BX Anti roll bar bush holder

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beemernut
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Joined: 30 Jan 2003, 02:04
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BX Anti roll bar bush holder

Post by beemernut »

Driving to work the other day, my wife pulled up the handbrake on our BX 19 diesel and nothing happened. The lever went to it's fullest position but the handbrake did'nt work. Upon invstigation it appears that one side of the offside anti roll bar bush/bearing housing, which has the handbrake cable guide mounted on it, has come away from the rest of the housing. The housing is attached to the anti roll bar just after the bend on the engine side, I believe it holds the anti roll bar to the sub frame.
I went to my local Citroen dealer this morning and they informed me that the top section of the housing is available but the bottom section on which the handbrake cable mounting is fitted is no longer available from Citroen. Whilst I am willing to get a replacement from a scrappie for the short term, I would, if possible, like to get hold of a new replacement part.
Does anyone have any suggestions where I can get one from? I've tried Andyspares but they only stock the bushes not the housing.
Would a housing from another Citroen or Peugeot fit - has anyone had any experience of trying this option.
Any suggetsions appreciated.
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

bmn -
This housing I believe can only be sourced genuine - or as a scrap part.
It's held in place by 2 bolts - 1 bolt is reaching through the subframe from below an up through this housing - into the body panel. This bolt in fact secures the subframe front to the chassis.
The other (smaller dia) bolt also reaches through the subframe from below up through the housing - on top of which it's secured with a nut & washer.
The handbrake cable support eye is bolted on separately.
To remove this bugger - you'll have to lift the front of car - then support the weight of the chassis on offended side's front sill jacking point. Support the subframe (same side) with a hydraulic jack - then remove the bolts from underneath - reaching up through the lower control arm cut-out.
Now lower the jack to relase weight on the housing - and fiddle it out - it's in 2 parts : upper & lower shell.
NOTE : take the dia of your antirollbar (vernier scale) - and compare on donor car. Do NOT rely on engine/model designation. Best to go for same dia antirollbar - and save any bits rescued - you never know [:p]
beemernut
Posts: 34
Joined: 30 Jan 2003, 02:04
Location: United Kingdom
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Post by beemernut »

I managed to get a replacement part from a scrap yard. The donor vehicle gave up the part very easily once we discovered that there are 3 bolts holding the unit in place, 2 visible from the wheel arch (1 holding the housing to the chassis and the subframe and the other going through the subframe and simply holding the 2 parts of the housing together) the 3rd bolt is on the inside front of the housing simply holding the 2 parts together.
As I said the donor vehicle gave up the part very easily with the exception that we broke the top part which fortuantely isn't damaged on my BX. The problem I've now got is getting the old housing off.
I jacked up the car using a hydraulic jack under the subframe until I could get an axle stand under the offside sill with the front wheel off the ground. I lowered the car onto the axle stand, removed the front wheel and released the bolt that holds the housing to the chasis and subframe - this came off very easily. The 13mm bolt next to it appears to be seized in place but I managed to remove the nut from the top. I lowered the jack but the subframe only dropped a fraction, not enough to get access to the third bolt on the inside front (which is obscured by what I think are flexible hydraulic pipes) or to get the top of the housing off if I did manage to remove this bolt. At this time the car did it's impression of a dog going to the toilet - it released the pressure on the offside front suspension and lifted the disc carrier and wishbone up into the wheelarch.
Any suggestions what to do now? Do I need to loosen the subframe front and back mountings to increase the gap? or do I need to use the jack to raise the engine and therefore the chassis away from the subframe?
Any suggestions would be appreciated
Beemernut
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

3 bolts ???
that's the problem with old memories - odd/even bits falls out here & there [:D][:D]
I think you simply need to jack the chassis on both sides front sill jack points. Then remove both sides subframe to chassis front bolts - while supporting the subframe.
From inside car under the carpetting at footrest position - you find a nut for the subframe rear bolts in a pithole - which an assistent must counteract on - while you loosen from underside car.
The total weight of the drive components wil force down the subframe - if you then lower the subframe support.
When torquing up the subframe bolts again - be sure the front bolts are taken first. These bolts should be able to nip up by hands - if not - relocate a bit the subframe.
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