Sticking height corrector (the actual hydralic bit)

Dommo · Post by **Dommo** » 30 Sep 2010, 19:18

Hi all.

I've got a problem with the 2.1 SX I bought.

The height corrector mechanism was seized and the dog bone had popped off. My dad removed the mechanism and it is now free to move and well greased up. However the actual hydraulic part seems to be seized, or at least very sticky, I think there's history of an LHM change, but that was a few years back (assuming that wasn't on the 1.9TD VSX, I might be getting their histories mixed up).

The issue is that it will sit in service low, and go most of the way to service high - ie I can push the mechanism and the rear end will raise further. But if you try and go to normal ride height from low, it won't rise at the back. If you go from high to normal it will go to normal, but it doesn't seem to self level if you sit in the boot.

Any ideas? Cheers.

Post by **CitroJim** » 30 Sep 2010, 19:22

That's normal Dom, the hydraulic unit always seems very stiff due to the very heavy damping inside it. I have been caught out and actually stripped one to find out.

Your problem will be, I'll bet, the dogbone has a hairline crack in a ballcup. Replace it and as long as the HC mechanism proper is OK, the problem will be gone.

Remember the HC mechanism has some springs to provide "give" against the heavily damped hydraulic valve.

Dommo · Post by **Dommo** » 30 Sep 2010, 19:26

CitroJim wrote:That's normal Dom, the hydraulic unit always seems very stiff due to the very heavy damping inside it. I have been caught out and actually stripped one to find out.

Your problem will be, I'll bet, the dogbone has a hairline crack in a ballcup. Replace it and as long as the HC mechanism proper is OK, the problem will be gone.

Remember the HC mechanism has some springs to provide "give" against the heavily damped hydraulic valve.

Thanks for the quick response Jim. However it has had a new dog bone fitted. I think I'm right in saying that it worked with the old dog bone (until it popped off!) after we freed up the mechanism, and since fitting the new dog bone the problem has occured - I can't remember if it has ever worked properly with the new dog bone fitted... Wish I could remember now..!

Post by **CitroJim** » 30 Sep 2010, 19:39

When the dog-bone is on Dom, does the car rise or fall on the lever at the rear because if it does, the valve itself is OK.

The incidence of the HC valve failing like that is almost unknown. Mind you, if the damping vanes are really right royally smegged up with mucky LHM then it might possibly go very stiff but even if the valve itself is immovable it should never pop off the dogbone because the mechamism springs will absorb the movement.

It may be that the whole shooting-match is a mile out of adjustment.

Does the car sit level and height correct properly if you sit in the boot?

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 30 Sep 2010, 19:58

Another angle, by 'freed up and loose' on the height corrector linkage are we talking snug but free or loose in that there is play in the turrets?

You see the two bolts/pivots for the springs? Do these wobble at all? This is a likely point for lost motion in the linkage as the original rivet/pivots have a nylon sleeve which wears down. My solution to this was to replace the rivet/pivots with larger bolts turned down to take up the slack.

I'm not as knowledgable as many but surely if the HC itself wasn't working then you would have trouble getting to any height accurately?

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 30 Sep 2010, 23:03

maybe you have not re/attatched the hight corector into the linkage properly,

regards malcolm

Dommo · Post by **Dommo** » 30 Sep 2010, 23:32

To be honest Malcolm, that's the sort of answer I was thinking would be the issue!

Jim - the car does rise and fall, but with the height control lever set to service high, the car doesn't quite reach service high at the back, it does at the front. The car doesn't sit properly or height correct if you sit in the boot, at least it didn't last night.

Kev - I don't recall there being side to side slop in the mechanism, by free and loose I only meant in the way it's supposed to be (as far as I'm aware!), ie, a well lubricated mechanism.

Thanks for the replies. Will have another look at the height corrector at the weekend, the VSX should be ready with new-er strut tops this weekend.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 01 Oct 2010, 21:03

it is quite fiddly to re/attatch the H/C into its craddle/linkage,

what Kev ment is at both turret points they should move so freely that they flop all the way both directions (side to side)

regards malcolm