down. good idea!
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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You should fit them with the cylinder at the top and the piston at the bottom. That way you will always have oil sitting on the seals inside the cylinder which will prevent them from locking up and prolong their lifespan 
Greasing them wont do anything really. The seals are tight enough to keep in 200psi of pressure so grease certainly wont penetrate them.
Also, if you still think that they are still too stiff you can release some air from them. Or at lease you could with the ones I used to design. On the end of the piston, if the threaded stud is hollow there ought to be a little valve that can be pressed in with a small pin and a hammer. If you put the pin in the hole and give it a little tap then some air ought to be released...
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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quote:
Originally posted by C2RL R
i never thought about mounting them upside down. good idea!
Yea at the minute ive got them with the thicker cylinder above the thinner cylinder (thick on bonnet, thin on wing).
Regards to releasing air, now they have been moved the first time they are perfect, although its a sudden drop as you get further down, surprised me the first time and it slammed down nearly on my fingers 
Ive read somewhere that you should paint or lacquer them to stop them rusting or something? Anyone know anything about this, materials needed etc?
Also, do you need the OE bonnet stay for anything like MOT? Will garages still go under the bonnet if you remove the stay (H+S etc)?
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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They are stainless so they shouldn't rust very much at all. Lacquer won't stick to bare metal very well, so your best bet is to just give them a polish with some metal polish every now and again, because I have seen some get a little bit of rusty...
They are fine for MOT and servicing, a lot of cars don't even have a bonnet stay, and just use struts instead.
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dannymccann
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Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
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Thats cool then. What with the car being silver as well dont even notice them peeking through the wing gaps. I do need to get a little grease in the ball joints though, and a split pin to stop one of the struts moving about
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Ian
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Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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Mine were well tatty. Just masked the shaft, sanded with 1200 and painted.
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supermike
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Registered: 6th Sep 05
Location: Aberdeen. Drives: 1.4 16v Corsa
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian
quote:
Originally posted by supermike
Also you will never compress them by hand
Disagree - I've had mine off tonight to paint them as they had corroded a little and they were quite easy to press. In fact, I could press two of them together to see if they returned at the same speed.
[Edited on 08-08-2008 by Ian]
Hmmmm strange, i have never managed to compress one by hand, i just must be weak either that or your the hulk in disguise
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alan-g-w
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Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
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I could do it with mine, had to put one end on the ground and lean on it though.
They've got to be one of the best 'simple' mods to be done. Especially when you can open the bonnet 6 inches and the engine just peeks out  Lavely
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