Xantia rear suspension clunks

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
Xantidote
Posts: 1146
Joined: 03 May 2009, 22:07
Location: Merseyside
My Cars:
x 5

Xantia rear suspension clunks

Post by Xantidote »

My 147k Xantia has made clunking noises from rear n/s for maybe a couple of years. No problem with MoTs, but it's getting on my nerves, and maybe getting worse. I get a clunk as n/s goes over a pothole, and now realise that it's now grumbling at me as I take right-handers (but not left-handers) if road surface uneven.
Had car on stands, depressurised, and tried levering between radius arm & sub-frame but couldn't detect movement, but only using 2' tyre lever. Perhaps movement resisted by the stiffening effect of the anti-roll bar and tie bars? On max height, wheels look vertical, from rear of car. Normal ride height is 1" high at 445mm. New GSF spheres fitted October 2006.

Before I bite bullet and remove/strip radius arm, is there anything more I can check to confirm I'm going in right direction? I may jack it up again for another look

All comments appreciated. Cheers - Martin
Martin

1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased :( )
firstrebel
Posts: 70
Joined: 18 Apr 2009, 22:08
Location: Uxbridge
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by firstrebel »

Grumbling noise with lots of steering on can often be a front wheel bearing. Do your rear seats fold down? If they do fold them down and see if you still get the clunk.

Bob
Robert Isaac

1997 Xantia 1.9TD SX Estate. 152000 miles
1995 Volvo 855 T5 Auto - Chipped. 186000 miles
admiral51
Donor 2023
Posts: 2625
Joined: 24 May 2007, 10:11
Location: poole dorset uk
Lexia Available: Yes
My Cars: C5 X7 2009 2.0 HDI VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
C4 2010 2.0 HDi Exclusive VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
x 378

Post by admiral51 »

Possably the daftest reply you will get but...................................

Have you checked the spare wheel carrier is nice and tight as this will give a clunk everytime you go over a bump/pothole and will make a noise as you turn right as the carrier can swing to the nearside but not able to swing to the offside when you turn left :) :)

Trust me it does happen spent hours trying to trace a similar noise on my TD :oops: :oops: :oops:

Colin
Xantidote
Posts: 1146
Joined: 03 May 2009, 22:07
Location: Merseyside
My Cars:
x 5

Post by Xantidote »

Bob and Colin - thanks guys, I shall investigate yr suggestions tomorrow, weather permitting. I think the grumbling on left-handers is coming from the rear rather than the front, as it's punctuated (!) with occassional little level clunks. Spare wheel cover is a good one, but too much to hope for. It should all be fairly tight, as it's congested with having a towbar fitted.

Anything to avoid having to do the radius arm brgs!

Martin 8)
Martin

1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased :( )
admiral51
Donor 2023
Posts: 2625
Joined: 24 May 2007, 10:11
Location: poole dorset uk
Lexia Available: Yes
My Cars: C5 X7 2009 2.0 HDI VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
C4 2010 2.0 HDi Exclusive VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
x 378

Post by admiral51 »

Xantidote wrote: Spare wheel cover is a good one, but too much to hope for. It should all be fairly tight, as it's congested with having a towbar fitted.

Martin 8)
My problem was the main bolt that is accessed from the boot wasnt quite tight enough to pull the carrier up to the floor of the boot and the whole thing was then able to bounce on the carrier bracket/ bolt clip (although i reckon the bolt was being moved up and down through the boot).

This lack of tightness also left it free to swing a little and mine has a towbar fitted aswell... just reach under and grab the carrier and see if it moves by shaking it :) :) its a cheap (free :D :D ) test

Colin
Xantidote
Posts: 1146
Joined: 03 May 2009, 22:07
Location: Merseyside
My Cars:
x 5

Post by Xantidote »

Colin - thanks. No movement of the carrier, but to make doubly sure, have tweaked the bolt 2 turns. I don't as a rule have it really tight, otherwise indentations form in the tyre (at least, they do on my car!)

Martin :D :D
Martin

1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased :( )
jmd
Posts: 398
Joined: 18 Feb 2001, 06:18
Location: Ireland
My Cars:
x 1

Post by jmd »

Check your exhaust tailpipe, especially if you have a towbar fitted. I have had experience of this sort of noise, and it could drive a guy"around the bend"
Xantidote
Posts: 1146
Joined: 03 May 2009, 22:07
Location: Merseyside
My Cars:
x 5

Post by Xantidote »

Thanks jmd - I do have a tow bar, and I've been under again to check there's nothing obvious that I've missed. There is movement of rear box, on it's 3 rubber supports, but unable to get any knocking noise. I intend investigating further in 3-4 weeks when got free time. Maybe I have to do the radius arm brgs just to eliminate them! They must be originals, so perhaps due for renewal. Planning ahead, I've applied Plus Gas to try and free the link rod spring clip.

Cheers - Martin
Martin

1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased :( )
firstrebel
Posts: 70
Joined: 18 Apr 2009, 22:08
Location: Uxbridge
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by firstrebel »

Does it make the noise with load in the back?

Bob
Robert Isaac

1997 Xantia 1.9TD SX Estate. 152000 miles
1995 Volvo 855 T5 Auto - Chipped. 186000 miles
jmd
Posts: 398
Joined: 18 Feb 2001, 06:18
Location: Ireland
My Cars:
x 1

Post by jmd »

It can be near impossible sometimes to identify the source of some noises, because a noise in the front of a car can run along the chassis and give the impression that it is in the rear of the car. The radius arms are the last thing that I would suspect, based on the fact that my 1996 Xantia has 260,000 miles covered, and gave no trouble in that respect. Check suspension struts.
Xantidote
Posts: 1146
Joined: 03 May 2009, 22:07
Location: Merseyside
My Cars:
x 5

Post by Xantidote »

Does it make the noise with load in the back?

Nothing to date suggests load related, but hadn't really thought to consider this - will investigate.

Thanks JMD for suggestion as to maybe a strut. Just replaced n/s front top strut (new Citroen item), and nothing odd noticed whilst doing the job

The wide ranging ideas being suggested as to the source of the knock has persuaded me to do more investigation before removing the radius arm.

Thanks guys - Martin
Martin

1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased :( )
Xantidote
Posts: 1146
Joined: 03 May 2009, 22:07
Location: Merseyside
My Cars:
x 5

Post by Xantidote »

Hi guys,

I'm still struggling to find cause of the knock from rear nearside when going slowly over potholes, and the grumbling/grating noise on some righthanders.

Firstrebel - you asked if the same occurred when loaded. Not had a lot of load in back. What would you expect if loaded, and it were the radius arm brgs?

Car presently up on axle stands, nicely depressurised. Drifted out the link rod clip easily (to my surprise, must have been the dosing with Plus Gas), and have removed the anti-roll bar bolts, so the radius arm is no longer restrained. It moves up & down freely, no grating or sounds of roughness, and when gripping the wheel, unable to detect any free play at all. Have tried more levering, but no joy there either. Maybe this why no problem at last year's MoT.

I was all set to remove the radius arm, but can it still be the bearings despite what I've found, or not found?

So 2 questions for you:

1. Could the radius arm brgs still be at fault?
2. If I proceed with removal of radius arm, must I as BoL says, remove the sphere & suspension cylinder first, or can I jiggle the arm out with cylinder in place? I ask, as I've not eased the sphere whilst the system pressurised, and the less I disturb the better

Thanks - Martin
Martin

1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased :( )
Post Reply