Hi all,
Fun time!:[:(!]
My BX has a punctured rear suspension pipe (drivers side rear)
Problem is the the pipe nut into the cylinder is toast! no "hex"
on it at all[:(!]
I figure the only way to get to it is remove the sphere and cylinder
and heat what's left of it up.
I have already broken one chain wrench trying to remove the sphere is there any other ways the job could be done?
and do I have to buy the actual pipe or can it be made up?
regards
Tom
92 bx.
Removing BX rear spheres and cylinders
Moderator: RichardW
Argh [xx(]
- got a really nasty job ahead there [B)]
Chain wrenches are no good removing spheres - reasons :
a) steel aginst steel = in-adequate friction.
b) common chain wrenches available only withstands easy jobs like removing oil filters.
Try your nearest GSF dealer - buy new sphere(s) and/or pipe(s) - & hire the correct sphere removal tool.
As you can not remove the sphere/cylinder as 1 unit - it only comes out dismantled. You'll need a large Stilson to counteract on the cylinder - on the surface revealed when removing the clip & pulling back the gaiter.
- got a really nasty job ahead there [B)]
Chain wrenches are no good removing spheres - reasons :
a) steel aginst steel = in-adequate friction.
b) common chain wrenches available only withstands easy jobs like removing oil filters.
Try your nearest GSF dealer - buy new sphere(s) and/or pipe(s) - & hire the correct sphere removal tool.
As you can not remove the sphere/cylinder as 1 unit - it only comes out dismantled. You'll need a large Stilson to counteract on the cylinder - on the surface revealed when removing the clip & pulling back the gaiter.
Basically this tool would be a sling - in fact resembling the chain wrench tools - but instead of a chain - you have a strong belt with a rubber insert.
These tools POSITIVELY grips on the sphere's perimeter - the lenght of the handle then allows you to apply the necessary force.
You can in fact easily make up your own tool - using a 3/4" waterpipe Tee - then screw in a lenght of 3/4" waterpipe as handle. The sling is then made up of a lenght of old safety belt - and a rubber insert - reaching over the Tee.
That's basically the tool I've made myself. This tool has done at least 30 spheres now - and has been lend out a couple times to other Citroen owners.
These tools POSITIVELY grips on the sphere's perimeter - the lenght of the handle then allows you to apply the necessary force.
You can in fact easily make up your own tool - using a 3/4" waterpipe Tee - then screw in a lenght of 3/4" waterpipe as handle. The sling is then made up of a lenght of old safety belt - and a rubber insert - reaching over the Tee.
That's basically the tool I've made myself. This tool has done at least 30 spheres now - and has been lend out a couple times to other Citroen owners.
Hi, I had to remove the rear sphere on my old BX, soaked the joint between the sphere and strut with wd40, left it for abot 1 hour then came back, chain wrench didn't work! Cold chisel and lump hammer did though, using gentle but firm 'taps', I was ready to replace the rear strut if needed though, but the 'taps' did the job.
Paul
Paul
Thanks for the advice guys.
I made a tool using the 10mm threaded rod design, worked ok.
Got the cylinder out, a little heat on the old pipe nipple and out it came
New pipe in place and refilled LHM, only to find yet another leak!
This time its on the passenger side just in front of the rear wheel
Question is do I have to replace the whole of this pipe or is it possible to replace just a section?
regards
Tom
I made a tool using the 10mm threaded rod design, worked ok.
Got the cylinder out, a little heat on the old pipe nipple and out it came
New pipe in place and refilled LHM, only to find yet another leak!
This time its on the passenger side just in front of the rear wheel
Question is do I have to replace the whole of this pipe or is it possible to replace just a section?
regards
Tom
Tom -
Any pipe may be reapired - welded or silver soldered.
As a quick repair - you may try find a universal pipe joint fitting.
BUT :
Iv'e never seen or heard of any national MOT regulations allowing this - for obvious reasons.
I'd certainly not rely on my hydraulic Citroen - driving around w/ repared pipes.
The pressure in the supension lines reaches the system max pressure - when the height is set to maximum - some 160bar/2500psi.
Same goes for the brake lines - if the pedal is fully depressed.
Compare this to the average 2bar/30psi in the tyres.
Any pipe may be reapired - welded or silver soldered.
As a quick repair - you may try find a universal pipe joint fitting.
BUT :
Iv'e never seen or heard of any national MOT regulations allowing this - for obvious reasons.
I'd certainly not rely on my hydraulic Citroen - driving around w/ repared pipes.
The pressure in the supension lines reaches the system max pressure - when the height is set to maximum - some 160bar/2500psi.
Same goes for the brake lines - if the pedal is fully depressed.
Compare this to the average 2bar/30psi in the tyres.
If these are the original pipes on your car then its most likely the leak is caused by corrosion, and there will be other leaks just waiting to happen.....
These pipes run at extremely high pressure and you dont want one of them bursting while caning it in the outside lane; they are cheap to buy, but a pain to replace, so its probably best to change it/them all now while you have the chance to do it in your own time rather than in the bleak mid-winter; sods law states this is when your next leak will occur.
Repair just isnt an option on the high pressure pipes, and the end flares are different to the ones on "normal" cars.I doubt if a spares shop would have the correct tool.
One of these steel pipes, however, is a low-pressure return- its easy to tell which-its a push fit into a rubber pipe at the front offside;if this is the one leaking then a repair should be OK.
These pipes run at extremely high pressure and you dont want one of them bursting while caning it in the outside lane; they are cheap to buy, but a pain to replace, so its probably best to change it/them all now while you have the chance to do it in your own time rather than in the bleak mid-winter; sods law states this is when your next leak will occur.
Repair just isnt an option on the high pressure pipes, and the end flares are different to the ones on "normal" cars.I doubt if a spares shop would have the correct tool.
One of these steel pipes, however, is a low-pressure return- its easy to tell which-its a push fit into a rubber pipe at the front offside;if this is the one leaking then a repair should be OK.
Tom - if this pipe is one of the two I mention, then you can obtain replacements fairly cheaply from GS&F/Andyspares, but it's a bit of a pain to do as the pipes run under the rear subframe beam - you'll notice a kink to the pipes at 45degrees just before this. Some say it may help to drop the rear subframe to do this replacement, but as I've thankfully never had to do this replacement myself I can't advise whether it's true or not.
It's not an unusual thing to happen with a BX of a certain age, but much more common on the pre-89 cars which have no plastic coating to the pipes. It's also suggested that if one of the two "long" pipes has gone then the other is likely to be corroded too, and should be replaced.
If your pipes have the shiny black plastic coating, then count yourself as extremely unlucky to be doing this job - check for places where the coating may have flaked away and be extra careful not to spifflee the coating off the replacements while fitting. Good luck!
David
It's not an unusual thing to happen with a BX of a certain age, but much more common on the pre-89 cars which have no plastic coating to the pipes. It's also suggested that if one of the two "long" pipes has gone then the other is likely to be corroded too, and should be replaced.
If your pipes have the shiny black plastic coating, then count yourself as extremely unlucky to be doing this job - check for places where the coating may have flaked away and be extra careful not to spifflee the coating off the replacements while fitting. Good luck!
David
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by tcb123</i>
This time its on the passenger side just in front of the rear wheel
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
If it is in the section which passes over the rear trailing arm then check the pipes have been routed properly.
There are some clips the pipes need to clip into to prevent them rubbing on the suspension arm. And if memory serves me correctly there is something between arm and pipe.
Having done the job a couple of times I would say that if you have the facilities then it would be much easier to do the pipes after dismantling the rear suspension. To do them with the suspension/subframe in place requires some bending of the pipes, which come bent to fit and don't stand up to too much extra flexing.
This time its on the passenger side just in front of the rear wheel
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
If it is in the section which passes over the rear trailing arm then check the pipes have been routed properly.
There are some clips the pipes need to clip into to prevent them rubbing on the suspension arm. And if memory serves me correctly there is something between arm and pipe.
Having done the job a couple of times I would say that if you have the facilities then it would be much easier to do the pipes after dismantling the rear suspension. To do them with the suspension/subframe in place requires some bending of the pipes, which come bent to fit and don't stand up to too much extra flexing.