checking the suspension

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Bren
Posts: 92
Joined: 04 Aug 2007, 22:13
Location: cheshire
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checking the suspension

Post by Bren »

I have had my xantia for nearly two years - the only part of the suspension I have replaced is the front spheres. How can you tell if everything is in good working order? Car rises quickly from cold, the rear not quite as high as the front (the tops of the rear wheels are slightly obscured by the body). Is this normal?
96'Xantia 1.9 td estate
93'gsxr- 750
85' Rover 3500 (work in progress)
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CitroJim
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Post by CitroJim »

Hi Bren,

On an estate it is normal for the tops of the rear tyres to be just obscured by the wheel arches.

You can check spheres by having the engine running and on normal height and then bouncing each corner of the car. The rear should go down easily and then come back up, nicely damped, under its own weight. The rear shoud feel really quite soft when doing this.

The front should respond in the same way but be a little firmer. Don't press down on the tops of the wings though, it can dent them.


Check your accumulator sphere in two ways. Firstly, listen for the regular ticking from the pressure regulator. The interval between ticks should be well in excess of thirty seconds. If it is less, then the sphere is weak and must be replaced. Listen for the ticks on idle by listening down by the accumulator sphere as the pressure regulator is in the body it screws into. It can sometimes be hard to hear it above the engine clatter.

Another way to check the accumulator is to switch off the engine and immediatly open the tailgate and sit on the sill. The car should sink and then rise after about 20 or 30 seconds using residual pressure from the accumulator. The accumulator has to be good to do this. A really good one may do it twice.

To check the overall function of the height correctors, sit the kids in the rear seats with the engine idling, wait a minute or so and then make them get out. The rear should rise up as they get out and then drop back to normal height after a 20 or so seconds. The front can be proved in the same way but having two front passengers of stout build get in and then out again.

If you sink at the rear on start-up, a long thread recently discussed this.
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Bren
Posts: 92
Joined: 04 Aug 2007, 22:13
Location: cheshire
My Cars:

Post by Bren »

Many thanks Jim, I will check them ( the spheres) tomorrow - I would'nt be surprised if they needed replacing.
96'Xantia 1.9 td estate
93'gsxr- 750
85' Rover 3500 (work in progress)
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