Rear suspension pipes

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xantiatdsx
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Rear suspension pipes

Post by xantiatdsx »

Having a bad night with the Xantia (TDSX 1.9 94) What started as an easy sphere change turned into a nightmare! Having done a BX a few weeks before it was forgotten about the pipe on the rear central sphere and this was twisted and sheared off! Oops! [B)] (not that it would have come out off the sphere anyhow) OK, then the other end wouldnt come out of the K union and ended up snapping inside the K union. On closer inspection to the broken bits they are all very old and rusty as is the sphere and even apear to be bent!
The problem I know have is the K union is knackered all the other pipes look like they will never come off without a huge fight and to top it all i had to roll it off the ramps to get the door to shut on the garage so its now stuck on lowest of the low. The latter being the least of my worries at the minute.
Any ideas ? hmm. Going to sleep on it and use the 2cv for now.
Cheers
TIM [xx(]
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Try block off the sheared pipe/union for the antisink sphere.
May work with a welder.
This gives you time to plan what to do.
You dont need the antisink sphere - for any normal driving purpose. It's there for a safety pressure supply backup to the rear brakes - in case the engine (and pump) stalls during drive.
Appearently you need to replace all the hydraulic lines under the rear - defo not uncommon on a 10y old car.
bxbodger
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Post by bxbodger »

I always thought that the anti-sink sphere was put in to maintain suspension pressure overnight and stop the car sinking, thereby making it appear more like a "normal" car in the morning, and more acceptable to the average ford escort buying punter.
You could seal off the pipe by squidging a bit of rubber in and crimping it over.
NiSk
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Post by NiSk »

Copper-Nickle piping is now available in Citroën hydraulic pipe sizes, so if you're going to be replacing some lengths, buy yourself a few meters - it will last longer than the rest of the car!
//NiSk
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Good point with a rubber lock [;)] - easy to do using the (or any) old union.
It's the antisink valves that are responsible for keeping up the car over night. This valve basically closes off the pipe leading to the suspension cylinders (amongst other functions). Thus the suspension pressure can not leak back.
There is a valve separate to both front & rear.
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Post by PeterMann »

I repaired the broken tube with a 3/16inch Hoke Gryolock stainless fitting (available in Australia from Prochem ph 03 9543 6777). This had no difficulty closing down the ferrule 0.4mm to seal on the 4.4mm tube, and it is a beautiful quality lightweight high pressure fitting (A$24 plus $15 for airbag from Perth).
Regular hydraulic (fluid power) places don't carry suitable fittings.
Before unscrewing the sphere from its mounting point, the 9mmAF nut on the screw-in fitting must be captured so that it cannot rotate, or the tube that connects to the sphere will twist and rupture.
I made a special tool by cutting a 4.5mm gap in the end of a cheap 9mm ring spanner (using an angle grinder), so that the tube passes through the ring and gives the spanner extra engagement with the soft steel hex nut on the hydraulic fitting (and that way, the spanner hangs rather than falling off the nut).
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Post by Stempy »

The anti sink is there to stop the car sinking because it would take forever to pump up again with the 6+2 pump.
wrinklet1
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Post by wrinklet1 »

Tim, do as Bxbodger, and get the car up on ramps an daxle stands (Big part over). Give the K union a megga squirt with WD40 and let it soak in and when ready apply some heat with a blow lamp to help loosen the fitting and use a ring spanner .
I had to help my brother in law do his after he did the same thing on his Xantia.
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Kowalski
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Post by Kowalski »

The anti sink is there to provide a pressure reservoir for the rear brakes. It ONLY will slow sinking if rear suspension pressure is lost via the rear brake circuit, i.e. more pressure has to be lost before the car completely sinks.
The "anti sink" sphere should be more correctly named "rear brake reservoir sphere" but since it was added to the Xantia when the Xantia got anti sink valves, everyone refers to it as the anti sink sphere.
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Ian Fearn
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Post by Ian Fearn »

with regard to welding up the 3 way connector, what damage (if any) would it do to the system? Is the LHM liable to catch fire/break down or whatever else?
I ask as i was involved in damaging the Xantia in questions pipe and this would be the best solution just to get the car to a garage.
Could i simply weld up the connector and re-pressurise the system and drive it to the garage to have it fixed properly?
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Sorry Ian -
What I meant was to weld up any remaining piece of pipe in the union. Has been done before by another owner.
But the rubber (under the union) idea seems a much easier/safer solution.
xantiatdsx
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Post by xantiatdsx »

got the plug welded and fitted to the k union, repressurised and all working fine (-1 sphere!)
Set off for the journey home and what im guessing was the gear linkage gave up? Couldnt select any gear or move it once again.
Ended up towing it home off the bx!
At least I could steer, stop and move it though!
Guess im having a bad week!
Cheers
TIM
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Post by RichardW »

One of those weeks I guess....[}:)]
If the gear lever had gone all floppy then the top gear selector rod bush will have fallen apart. You need to replace the rod, but it's only about £15 from the stealer. All you have to do is lever off the ball joints [;)] If you look down the back of the gearbox from the top it should be obvious....
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Post by adzbaby »

I like that..."just lever off the ball joints", thats what it says in the Haynes manual. They can be a complete bar steward to "lever off".
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Kowalski
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Post by Kowalski »

When I did my clutch I had to lever them off. One of them levered off, except the ball didn't detach, the rubber bush came apart instead.
One trip to the scrapyard and it was all working again.
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