Sad but true, only sags under stress though.
I had my wife and a friend in the back of the car, a 2006 c3, and people kept flashing me even though on dip beam. Then the car 'thumped' when going over a low kerb, as the rear suspension was about grounded.
Is this normal or do I need new springs ? If anyone suggest a diet for wife and friend I will pay their expenses to come here and tell them that
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
Interesting but my springs are just weak, I think, rather than broken.
The front springs are fine and the car handles properly so no faults as such just surprised that it sinks so much. I had 75kg of tile cement on the back seat and the space between tyres and wheel arches halved, seems a bit excessive, that is 11st in old money, the girls weigh a bit more so must have been a similar situation. I recall having 100kg of tile cement in the boot and the rear was almost level with the tyres but that was almost directly over them.
Last car was a Xantia so level was never a problem.
Does this seem normal really, anyone had a couple of people in the back and where did the wheel are end up in relation to the tyre. May just be the way it is or maybe I can buy stiffer springs.
The car has done 62k miles and is 9yrs old, maybe the previous owner carried a lot of weight and the springs have weakened as a result ?
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
I will be taking the car to a local garage next week (time permitting) to have the brakes done so will ask about this.
Looking around I see heavy duty springs are available but agree they shouldn't really be needed for such loads ? Carrying 2x 9st people in the rear should just cause a small drop I would have thought, say 1 click on the headlamp adjuster, with more if bot load is also added.
Hopefully they have just weakened, cost about £60 a pair so not too bad.
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
I think I will need new springs, just checking on whether to buy uprated or normal really, so knowing if they should dip this much would he useful to know before doing it.
A good test would be if people think you are on full beam when loaded, this was my first indication of a problem.
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
Neighbour across the street has just driven off with two rear seat passengers in her C3. No discernible droopage of the rear end.
Car anyway.
Haven't seen my daughter about her C3 yet.
That is proof enough for me that I need to change these. If the people were about 10st each thast would be 120kg and mine would be level with the wheel arch at that.
Looks like standard springs should do, I just want to carry people safely and with no compressed discs for passengers on rough roads or speed ramps.
I will get my local garage to do it as it shouldn't be a big job. I like the design of these cars, trailing arm with shock absorber and spring in different places so just an easy spring change it is then.
Should cost me £60 for springs and £20-30 to fit so not excessive.
I am having the rear brakes done anyway so they will be in that area. Cit service says (with vin no input) could be one of two options for manufacturer Bosch or TRW Lucas so looking at the diagrams it is down to checking the backplates as there are differences so they should know which is which.
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
