Another "speared" Xantia strut top...Check YOURS!

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andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

Hang on a mo! I do recall having great hassles years ago when changing
an outer CV joint on a 2.0i Xm manual. The offside inner tri-ax all fell apart
with all it's tiny needles INSIDE THE GAITER after I'd foolishly pulled it too
far outwards and didn't realise until I tried driving the car. God, that was
fun fishing out the correct number of needles for each 'ball' with the
driveshaft rebuild. These scenarios always happen when you're against the
clock with the car needed for an important long journey the following day...

Knew there was a reason I was neurotic changing the offside strut top!!

Andrew
vince
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Post by vince »

Guys, GSF can get these top mounts, its just they arent a stock listed item and therefore cant be sold to customers.....yet.

I have asked the Citroen product manager to get me a price for a pair of top mounts for mine so i can see what kind of money they come in at.

He doesnt seem to think there is much cause to get them in as a stock item, as during his time at Citroen...10 years he hasnt come across more than 1 or 2 that needed changing.

I will keep this updated if there is a chance that these will become available through GSF.
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

Vince, just in case it's been unintentionally sidelined as life and more
particularly work always get's in the way, is there any likelihood that
GSF with it's large buying power could get the strut tops and sell them
at a keener price than Citroen?

I ask, as I think I've just found another one on it's way out on my
Dad's Xantia... :evil:

Andrew
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

And the bonnets will keep popping up on Xantias in the near future - you bet ... :cry:
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red_dwarfers
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Post by red_dwarfers »

What with all these Xantias destroying their bonnets and strut tops and people just scrapping them, whether they will become a rarity on the roads within the next 10 years?
I've really gone for worse case senario there...or have I? What do you guys and gals think?
Kev

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myglaren
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Post by myglaren »

At least there is a solid core of Xantia appreciators here to sustain them.

Does this particular malaise extend to Peugeots?
My son's 306 looks suspiciously like it might be the same design.
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Post by citronut »

i shouldnt have thought the pug is quite the same, as a shockabsorba dose not have the upward force of a hydraulic cit, whit the citroen its a constantly represureising unit
regards malcolm
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Post by myglaren »

citronut wrote:i shouldnt have thought the pug is quite the same, as a shockabsorba dose not have the upward force of a hydraulic cit, whit the citroen its a constantly represureising unit
regards malcolm
While what you say is true, if the same strut top components are used and deteriorate in the same fashion, won't the suspension components exert a similar force on it sufficient to break through when impacts like pot holes and sleeping policemen are encountered?
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Post by lexi »

I do think Xantias are going quick. There are so many reasons for the average guy to scrap them. Over 200 quid up here now for the weight of one.
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Post by reblack68 »

No, because the weight of the car is distributed around the top of the spring and the shock absorber top just has to take care of the damping. The Citroen has all the weight on the "shock absorber" top.

From what I've read here it looks as if the last straw is usually steering while the car is lifting.
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Post by myglaren »

Of course - the forces are distributed over a wider area by the spring.
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

I'm finding it extremely awkward to find any Xantiae in the local yards to me
at the moment, whereas it'd be quite easy to have had a choice a year ago.
I need a length of the rear wiring loom to the ABS multi plug where the OS
sensor is connected on top of the subframe; it's somehow become brittle
and broken up and that coincides with a loss of a signal from it to the ECU.

You think I can find an ABS Xantia that I can have this cut off? NOPE! :x
That and requirement for a black bonnet for my Activa, looks like like I'm
going to have to buy a black Xantia from somewhere... crazy.

Andrew
isisalar
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Post by isisalar »

Got to do mine after inspection.Any advice as to where to get new tops?Are all models the same?Mine's a Hydractive, is it worth looking in breakers.Some posters say the strut needs removing ,others say not,any advice please
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M reg 1.9d auto Xantia lx
N reg 1.9 td Xantia VSX Estate
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Unless you can clearly judge by the looks of it been replaced lately, dont go trusting breakers units.

Up until now Citroen is the only source, and they are in the £100-120 range - each - as new units depending on the exact type.
The hydractive is about the most common type known by their large bore hydraulic connection pipes.

You dont need to remove the strut.
Jack up the car, then release the pressure of the suspenion (set it to low height)
Remove the sphere and undo the hydraulic pipe.
Then loosen the top nut and push down the strut top.

Rest is simply dismantling of the old top.
Note : its the top assembly complete with the sphere mount and pipe connection.

Before fitting the new mount, be sure to clean the strut top well and mask it of (plastic bag) while the new mount is fitted.

I recommand you skim the rest of this long thread as there are many, MANY :!: really good and golden advices, hints and tips submitted by lots of our good brains here :D
Last edited by AndersDK on 22 Jun 2008, 12:15, edited 1 time in total.
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red_dwarfers
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Post by red_dwarfers »

Hi isisalar

You won't need to remove the strut, if you take a look back a couple of pages theres a photographic guide and a page or so on from that I've posted some more hints and tips.
Hydractive strut tops are different to the standard as the hydraulic pipe is a lot wider.
If you are lucky enough to find a hydractive Xantia in a scrappy you could do a swap but then after that you need to find one in good nick with minimal/no rust - which I found was rather impossible. Down our scrappy they've got about 10 pairs and all of them have a significant amount of rust on the strut tops.
For total piece of mind is best to go down the brand new route - though they are around £120 EACH, I expect the hydractive ones will be more expensive.

Vince was on about earlier about possibly getting some through GSF, you'll have to talk to him about that.
Kev

'19 C4 Cactus 130 Flair
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