Suspension!

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colrees
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Suspension!

Post by colrees »

Hi All
I have had my Xantia 1.9D LX for just over a year and my suspension has gradually got worse.
Im not a genius when it comes to cars but I know the basics.
From what I have read I understand the spheres need replacing (?)
Are they easy to replace ie is it just a few screws and replacing the fluid?
Which ones should I replace first?
Any advice would be most welcome
Ta
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RichardW
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Post by RichardW »

OK, beginners guide to checking Xantia hydraulic suspension:
1. Park car on level ground, engine running. Measure from top of tyre to bottom edge of front wing - should be about 70mm - or 3 finger widths conveniently! Now stand back and look at the car - does it look level front to back along the sills?
2. Listen for the click from the regulator (may be more of just a buzz/hiss from a Xantia) - engine idling. Should be more than 30s apart.
3. Push down each corner of the car a few times.
4. Lean hard on the front of the car, and after a few seconds it should push you back up. Take the weight off and it should spring up in the air then after a few seconds drop back down again. Repeat at the rear.
5. Put the car in high. It should rise smoothly to full height. Some groaning / grumbling from the front struts is likely, but it shouldn't be too bad. Check from about 3m behind the car that the rear wheels are parrallel to the car and each other. Check that the LHM level indicator on the top of the tank is now midway between the two lines.
Diagnosis:
1. If front level not right, front height corrector is out of adjustment / seized / broken. If front OK but rear is high or low, then the rear height corrector is out of adjustment.
2. If the regulator clicks more often then 30s, then the accumulator sphere is due for replacement.
3. If any, some, or all, corners are hard to push down those corner spheres are knackered. Always replace spheres as a pair on each axle.
4. If it does not push back, or drop down then the height corrector is not working.
5. Some groaning from the front struts is to be expected near the top of the range, but it shouldn't be too much and can be eased by pulling back the gaiter on the strut and greasing the ram. If the back wheels are not paralell then suspect a rear arm bearing problem - this seems to be pretty rare on Xantias though.
Right, that should keep you going for a minute or two. Report back with findings and we can point you in the direction of the right advice!
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

OK, beginners guide to replacing Xantia spheres.
Note : standard, non-hydractive models only.
The Citroen suspension spheres would last some 4-7 years, depending on the actual load on the individual sphere.
After that time the gas precharge is more or less completely lost.
The main spheres on a standard system are the spheres you can see :
1) down on engine block the main accumulator sphere (important for the brakes)
2) at each of the 4 wheels
Makes 5 spheres in all, at approx £22/ea from the Sphere supplier
NOTE : The spheres are different types, which MUST not be mixed up !
Ensure the spheres comes with a new O-ring seal. If not, you need a new seal for each sphere IMPORTANT !
You need a tool which can postively grip on a spherical surface. I have YET to see any of the cheap oil filter tools to do the job [8)]
An example of a suitable type tool :
sphere removal tool
A sample DIY tool resembling above tool method :
DIY sphere removal tool
Then you need a pile of rags & old papers to collect the un-avoidable small spillage at each sphere mounting.
1) Apply handbrakes, set the supension to highest, let car raise, stop engine.
2) Loosen ("crack") the spheres with the tool, DONT turn the spheres more than approx 1/8, or you'll have a VERY fuzzy experience
3) Support the rear of car on safety jacks
4) set suspension to lowest
5) DISCHARGE the main system pressure : see below
6) Remove spheres
7) Clean the O-ring seal surface on the sphere bases
8) fit the new seal on cylinders, then screw on the new spheres.
9) Hand tighten the spheres ONLY - IMPORTANT.
10) Start engine and do the Citaerobics
Discharging the main system pressure :
The sphere on the engine block resides on the hydraulic system's pressure regulator PR. Here you also find a discharge valve for servicing the system.
This is the ONLY 12mm head bolt you can find in this area. The bolthead protrudes the PR, as though it's not fully winded in, heading towards the radiator. You can not miss it.
Loosen this bolt 1/2 turn, no more. You'll hear a (somewhat familiar) pressure releasing sound.
Then close the valve again, do NOT torque the bolt, as it's a ball valve, NOT a retaining bolt.
NOTE : you may experience that the rear suspension will not "reach down" on wheels. This is caused by the hoisted rear end (on jacks) which then cheats the height corrector to think the car is way too high, and then closes off the rear suspension pressure.
Simply lift up the rear wheels on wooden blocks (1-2 inch would suffice), then set the suspension to high to lift the car off the safety jacks.
Gaskin
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Post by Gaskin »

Having just done my Xantia's spheres recently for the first time, I know where you are coming from. I did mine in 2 goes, the front first then the rears a couple of weeks later. Doing the front ones first gives you confidence as they are easier to get to and remove.
I used a large jubilee clip around the sphere to do the front spheres which worked well. For me there was too little clearance around the main accumulator sphere to get anything other than the jubilee clip on.
For the rears I made the homemade tool using unistrut and M8 threaded bar. The rear spheres were tight! For the centre rear 'antisink' sphere you need to undo the pipe that runs into it before unscrewing it from the mount. Access to the union on the pipe is not easy but it is just possible to undo it! I set the car to high setting, put it on axle stands all round, loosened the rear spheres then set to low setting. Loosening the rear spheres resulted in several hundred ml of LHM pouring out so be prepared. Whether this is as a result of the suspension not being forced up on low setting I don't know. I mention it as a warning.
Don't forget to check the LHM level afterwards. It may go up as well as down!
It is fairly straightforward if a little daunting at first thought.
Cheers
Duncan
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