Clutch/Bearing/Driveshaft/Suspension Trouble VSX

Post by **admiral51** » 31 Jul 2009, 20:07

I have now got my VSX on the road but not sure for how long

Not having driving her on the road except for MOT test i now have discovered 1 major problem and 1 frustrating one

The major one is that i have a serious judder when i move off from stationary.At first i put this down to the car having sat for 3 years and me not having driven a petrol for 2 1/2 years but im now convinced that its not me
There is a grumble that i feel is possably coming from the o/s/f wheel as the car is being driven and the feel of the clutch snatching when you change gear but i dont think its the clutch
My reason for thinking this is that when i got home i felt the centre of the front wheels and the o/s was hotter than the n/s.This is a habit i got into whilst driving lorries as feeling the hubs gave an indication of the state of the bearings an unusually hot one meant it needed attention nothing worse than looking in the nirror and seeing the wheel wobbling and flames as the bearing welded itself to the axle

.
I got SWMBO to drive the car forward slowly and i could see the o/s/f wheel judder,a bit like cogs not quite catching

how expensive is this going to be

The other problem is the rear suspension is very hard or so it seems not on normal roads but seems to be have a bit like a bucking bronco over large dips / humps etc.I can hear the valves shutting down about 30 secs after the doors have been shut etc but having had the problem of the rear bucking when going from high to normal is this likely to be the height corrector or something else The front valve gives a loud click when switching off but the rear is somewhat quieter
The rear is quite easy to push down as far as a normal test goes but makes the car feel like its going to nose dive as the back seems to stay high going over a speed bump or big dips/undulations on normal roads.This is without the car being put in "sport" mode

All comments gladly recieved,however painfull to absorb

Cheers

Colin

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 31 Jul 2009, 20:28

It's worth doing the diodes anyway, and that may fix the problem if the back one isn't behaving.
The rear height corrector could be seized.
The rear hydractive sphere could be flat, as could the rear corner spheres.
None of it particularly expensive to sort out

Remember "sport" mode just makes the car switch to hard mode sooner.

Sid_the_Squid · Post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 31 Jul 2009, 21:11

Remember "sport" mode just makes the car switch to hard mode sooner.

If its anything like my V6 that means immediately, With sports mode on, the tolerance for 'hard' suspension seems to be "if car moving in any way".
Not that I'm complaining, I love the instant dual personality.

handyman · Post by **handyman** » 31 Jul 2009, 21:19

Hullo Admiral, check that the handbrake cable has not seized or the calliper is not sticking or binding. That would give you judder and cause the bearings to run hotter. These are two known problems on Xantias and relatively easy to fix.

H

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 31 Jul 2009, 21:44

hi Handyman i have not seen you around the FCF for some time have/are you ok,

i do agree with you in regards of maybe a draging brake, but i think this car has just past its MOT, so this should not be the case here,

Colin
if you find it is a front wheel bearing
i do have a brand new genuine complete front hub assebaly, with bearing,drive flandge and lower swivle, and for ABS,

i would like to see around 50 quid for it pluss carridge, unless i can get it to you via the P/R/S (parts relay system)

regards malcolm

Xantidote · Post by **Xantidote** » 31 Jul 2009, 21:59

Hi Colin, well at least the VSX passed it's MoT!

My Xantia had a problem with binding of o/s front caliper. Failed MoT due to brake imbalance, and it got a bit warm. Found 1 very worn brake pad (much more worn than it's counterpart on other wheel). Fitted new pads and problem never re-appeared but I keep an eye on it, as of the 2 calipers, the o/s always a touch less "free" when I spin the wheel. Mind you, your brakes can't be binding much or would have failed MoT

Handyman also suggests handbrake cable. The handbrake cable's outer is not broken where it goes through it's locating ring is it? Vince said recently that this could allow water down the inner, on to the caliper somewhere where it could lead to corrosion (=binding/seizure?)

More will be revealed when you jack car up and remove wheel - hope not expensive.

Cheers - Martin

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 31 Jul 2009, 22:10

Martin wrote
" this could allow water down the inner, on to the caliper somewhere where it could lead to corrosion (=binding/seizure?) "

what actualy happens with this, is water,dirt and grit get in between the inner and outer cable, then its the cable which bindes which in turn stops the lever on the calliper comming fully off

regards malcolm

Post by **admiral51** » 31 Jul 2009, 23:08

Hi all
Just a quick reply to what has been posted so far

The car has just passed its mot after failing first time on rear brakes/front flexi hoses and the windscreen plus 2 tyres with incorrect rotation(my fault would think im capable of seeing the big arrow

)

Ever since i got the car the noise has been there when moving from stationary --i put this down as the brakes binding/rust etc as it had been sat for best part of 3 years.Its only now having driven it for about 20 miles to and from test station that im concerened as the noise is still there.

prior to both tests ive bleed the brakes (passed on fronts both times inc handbrake) and the fronts spin freely with no binding/hangup although i must admit to only testing this by hand with wheels removed

Im pretty sure its not the clutch but thats more gut feeling than anything else

.If i slowly engage the clutch to biting point the car will move without any noticeable judder although im paranoid i can still hear/feel a bit of bind/grind noise.As the clutch is fully engaged with or without higher revs the car judders just as if ive left the handbrake on slightly

Will try and have a look over the weekend and maybe even try removing handbrake cable and try running it without to see if that makes any difference(only up and down driveway

)

Any thoughts on if it could be gearbox/diff/driveshaft related

Still perplexed by the rear suspension as 99% of time when moving lever from high to low etc etc is behaves fine just every so often it it behaves like the old buckaroo horse

I assume there is something im missing out here but is it safe to say that there are 2 seperate hieght corrector linkages on front and back ie one for lever and one for driving suspension

Malcolm thanks for the offer kep hold of it for a few days if you can until i delve further in the process of elimination

just as an after thought the judder /movemebt on the o/s/f wheel reminds me a bit of not having the wheel nuts done up tight or maybe the bolt holes having been elongated if that makes sense

Would be well and truly stuffed without this forum

Cheers

Colin

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 31 Jul 2009, 23:27

Yes, there's the lever correctors and the automatic correctors, moving the lever doesn't necessarily mean the auto ones are moving properly.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 01 Aug 2009, 08:09

each H/C mechanisum/linkage has two turrets one is the auto self leveler/ing the other is for the manual hight selection,

i suppose your grinding noise might be a partly seized thrust bearing, this would also give you judder

regards malcolm

Post by **admiral51** » 01 Aug 2009, 19:57

Have just taken the o/s/f wheel off and it would appear that the brakes are binding on, not just a little bit either

The noise and judder was there before and after mot test so not sure how it passed both times (not going to complain too much

)

Looks like its new pads and disks plus a good clean up of the caliper etc etc.
Had a quick look at moving the caliper so i could get a better look but cant remember which way to drift the pad retaining pin as could only find one r clip

maybe will need to have ago at one up the scrap yard to familiarise myself

Still no further on with the suspension except for the fact that trying to push the back end down its very stiff,not soft like on my td , and now the front end can be pushed down with no resistance just seems to drop about 3 inches and then firms solid and then rises back up

Will need to see if i can video it behaving badly

Thanks for all the input so far

looks like assuming things being worst case then its a pleasant suprise when its not the case

Colin

Xantidote · Post by **Xantidote** » 01 Aug 2009, 23:25

Well at least you've tracked down the source of the judder.

My front caliper's only got the one R clip on the pad retaining pin, but my car's a Mk1, whereas yours will be a Mk2; not sure if calipers are the same Nevertheless, I'd be surprised if you can't see which way it should go - maybe in good daylight it'll be easier to see - unless you're looking for an excuse to go to the scrap-yard? Sorry can't check mine as rear end's on axle stands, system depressurised (doing the radius arm brgs)

Martin

Post by **leithant** » 01 Aug 2009, 23:31

I just did mine and the prongs point down. Not sure how much it matters though.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 02 Aug 2009, 10:39

Colin if you take a close look at the pin the inner end has a large head, so you need to drift the pin out from the outter end inwards, when refitting the pin make sure the hole for the R clip is faceing outwards otherwise you will need to take it back out to rotate it a bit

regards malcolm

Post by **admiral51** » 02 Aug 2009, 11:40

Hi Martin

My front caliper's only got the one R clip on the pad retaining pin, but my car's a Mk1, whereas yours will be a Mk2

Mine is also a MK1 just like yours

Wasnt 100% sure on which way to bludgeon the pin away from engine or towards it

Thanks Malcolm all seems so much clearer now

have just pulled the Hydractive fuse and car is behaving apart from the fact all 4 corners are rock solid wont push down an inch so reckon on new spheres all round

Colin