Guess What - Xantia Suspension stuff

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Dave Burns
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Post by Dave Burns »

The force is strong in this one.......
Dave <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
hardmanm
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Post by hardmanm »

Years back when I had my CX it was popular to drill into the rear arms, pump some oil in, and then plug up the holes. This was recommended by the citroen car club.
The rear suspension on my CX was getting stiff and this trick fixed it beautifully, and all was fine for another 4 or 5 years.
I assume it won't help at all when the rear bearings are so shot that your back wheels are tilting though.
Anyone any opinions on this as a preventative or curative measure?
Mark
alan s
RIP 2010
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Post by alan s »

Mark,
I posted this on "common problems" some time ago along with photos. I've heard it argued that it does nothing as well as the reasoning behind Pleiades using oil instead of grease but my thoughts are that as bearings are in themselves almost "semi sealed" for the want of a better description, that the main purpose for the grease is to fill the void that can get contaminated with water. Mechanical parts will always get hot when under load due to friction and if this area is pumped up with grease, then this will reduce the chance of heat but if it were to occur, then as the bearings cool, instead of drawing water in, they will draw in grease or the oily resdidue off it.
The common mythical argument is that if grease nipples are fitted that someone will overfill the area and blow the "seals." Now unless I've missed something over the years, of all the rear arm bushes that I've fitted, I can't remember actually ever seeing any seals in any that I've been associated with and if the seals do exist, what are they meant to do? Keep the water out or keep the grease/oil in? Either way, experience has shown they haven't worked very well<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
My experience has always been that a car with grease nipples fitted rarely if ever needs the bearings doing again, so if there is a flaw in doing this, perhaps we may have to wait a few more years to show itself, in which time those doubting the wisdom of this mod will have gone through several more sets of swing arm bearings<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
Alan S
darthvader
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Post by darthvader »

Darthvader -- again
recently purchased Xantia - nice looking car - replaced 4 corner spheres - 11.99 each Eurocarparts - one refused to come off even when asked nicely , spoken to a very nice man at the retired Citroen mechanics garage - said " you want to know how to get it off ? " leave engine running - set suspension on high - loosen off sphere 1/4 turn , only 1/4 mind or you'll get wet !! switch off engine , release pressure - yes it's true , Bob is my uncle , it came off !!.
Darthvader - the force was with me that day
mik
allmond
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Post by allmond »

Where do you get spheres for 11.99????
Jamie
baldrick
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Post by baldrick »

Just replaced rear spheres at a cost of 19.95+vat each will be replacng front ones soon,i to would like to know who sells them at 11.99.
Baldrick
benewson
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Post by benewson »

I found these messsages very informative and amusing to say the least.
I have been a xantia owner for 6 years now and addicted to them. ( just bought another one after 205,000 mls in 1.9TD).
I used a home made chain wrench to remove the spheres. One of them was so tight I had to jam the rear strut to the wheel to prevent it breaking the chassis retaining loop.
I dearly wanted to drill a hole in it and pass a rod thru it but I was advised that it would blow up in my face.
Given that one half of the sphere is filled with pressurized gas and the other half with oil it seemed wise advice so I went for a 2ft long home made chain wrench, and strut jammed against rear trailing arm.
I would like to know exactly where you drilled the hole. did you avoid the gas half? The oil side seems safe since this would be de-pressurized before removal, but I would be wary of the gas side.
Perhaps you could enlighten me.
NiSk
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Post by NiSk »

Well, if you've got any pressure at all left in the sphere, it will force all (most)the LHM out when you release the pressure on the system. If you've no pressure at all in the sphere it won't go bang when you drill it! (But will probably be filled with LHM).
All spheres I have seen have a gas filling hole with a plug in it (although I understand that Citroën have started selling spheres that are non-refillable). If you unscrew the plug a few turns, the gas escapes (you don't have to screw it out completely).
//NiSk
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