A fixation strut for an external fixation construct, the strut comprising: a ball joint component having a first bolt with a spherical head forming a portion of a ball joint (24, 30, 37, 44) and a threaded shaft coupled to the spherical head for threaded connection to a fixation construct constituent, a spherical housing (24, 30) for receipt of the spherical head of the first bolt, and a second bolt having a head with a semi-spherical cavity forming another portion of the ball joint and a threaded shaft; a piston component having a grommet with an internally threaded bore for threaded connection to the threaded shaft of the second bolt providing length adjustment between the ball joint (24, 30, 37, 44) and the grommet, a first cylinder connected to the grommet and forming a portion of an axially adjustable piston, and a second cylinder axially movably disposed over the first cylinder and forming another portion of the axially adjustable piston; a clamp that allows the first and second cylinders (50, 76) to adjustably translate relative to each other to increase or decrease axial length of the piston component and thus the overall fixation strut and when tightened axially locks position of the first and second cylinders (50, 76) relative to each other; and a swivel component having a third bolt with a head adapted for reception by the second cylinder of the piston component and forming a portion of a swivel joint, a shaft extending from the head and having a non-threaded section proximate the head and a threaded section distal the head for connection to another fixation construct constituent, a shoe configured for receipt by the shaft of the third bolt, characterized by first and second cutouts (95, 96) on the non-threaded section for coupling the shoe to the third bolt with a coupling pin. a ball joint component having a first bolt with a spherical head forming a portion of a ball joint (24, 30, 37, 44) and a threaded shaft coupled to the spherical head for threaded connection to a fixation construct constituent, a spherical housing (24, 30) for receipt of the spherical head of the first bolt, and a second bolt having a head with a semi-spherical cavity forming another portion of the ball joint and a threaded shaft; a piston component having a grommet with an internally threaded bore for threaded connection to the threaded shaft of the second bolt providing length adjustment between the ball joint (24, 30, 37, 44) and the grommet, a first cylinder connected to the grommet and forming a portion of an axially adjustable piston, and a second cylinder axially movably disposed over the first cylinder and forming another portion of the axially adjustable piston; a clamp that allows the first and second cylinders (50, 76) to adjustably translate relative to each other to increase or decrease axial length of the piston component and thus the overall fixation strut and when tightened axially locks position of the first and second cylinders (50, 76) relative to each other; and a swivel component having a third bolt with a head adapted for reception by the second cylinder of the piston component and forming a portion of a swivel joint, a shaft extending from the head and having a non-threaded section proximate the head and a threaded section distal the head for connection to another fixation construct constituent, a shoe configured for receipt by the shaft of the third bolt, characterized by first and second cutouts (95, 96) on the non-threaded section for coupling the shoe to the third bolt with a coupling pin.