Another "speared" Xantia strut top...Check YOURS!

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andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

rossnunn wrote:mmm best check ours then.
I've seen this before, apparently the guy was doing 60 on the motorway when it let go, nearly gave him a heart attack. He said that apart from him ducking the xant stayed stright & true right up until he came to a rather hasty stop on the hard shoulder.
Wonder if this is why the McPherson strut Citroens were designed to have TWO catches on the bonnet instead of the older car's single!!

Maybe the double wishbones suspension designer got moved on to a different section of the design engineering department and built in some vestigal failsafe when he saw the strut design!!

Andrew
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Post by LeeDJC »

andmcit wrote:
rossnunn wrote:mmm best check ours then.
I've seen this before, apparently the guy was doing 60 on the motorway when it let go, nearly gave him a heart attack. He said that apart from him ducking the xant stayed stright & true right up until he came to a rather hasty stop on the hard shoulder.
Wonder if this is why the McPherson strut Citroens were designed to have TWO catches on the bonnet instead of the older car's single!!

Maybe the double wishbones suspension designer got moved on to a different section of the design engineering department and built in some vestigal failsafe when he saw the strut design!!

Andrew
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Whitecrook
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Post by Whitecrook »

here's a picture of the strut that failed my MOT. Should be changing it at the weekend...

Image
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'96 Xantia 1.9TD Estate
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Post by rossnunn »

looks like you were a lucky bunny!
Image
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

Crikey, you caught it just in time!! :shock:

Out of interest what's the other side like? Is this the nearside pictured?

You can actually SEE the thickness of the metal collar is halved in the large flakes still held by the rubber shrouding.

Andrew
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

rossnunn wrote:looks like you were a lucky bunny!
Don't think lucky is quite the right word, but yes, lucky it DIDN'T rearrange the bonnet whilst at speed!

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Post by Whitecrook »

Hmm that's the offside. The n/s I'll maybe get a picture of tommorrow but it doesn't look as bad.
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'96 Xantia 1.9TD Estate
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

The offside went on the VSX Xantia and the Xm, but just to buck the trend the one on an SX was the NEARSIDE so no pattern then!

Andrew
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davek-uk
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Post by davek-uk »

Yea, I was wondering if there was a pattern too. I'm sad to see this is beginning to happen to 1996 cars, it makes my 1997 seem less indestructable. I have had a quick look in the past but may examine them more carefully now!

I'd like to see more pictures of exactly what to check if anyone has good pics handy.
Pug Rifter long (20) - 41mpg - Gutsy for a 1.5!
Xantia 1.9 TD Temp.2 Break (97) - 208K@42mpg - Resting again.
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andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

Image
Image

It's simple enough - the flat plate that has the four bolts attached through it to the wheelarch tears away thanks to the rust roughly around the red circumference/collar area. The green line is an approximate cross section outline of the top with the vertical part covering the rubber donut (in grey) that also fatigues and tears.

Andrew
Last edited by andmcit on 04 Jul 2006, 13:34, edited 1 time in total.
LeeDJC
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Post by LeeDJC »

I think that this thread should be made a sticky. Basically so this thread is promenant and does not get lost over time.

I think it's important that people are aware of this potentially dangerous failure, how to diagnose it, and how to fix it.
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Post by davek-uk »

Thanks for that simple explanation, Andrew - I needed it :oops:. I didn't realise the plate, rubber doughnut and strut top come as a single unit - how typical.
Pug Rifter long (20) - 41mpg - Gutsy for a 1.5!
Xantia 1.9 TD Temp.2 Break (97) - 208K@42mpg - Resting again.
Berlingo Multispace 1.6 16v (51) - 184K@36mpg - My shed! Still runs 15° retarded...
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

I guess for the sake of completeness off another thread there's this covering additional prices and some of the part numbers for what I believe is correct for a HYDRACTIVE saloon:
andmcit wrote:Now this is interesting! I've gone into the online Citroen parts site and checked out what I can determine is the right one, although I cannot see a specific reference to estate, so it may just be down to the sphere's being different.

Image

02 5271 E2 LEFT SPHERE BRACKET
- POWER STEERING AND HYDRACTIVE SUSPENSION
+ 5271 92 (01) TO O 6610
- POWER STEERING AND HYDRACTIVE SUSPENSION
+ 5271 92 (01) TO O 7244

HYD SUSPENSION SPHERE BRACKET £76.15 £89.48 with VAT

Cannot imagine why there's been so many different prices quoted. I go to my local gau and give him the part number and the price they charge me is the price that's listed!!

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Post by D.Slatford »

I think that this thread should be made a sticky. Basically so this thread is promenant and does not get lost over time.
Defintely, that gets my vote! I got my O/S strut top changed today, and took the old top back with me. While it isn't yet critical it's well on the way. I'd never have known about this without this thread. Thank you, all!

It didn't cost me much to have it done either. £130 at a local Citroen independant got me a new strut top (priced at £102 for the part itself from Ctiroen) and coolant flush, as I was feeling lazy.

He also lubed both struts, and while the ride is definately smoother for now it still creaks like a spanish galleon :(
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Post by rossnunn »

Can you take the metal plate off the rest of the strut top?
I'm thinking there is a engineering place near the that will galvanise most stuff & he'll guarantee it'll not rot again.
Image
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