C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak.

Post by GiveMeABreak »

5271 L6 Elis = Right hand one £309.66 inc. VAT - ouch!
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak.

Post by Stickyfinger »

Quick question.....has the car recently been "lifted" off its wheels for service/tyres ?
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak.

Post by EDC5 »

Stickyfinger wrote: 15 Oct 2017, 18:32 Quick question.....has the car recently been "lifted" off its wheels for service/tyres ?


Nope, not recently, although by the looks of it a lot of oil has 'caked' on so it might have been leaking for a while.

Although saying that I've only noticed the oil on the floor after it being stood for a week.

I don't suppose the struts can be reconditioned like normal hydraulic rams?
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak.

Post by EDC5 »

Okay, part ordered, should be here in time for the weekend.

As well as the instructions kindly provided by Bobins I've seen this video:



No detail on the hydraulic aspect but it doesn't look too bad overall. I'm assuming the strap is there to stop the driveshaft coming out too far from the gearbox.

Also, I don't have a Hub Puller, is there an alternative DIY method or should I get one for the job?
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak.

Post by lexi »

If you had a big 3 leg puller, it may do the job............with some improvisation. Welder is handy for making these kind of tools up.
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by EDC5 »

Right then, the strut has been changed and I'm glad to report that the car drives like a dream, really pleased!

So, here is the new strut,

Image

Image

So, I got the C5 up and hovering:

Image

Another look at the wet strut and caked on oil everywhere:

Image


First job was to release the pressure from the front suspension. after cracking the nipple, I put a length of hose over it and drained it into a box:

Image
Image

Easy enough.... First challenge was the sphere. Now the oil filter removal tool kept slipping off and the sphere itself was on incredibly tightly:

Image

No luck doing this so I got a belt sander's belt to help with the grip. Eventually with two sockets on the tool it came off:

Image

Image

Image

Luckily, I didn't have to weld a nut to the sphere or anything so drastic!

Time to get the driveshaft nut off. 35mm is the proper size but the closest I had was 1 3/8" which worked fine. It was on tight too and I'm glad I was using a 3/4" drive socket!

Image

Strapped up the driveshaft:

Image
Image

After this I took off the Anti-Roll bar drop link, the track rod end and the bottom wishbone joint. Most of them have a spanner nut and a torx bit in the shaft to assist removal:

Image

The ARB drop link actually holds the bottom of the strut into the suspension, hence it's odd length:

Image

Everything free!:

Image

Now onto the hub puller, as simple as it is effective:

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Everything free now and the hub can be pulled out freely:

Image


This was the main problem, one of the torx screws had corroded solid into the turret:

Image

This is not what you want to see:

Image

So, it had to be drilled out, luckily no damage was done and a suitable alternative bolt was used for the new one:

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Finally got the bastard out!

Image

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Thats the last LDS it'll ever leak!

Shiny new one installed:

Image

So, not much else to say apart from refitting is the reversal of removal :rofl2:

When the other side eventually goes it'll only take half of the time :)

So overall, £190 for the strut, £30 for some tools and 6 hours of time.

Autopsy to follow when I've got a bit of free time and I've cleaned all of the oil off me :lol:
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by myglaren »

Good job!

£190 was a decent price for the strut!
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by GiveMeABreak »

Excellent write up Ellis, I’m copy the post to the How To section.
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by EDC5 »

myglaren wrote: 22 Oct 2017, 22:22 Good job!

£190 was a decent price for the strut!
Yep, much cheaper than a dealer in Britain. delivery was quick from Germany too.
GiveMeABreak wrote: 22 Oct 2017, 22:22 Excellent write up Ellis, I’m copy the post to the How To section.
Thanks, I might be able to add a bit more detail in the future but the essentials are there :)

On another note, the 'creaking' noise (viewtopic.php?f=3&t=58511) is still there, despite a thorough inspection of all joints and bolts... the mystery continues.

As I say, I'm pretty keen to find the point of failure of the old strut so it will be dismantled for info.
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by bobins »

Nice write-up. It really shouldn't be a case that in such a new(ish) car you come across seized Torx screws. Doesn't bode well for those doing this job a few more years in the future :(

A word of note - now that you've disturbed the ARB link, don't be surprised if it starts knocking in the next month or so and needs replacing. That's what I found when I had mine apart to do a front spring. Don't bother going for cheap parts with the ARB links - make sure it's either genuine Citroen or a reliable make (Lemforder ???).
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by Xantippa »

I wonder if this has something to do with C5 X7 front strut (made by KYB) problems:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... zda-boeing
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by GiveMeABreak »

I couldn't find a specific reference to PSA vehicles - Except Vauxhall :roll: - so time pull up the drawbridge and keep them at arms length now they've joined the club. Who knows about the subsidiaries and second / third level suppliers though!

I guess I won't be getting on a Japanese Bullet train anytime soon.
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by EDC5 »

bobins wrote: 23 Oct 2017, 10:05 Nice write-up. It really shouldn't be a case that in such a new(ish) car you come across seized Torx screws. Doesn't bode well for those doing this job a few more years in the future :(

A word of note - now that you've disturbed the ARB link, don't be surprised if it starts knocking in the next month or so and needs replacing. That's what I found when I had mine apart to do a front spring. Don't bother going for cheap parts with the ARB links - make sure it's either genuine Citroen or a reliable make (Lemforder ???).


Thanks :)

Yep it really was the only issue, the nut had corroded solid into the aluminium turret casting, was lucky that it could be drilled out really. Strangely the other two came out really easily. I think the T40 bit was far too small for the bolt, as it rounded off quite early on (hence the mole grips) the replacement bolt was an Allen head which is much better in my view.

I was thinking about leaving the job overnight and getting a replacement ARB as a matter of course but the old one seemed fine. I'll update the thread if I hear it knocking in the coming month(s)

An interesting point is that once the pressure is released from the suspension it is far easier to work on than a normal suspension as there is no tension in any of the components.
Xantippa wrote: 23 Oct 2017, 13:42 I wonder if this has something to do with C5 X7 front strut (made by KYB) problems:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... zda-boeing
I hope not.... were the original struts made by them also? the new one has a June 2017 build date.
GiveMeABreak wrote: 23 Oct 2017, 13:54 I couldn't find a specific reference to PSA vehicles - Except Vauxhall :roll: - so time pull up the drawbridge and keep them at arms length now they've joined the club. Who knows about the subsidiaries and second / third level suppliers though!

I guess I won't be getting on a Japanese Bullet train anytime soon.
I think PSA will be migrating all Vauxhalls to their own platform over the next few years so I doubt there will be any contagion 8-)
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by bobins »

EDC5 wrote: 23 Oct 2017, 16:13
I was thinking about leaving the job overnight and getting a replacement ARB as a matter of course but the old one seemed fine. I'll update the thread if I hear it knocking in the coming month(s)

An interesting point is that once the pressure is released from the suspension it is far easier to work on than a normal suspension as there is no tension in any of the components.



Probably won't affect you with the hpn suspension if you depressurise it for this exercise, but I find the easiest way to replace the ARB links on my steel sprung one is to use a 1/2" drive extension bar about 6"-8" long to drive through the long part of the old link to get it out of the suspension leg. Leave the extension bar in place until you put the new ARB link in - that way, you keep the holes nicely lined up in the suspension components to be able to drive the new link straight back in.
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Re: C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

Post by EDC5 »

bobins wrote: 23 Oct 2017, 17:48
EDC5 wrote: 23 Oct 2017, 16:13
I was thinking about leaving the job overnight and getting a replacement ARB as a matter of course but the old one seemed fine. I'll update the thread if I hear it knocking in the coming month(s)

An interesting point is that once the pressure is released from the suspension it is far easier to work on than a normal suspension as there is no tension in any of the components.



Probably won't affect you with the hpn suspension if you depressurise it for this exercise, but I find the easiest way to replace the ARB links on my steel sprung one is to use a 1/2" drive extension bar about 6"-8" long to drive through the long part of the old link to get it out of the suspension leg. Leave the extension bar in place until you put the new ARB link in - that way, you keep the holes nicely lined up in the suspension components to be able to drive the new link straight back in.


That's a good technique.

Basically, I remember helping my dad change the wishbone on a 306 and the force of the shock absorber pushing the hub out and allowing the driveshaft to be pulled free from the diff. With the C5, once depressurised everything was 'at ease' much easier and safer to work one.
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