new spheres = bouncy bum

gavinmassey · Post by **gavinmassey** » 21 Jan 2005, 00:43

My spheres needed replacing (very hard ride) and after replacing all 5 spheres the back end of the car is bouncing like crazy - there's practically no resistance at all so acellerating or breaking causes the back end of the car to fall down or practically shoot off the ground...
Anyone know whats up? - my Haynes book mentions something called a 'height corrector' - sounds vaugly right - anyone know what I need to do?!

Panjandrum · Post by **Panjandrum** » 21 Jan 2005, 01:54

Rather like your locking problem, this is impossible. Could it, I wonder, be air in the system? Being more compressible than LHM (which isn't). Try citaerobics - search here for full description but essentially it's exercising your suspension a lot using the height adjuster. If there's air in there it should get flushed out in the process.

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 21 Jan 2005, 02:05

Sounds like the wrong type of spheres are fitted to me, what were the part numbers on the box, assuming you got them from GSF or they are genuine citroen parts that is, otherwise the numbers perhaps wouldn't mean much to this gang.
The bit of air that gets in when changing spheres is compressed to practically nothing when pressure is up so that wont be a likely cause.
Dave

Robin · Post by **Robin** » 21 Jan 2005, 02:48

Dave, I agree with the thinking but just wondered if a large amount of air could have got in? All three rear spheres out at the same time?
Then possibly bleeding the rear brakes through might help too.
Otherwise some dirt from the rear centre sphere fitting and a jammed height corrector in fully open?
Either way Citaerobics should improve it if not a cure.
Just thinking aloud so to speak. R.

gavinmassey · Post by **gavinmassey** » 21 Jan 2005, 05:16

Panjandrum - thanks - I'm proud to have performed the impossible twice with one car!
Right Citrobics it is then - (I was doing this at the lights on the way home - the boy racer next to me's eyes nearly fell out). How much do I need to do this? - I mean are we talking a few times - 1/2 an hour - whats the deal with this?
If that fails I'll play with the brakes... (although I dont understand the connection it sounds fun)...
If that fails I'll shout at the mechanic...
Just thought of something else - it does seem happy in the middle position - I mean on the flats when i'm idling it's in the right place - it just moves if a bird poos on the car... (I havn't actually tested that but it gives you an idea of how sensitive it is...)

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 21 Jan 2005, 13:57

Question,
Does your car settle down quickly when you have turned the engine off?
If it does do, it could well be a siezed rear height corrector. If the height corrector is siezed up, it would be working against the anti roll bar.
To sort the problem out is very simple:-
Put your car in high position and then power wash the rear linkage and the height corrector, you are best removing the spare wheel to do this ( rhe height corrector looks like a small drum in the middle of the car underneath.
Once power washed, put the car on car ramps, get underneath and spray with WD40 and leave for a short while. Once its soaked in get some good old universal grease (NOT spray grease) and coat the height corrector with it and ALL the linkages and bars too. Then, with the engine turned off, move the height adjustment lever in the centre consol back and forth to get the grease worked into the linkages and joints. Once thats done, start the car up and put in high and take car off the ramp. It may take a day or two before you get the full benefit of the greasing but it will make a difference, it did on my Xantia.
You can also do the same on the front height corrector too.
Regards
Paul

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 21 Jan 2005, 16:48

Who fitted the spheres???
Without trying to sound patronising, you do realise that the fronts are different to the rears and the accumulator cannot be used on the suspension?
Reason I ask is that the symptoms sound like either soft (comfort) spheres often fitted on the front may have been put on the rear or a more likely scenario would be that either one or more accumulator spheres have been put on the rear.
We have heard in the past of service guys claiming that accumulator spheres will work on the suspension amd they will; it's just that they usually perform like this.
Alan S

gavinmassey · Post by **gavinmassey** » 21 Jan 2005, 17:14

Thanks for all the help - I have the solution!
I took it to the garage where they were fitted for the afor mentioned shouting and he's fixed it! Apparently on the rear spheres some liquid went through the valve and it wouldn't resist properly (or something)
Anyway thanks for all the good advice!
Gav

bernie · Post by **bernie** » 21 Jan 2005, 18:08

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by gavinmassey</i>

Apparently on the rear spheres some liquid went through the valve and it wouldn't resist properly (or something)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
?????????
Sounds like they found something THEY did wrong

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 21 Jan 2005, 18:19

Sounds like they didn't remove the dust caps off the thread...[;)]