Xantia ride comfort.

ripsaw82 · Post by **ripsaw82** » 02 Jul 2004, 03:39

My 94 Xantia has had a Hydraflush and new spheres, and new tyres. Yet its still uncomfortable (Most of the time).
When i go over a bump it seems to bounce all over rather than a smooth bump. The slightest small hole in the road and it handles it worse than normal spring cars.
Sometimes putting it into the 3rd up height setting then putting it back into drive just as the front raises a bit makes the ride a lot more comfortable. Also moving the steering from full lock right to full lock left a few times makes the front height go up and the ride is once again better, but the steering makes a really loud noise like a steam train when on full lock, is this normal?
Its a 2.0i, and when in the 65-80 zone the car shakes a lot. You can feel it through the floor,gear stick, steering and clutch pedal really badly. If i do the same speed in 4th instead of 5th gear the shaking is not as much. The wheels have been balanced twice in the last 2 months, each time the shaking no where near as bad (but still noticable) for a few days after the balancing, but it gets back to the bad shaking after a week or 2. Could it be the clutch causing this? [:I] [?] As i cannot get it into reverse without putting into 1st first, and gear change is very very bad as it has a EXTREAMLY heavy clutch.
The citroen garage say its the heaviest clutch they have ever seen in a xantia. Its going back in tommorow for a Clutch cable change, as it went a few months ago, and the cable we bought was a ****ty one, and should have the citroen recommend cable in. This could be causing the heavy clutch i was told, but if its still heavy afterwards they its a new clutch job

Any advise, thoughts?
Is it really that hard to have a decent ride in a citroen with the hydrolic suspention? My BX before this had very worn front stuts and other things, so i hardly ever got a good ride out of that (but was great when i did) and the Xantia was so smooth when i first got it, but did not take long for that to go uncomfortable

tony42 · Post by **tony42** » 02 Jul 2004, 03:58

Hi You will need the experts here to help
but heres my tuppence worth. The clutch definetely sounds knackered
I would be inclined to get a new cable when you are changing the clutch. I had problem with clutch cables in my BX were the whole pedal area was cracking because of the pressure being exerted by wrecked clutch. Xantias operate differently but if the clutch is as heavy as you are saying and the garage are suggesting it is. Get it replaced. Make sure you get a decent garage to do it. Any mechanic worth his salt would tell you for defo whether its the clutch.
Greasing the front struts is probably needed on your car. I have replaced the spheres and am using hydraflush in my xantia and I am not fully happy with the ride quality. I will try greasing the struts again and see what happens after that I will try the height correctors and greasing all the linkages but I dont know were to go after that. For yours and my sake hope someone suggests something positive
rgds
Tony

Robin · Post by **Robin** » 02 Jul 2004, 14:05

Hi, when you say replaced the spheres - is that all of them including the rear centre and front one on the engine block? These two can have quite an affect on the ride quality.
The sound of the hissing when the steering is on full lock is the pressure relief valve, so normal just don't hold it over there so hard!
The shaking at speed is potentially a range of things but go for any rotating masses first, tyre damage, wheel balance or buckled wheels or even something behind the wheel trims. Daft though it sounds it used to be a favourite prank to wedge stuff behind there.
Clutch, you don't say how many miles covered but the cable is favourite for early replacement. I have changed the self adjusting one for a normal nut and bolt version with remarkable success. Have 118k miles on my original clutch and I tow a heavy trailer/workshop with the Xant 1.9td estate.

JohnCKL · Post by **JohnCKL** » 02 Jul 2004, 14:21

Your front height adjuster is jammed in the low position. That's why your car bounces all over as there is very little suspension. Adjusting the height level and twisting the steering brings temporary relief as the front height goes to the normal position but then returns to the low position again soon after. Get a competent Citroen specialist to clean and service the front height adjuster. Also lubricate the front struts, very easy, just put some oil onto the shiny metal arm.
As for the clutch, lubricate the cable using special cable lubricant and try adjusting the clutch cable. Probably your clutch is worn but adjusting the cable will bring some temporary relief.
Hope this helps.