Xantia rear brake pipes

Muzz · Post by **Muzz** » 24 Sep 2008, 20:31

Hello all, I have done a search but to no avail. My 95 Xantia 1.9TD Hatch has just failed the mot on the rear brake pipes being corroded. Can anyone tell me how easy it is to replace these and where I can get them from?
Any help gratefully appreciated.
Thanks
Muzz

Post by **RichardW** » 25 Sep 2008, 08:47

I changed the pipes on my 95 TD a few years ago. It's a bit of a mare! Mine was compounded by seemingly having been parked in the sea, so the callipers were well corroded - I had to saw one of the brake pads in half to get it out! Anyway, if you look at the pipes, you will find that the long one goes right behind the antisink gear. If you were to buy the Citroen steel pipes, then you would have to strip all this off. However, if you buy kunifer pipes then you can bend them in without removing this. You might find a local Cit independent that can make some pipes up for you, or you can take them off, measure them, and get Plaeides to make some up and send them to you - you will need to make up the spiral part by winding the pipe around a suitable former. Take the usual precautions for undoing the pipes - snip them off close to the unions, then use a six sided socket to carefully undo them. Plenty of plus gas, and heat if required. Go very steady with the bleed nipples on the callipers! I had to remove the K splitter from the car in order to get the pipe stubs out - be very very careful not to wreck the union on the feed pipe - that would be uber bad.

ISTR there are some brackets near the spirals that are riveted to the old pipes - I drilled the rivets out, and then refitted the brackets to the new pipes with small bolts (you need the brackets otherwise the spiral will flop about all over the place).

Took me all weekend to change the pipes, strip the callipers, clean it all up, reassamble, bleed to brakes

Muzz · Post by **Muzz** » 25 Sep 2008, 09:13

Richard, many thanks for the reply, I thought it would be a pain!!. Some really good info there, thanks again.
Muzz

Post by **Peter.N.** » 26 Sep 2008, 13:07

I have a pipe flaring tool, pipe and fittings from Pleiades, you can get couplers to join pipes as well, so you can replace just a section. If you need to get to the part above the rear subframe, on the XM it is quite easy to drop it one side at a time, don't know if the Xantia is the same.

Muzz · Post by **Muzz** » 26 Sep 2008, 14:13

I do have a pipe flaring tool and some kunifer but not the right size, and the tool will not do a Citroen flare. Why do the French have to be different? Once the thing is MOT'd it's going, mind you it's been the work car, used and abused. But it's got to go. Anyone want a cheap car?
I have got a pair of new pipes from the Citroen main dealer rip off people, £72!
I am now in the process of fitting these back on again, just stopped for lunch!
Should be finished in time for a game of golf! I hope!
Cheers all,
Muzz

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 26 Sep 2008, 15:15

I might be interested

Muzz · Post by **Muzz** » 26 Sep 2008, 19:52

Well the golf went out the window!, sorted a leak on one of the pipes into the accumulator, then bled (or tried to bleed) the rear brakes, had nothing coming out of either caliper, but good pressure on the pedal. I also replaced the n/s ABS sensor as the light had been on and off since replacing the n/s rear sensor last year as I was told it was faulty. Now the light is on all the time!! One step forward, two back. Anyone know how to check them without the dealer labour charges?
4 new tyres are going on too for piece of mind now the rain is coming and if I have to hold on to it.
Xac, it's a bent and battered old thing, but it goes bloody well still.