ZX Questions. Anyone help please..

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 01 Oct 2005, 22:06

Hi all.
I wonder. I need to change some illumination bulbs on a ZX Heater controls panel, How easy is it to remove to change bulbs. I cannot see a bloody thing at night..
ALSO, I need to adjust the hand brake.. Is this done inside the car or underneath the car??
Many thanks in advance.

mezuk04 · Post by **mezuk04** » 01 Oct 2005, 23:01

Cant remember the exact process but its not too bad to replace them, all mine had gone out and dont think it took that long, if you have a haynes manual its fairly straight forward, just a few screws here and there

Gingerpose · Post by **Gingerpose** » 02 Oct 2005, 00:49

I did this not long ago. It's straightforward enough, the only stumbling block was when it came to removing the console around the handbrake, it takes a fair bit of force to get it out from under the centre console. Haynes manual was quite useful.

mezuk04 · Post by **mezuk04** » 02 Oct 2005, 00:54

Haynes Manual.....useful.....first time for everything...hhehhehhe

wilkobob · Post by **wilkobob** » 02 Oct 2005, 17:42

Handbrake can be adjusted either by the adjusters in the rear drums (the better way) or by the nut on the back of the hand brake lever (quick fix). The first way is the "propper" way to do it, the haynes manual actually explains this well also.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 02 Oct 2005, 17:56

you should always adjust inside the drums first,as just adjusting the cables dose not give you any more efort on you brake shoes,the problem is 99% of the time adjusting mech dose not work as its ment to in normal use
regards malcolm

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 02 Oct 2005, 20:28

Yuk DRUMS!! What are they. So use to Rear Discs as on PROPER citroens, not the disguised Pug 306 car, any way, "citronut" whats my procedure to do this adjustment. I'm not really keen on spending 15quid on haynes just to get the car ready to sell.. Unless I really have to. Regards

wilkobob · Post by **wilkobob** » 06 Oct 2005, 18:50

Il step in someones way here

If you are replacing the self adjusting mechanism, you will need to remove the drum, fit the kit then the adjusters will work on their own. You can repair the lucas (girling) ones by bending the L shaped ratcheting mechanism back towards the cog on the adjuster.(you will see what I mean if you remove the drum) Im not sure if you can repair the bendix ones as usually its the teeth on the cog bit that get worn, hence new adjuster needed.

If you are like myself and cant be bothered with a whole lot of hassle, then you can manually adjust the rear brakes.

The procedure is as follows:
Apply handbrake 2 clicks, Jack up rear of car and support on axel stands, remove both rear wheels. Look through one of the stud holes in one of the rear drums, and turn the drum until you can see what looks like a cog. (a torch may help). Using a flat bladed screwdriver, turn the cog in the way that the teeth face (not sure of correct terminology for this, but from memory you push the top of the cog away from you) if you can see enough through the drum you will see the adjusting mechanism, this needs "stretching" / making longer, thus moving the shoes nearer to the drum. Turn as many times as needed until the drum starts to bind. Repeat procedure for other side of car. Obviously turning the mechanism the wrong way will slacken brakes off, so get it right if you can. Once you relieve pressure on the brakes by taking the hand brake off, the drums should spin freely. So you should have working handbrake, and sharper rear brakes now.

If you find the handbrake cables are slack, then they will need tensioning up with the bolt on the back of the handbrake lever.

pie eater · Post by **pie eater** » 06 Oct 2005, 21:49

The bulbs in the heater panel used to go regularly in my ZX's, along with the instrument panel lights. I think it was because they were on all the time, day and night, whether the sides/heads were on or not. I think they changed it on later models.
The heater bulbs are ok to do, just a bit fiddly with all the trim.

If you tackle the instrument panel, take a tip - Once you get the bulb holders out, the little bulbs WILL come out with a good yank - but I broke one or two in the process, and that is messy. And whilst you have it stripped down, replace all of the little blighters. Cos if you dont, one week later one of the old ones will blow. And the speedo cable is a challenge to get back on.

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » 07 Oct 2005, 10:47

A better alternative is to replace all the bulbs with LED`s from Ultraleds
http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/default.php? ... 46a6410b40
They are not that expensive and come in a veriety of colours.

Post by **RichardW** » 07 Oct 2005, 11:32

To change the heater bulbs:

Remove the radio (1 screw either side under a rubber bung)
Remove the radio support panel (4 screws)
Pull out the ashtray and remove the 2 screws right at the back
Prise out the plastic square around the gear leave gaiter and either remove the gaiter (if it will come over the sitck) or just fold it up
Undo the 10mm nut behind the gear lever.
Ease back the centre console (no need to remove - the handbrake makes it difficult)
Undo the 2 screws that go upwards from the ashtray hole
Reach in through the radio hole, and press the metal clips in outside of the centre vents, and ease the centre console out - wiggle it a bit to clear the front edge of the console.
Now carefully lift the plastic lugs around the edge of heater knobs backing panel and ease the panel, complete with knobs, off.

You can now change the bulbs - just carefully ease them out with a pair of long nose pliers.

Reassembly is the reverse of removal..

If you want to go on to do the dash bulbs, don't put it back together yet....
Remove the steering column shrouds, and set the steering wheel to the lowest position.
Remove the 2 screws you can now see from the bottom of the instrument sourround (containing the fog / HRW swtiches) and the 2 screws in the top. Remove the sourround, disconnecting the switch connectors as you go (note their positions!)
Remove the two screws now exposed at the bottom of the instrument cluster.
Ease the bottom of the cluster up and over the metal tang sticking up at the bottom centre, then reach in behind the instruments through the radio hole and press the clips in on the speedo cable and pull it off.
Ease the panel forwards and disconnect the wiring connectors (noting positions!), then ease it out past the steering wheel.

Change all the bulbs - there are some hidden under the cover over the rev counter - take care as it has a short ribbon cable behind it.

Reassambly is reverse of removal. Guide the speedo cable back onto the speedo head and make sure it pushes right in so the clips get hold.

If testing before fully assembled, the indicators don't work until the Hazard switch is reconnected

Takes a couple of hours to do both sets.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 07 Oct 2005, 21:25

[quote="wilkobob"]Il step in someones way here

If you are replacing the self adjusting mechanism, you will need to remove the drum, fit the kit then the adjusters will work on their own. You can repair the lucas (girling) ones by bending the L shaped ratcheting mechanism back towards the cog on the adjuster.(you will see what I mean if you remove the drum) Im not sure if you can repair the bendix ones as usually its the teeth on the cog bit that get worn, hence new adjuster needed.

If you are like myself and cant be bothered with a whole lot of hassle, then you can manually adjust the rear brakes.

The procedure is as follows:
Apply handbrake 2 clicks, Jack up rear of car and support on axel stands, remove both rear wheels. Look through one of the stud holes in one of the rear drums, and turn the drum until you can see what looks like a cog. (a torch may help). Using a flat bladed screwdriver, turn the cog in the way that the teeth face (not sure of correct terminology for this, but from memory you push the top of the cog away from you) if you can see enough through the drum you will see the adjusting mechanism, this needs "stretching" / making longer, thus moving the shoes nearer to the drum. Turn as many times as needed until the drum starts to bind. Repeat procedure for other side of car. Obviously turning the mechanism the wrong way will slacken brakes off, so get it right if you can. Once you relieve pressure on the brakes by taking the hand brake off, the drums should spin freely. So you should have working handbrake, and sharper rear brakes now.

If you find the handbrake cables are slack, then they will need tensioning up with the bolt on the back of the handbrake lever.

if people adjust brakes like this it might be why i usualy find the tiny steel blade which locks the adjuster missing,because you only have to look at it the wrong way and it drop off,i would recomend removing the rear drumes and be very careful not to let this blade drop out,you might not notice and you could very easily loose it,then you have to buy the hole adjuster kit for both sidesl
regards malcolm

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 07 Oct 2005, 21:30

Just goes to show what an amazing mine of knowledge this forum is - where else would you get a step-by-step description of both these jobs, from people who have actually done it themselves - within a few hours?

Truely amazing!

//NiSk