xantia suspension question

[romik]

2001 HDI

Basically front is well bouncy and back is pretty hard, really hard with passengers. Spheres in both cases gone?

[Xaccers]

What spec level is it?
VSX/Exclusive would be hydractive so 4 spheres at the front (2 hard corners, 1 soft centre, 1 accumulator sphere) with large 6mm pipes going to the front suspension struts.
The soft sphere is isolated with an electrovalve, if it's not working you end up in hard mode running on just the corner spheres.
If the electrovalves are working, then it could be just the soft centre sphere, or the corner ones as well.

If it's a LX/SX/Desire/Sensation/Forte then it will have normal hydraulic suspension with 3 spheres at the front (2 corners, 1 accumulator), so it would be just the case of swapping the corner spheres.

[romik]

It's SX.

What about rear hard suspension?

Thanks.

[Xaccers]

SX has 3 spheres at each end.
So if the rear is hard the rear corner spheres need replacing.

The accumulator at the front of the engine is tested by timing the period between ticks from it with the engine idling on normal height.
If it is less than 30 seconds the accumulator is low on pressure and needs replacing. Chances are the rear accumulator known as the anti sink sphere will also need replacing.

Incorrect ride height can also give a hard ride, you should have 1 finger space between the top of the rear wheels and the arches and 3 fingers at the front wheels.

[Dommo]

Assuming you have the ride height lever set in the correct position and the height correctors aren't seized, and the ride height is set correctly, it can only be the spheres. About £140 for all six that an SX car has, and they're worth doing if the rest of what I said is OK.

[Xaccers]

SX has 3 spheres at each end.
So if the rear is hard the rear corner spheres need replacing.

The accumulator at the front of the engine is tested by timing the period between ticks from it with the engine idling on normal height.
If it is lesEs than 30 seconds the accumulator is low on pressure and needs replacing. Chances are the rear accumulator known as the anti sink sphere will also need replacing.

Incorrect ride height can also give a hard ride, you should have 1 finger space between the top of the rear wheels and the arches and 3 fingers at the front wheels.

[romik]

Ticking is fine, height is fine, back goes up when passengers get in, lhm is Ok. Rear suspension is hard as in doesn't absorb pot holes smoothly, seems to sink rather than absorb. So...change all 6 spheres? What's the average replacement cost (labour)?

[Xaccers]

£0 labour, they're so easy to replace, they just unscrew so don't pay someone to do it (unless it's a fellow forum member and you're offering choccy biccies).
With the height on normal, engine idling, open the bonnet and bounce the front of the car with the slam panel. That will tell you how bouncy it really is, but to be sure about whether spheres need to be changed, they need to be pressure tested.

Have a look at this thread: http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 22&t=24595" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Make up your own sphere tool (see the link in my signature), or buy one off ebay, or get the best type from Pleiades (they're Citroen hydraulic masters).
GSF car parts sell spheres for approx £25 each.

Hyraulic suspension cars don't take pot holes that well though.

[romik]

Cheers for the info. What about aep direct spheres? Any info on those?

[Dommo]

Where are you based romik? It would be worth getting a fellow Citroen-ite to look at your car to decide whether things need replacing, and to fit the spheres if needs be.

[romik]

I am in Ipswich, Suffolk

[Xaccers]

Cheers for the info. What about aep direct spheres? Any info on those?

I believe they are on a par with the amtek spheres GSF supply.