Xantia MOT

[Dommo]

Going to pop out in a mo and have a look around and see what bits are indicated so I know for myself, especially for the dust covers!!
Will get the tyre sorted as have a good mate with a wheel clinic and valeting centre, so that's fine, will have a look at the wires on the boot as had them open to do the rear light on the boot side last week, (that should be the brake light and the number plate lights,- are they both the same side or seperate??? )
Is it a new arb link or can you get the dust covers seperately?? Long shot but you never know!
Will go and look for the oil leak as the engines pretty dry, but did spill some oil from the filter on changing! Will have a look at the exhasut oveer the weekend too,
Is front sus ball joint seperate or like some of the older cars and one unit??
Have got till the 19th when the ticket officially runs out but will try not to use it till have it sorted!!

The front ball joint is screwed directly into the bottom of the hub, see this thread:
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... ead#unread

The ARB drop link is cheap enough, try:
http://www.carparts4less.co.uk
It's basically Euro Car Parts, but cheaper. You're best off making doubly sure you're ordering the correct part because they're known for getting wrong parts (EuroWrongParts anyone?).

[Timmo]

Thanks Dommo, had a scan through the haynes and saw twas a screw in withj the selected socket, - anyone got a link to one?? Couldn't see one on a quick ebay for 'citroen ball joint tool' ??
Have been up to see my mates wheel shop along with a pack of Co-op's finest cookies and got the tyre sorted, have a air of drop links on the way and a CV boot, have sorted the rear third brake light out as that was a split wire again, but the number plate lights were bulbs, Both had gone! So there both sorted, just the welding to sort out - weak section on sill, looks like the water trap area run off from the seam in the rear passenger door! Hoping a neighbour can help me there!
Is getting there! Hopefully the bits will be here tomorrow so can do them over the weekend,

[CitroJim]

Try this one Timmo, it's the one I have and have used with good success...

It looks weak but it's had a five foot breaker bar on the end of it before now...

I take off the whole hub and clamp it in a big vice, relieve the staking on the balljoint, heat it moderately - not too hot or you'll do in the grease in the wheel bearings- and then attack it with a 35mm socket on the end of a long breaker bar.

The secret is to hold the castellated tool in place firmly on the old balljoint with the nut.

The tool is good for installing the new ones too. Just don't use a big breaker bar and be sure to stake it. Some recommend a smear of Loctite on the threads as this was how they were installed in the factory.

[Timmo]

Thanks fella, saved that to favorites, will get one dreckly! Is it into the hub or innto the bottom arm?? I seem to remember the BX was into the hub,

Also, guessing regional, Stake?? Is that as in Put a lot of effort into it??

[CitroJim]

Yes just like the BX Timmo, into the hub...

Staking is the term used to describe the creation of a locking tab on a nut or other threaded object by deforming part of that object into a slot and hence locking it solid and preventing it from unscrewing. You can see it on many instances of nuts holding hubs onto stub axles. The Xantia rear hubs use staked nuts for instance. It does the same job as a castellated nut held from rotation by an R clip or split pin.

The lower swivel balljoints are staked to the hub in two places, you'll see slots with the top surface of the balljoint punched into them. You must use either a punch or a small cold chisel to drive the deformed metal out of the slots or you'll never get the balljoints to unscrew.

I'd say that even then the act of unscrewing them requires a bit of grunt and a bit of welly...

[Timmo]

Thanks fella! Got it now!

[Timmo]

The big silver beast now has a full mot, wahooooooo!
Cost £15 in parts, a crate of Guinness for the welding, an hours labour at the garage(£38!) and the mot fee! £120 ish all in, - decided in the end to get the garage to do the cv boot as saved me a whole load of shoulder pain!
But its all done and happy! Few advisories to do dreckly but may go for a celebratory cruise down the coast road tomorrow!

Good luck for any one else who's got a test due!

[CitroJim]

Excellent news Timmo