what have i done!
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- CitroJim
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"Hard" and "bouncy" are subjective terms and until you pick the car up, it's hard to tell just how bad it is...
If the height corrector is not doing it's job it can cause bad riding but logically, if the suspension is not on the bump stops (or near them) it has to be the spheres. It's worth checking carefully they're the right ones. That they're not Hydractive (That'll make the car ride hard at the rear) or fronts or even acumulators...
Just be cause all spheres look more or less indential, it does not mean thay are performance-wise; some do not realise and end up in situations like this.
Still, for what you paid, a good project Do the work and sell it on at a small profit. That'll make peace with SWMBO, especially if she gets treated to a nice meal on the proceeds!
If the height corrector is not doing it's job it can cause bad riding but logically, if the suspension is not on the bump stops (or near them) it has to be the spheres. It's worth checking carefully they're the right ones. That they're not Hydractive (That'll make the car ride hard at the rear) or fronts or even acumulators...
Just be cause all spheres look more or less indential, it does not mean thay are performance-wise; some do not realise and end up in situations like this.
Still, for what you paid, a good project Do the work and sell it on at a small profit. That'll make peace with SWMBO, especially if she gets treated to a nice meal on the proceeds!
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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" as despite having a large driveway it is fast filling up and is begining to look like a scrapyard Very Happy"
Better on your drive than a real scrapyard!
Unless the ride height is so high that the suspension is on its upper bump stops, a stuck height corrector cannot give the symptoms you describe. The hard and bouncy ride certainly sounds like the wrong spheres. If front spheres have been inadvertently fitted the diaphragm won't have moved at all and your suspension will be dependent solely on the squishiness of the tyres.
Better on your drive than a real scrapyard!
Unless the ride height is so high that the suspension is on its upper bump stops, a stuck height corrector cannot give the symptoms you describe. The hard and bouncy ride certainly sounds like the wrong spheres. If front spheres have been inadvertently fitted the diaphragm won't have moved at all and your suspension will be dependent solely on the squishiness of the tyres.
1999 XM V6 Exclusive, Black
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Location: Lincolnshire
1994 XM 2.0 TurboCT estate, green of course: now gone to no3 son
2004 C3 1.6 auto exclusive with Sensodrive - the wife's but she doesn't like it
1994 ZX 1.8i auto - the wife's new baby
Location: Lincolnshire
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At least you have a drivewaycitroen7 wrote:as despite having a large driveway it is fast filling up and is begining to look like a scrapyard
You know, I gave my Xantia a wash last weekend and by Tuesday it was covered in that horrible muddy rain and spray from passing cars, I don't even drive it during the week
Seems like the best thing to do would be to get it home and have a look
Kev
'19 C4 Cactus 130 Flair
'19 C4 Cactus 130 Flair
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finally picked the car up on thursday evening and yes it is bouncy! so where do we start well inside is clean and tidy there is the odd fag burn but i will live with that it is not a 98 but a 95 origanlly an m reg from leeds quite a good service record so i think mileage is good . it has several faults but nothing a £100 will not fix will post some more picks when i can get my camera back from eldest son but on the whole £130 well spent
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If the spheres are totally gone, then its riding on tyres alone, this is where the bounce comes from!
I have been in many Xantias like this over the years, its horrible to ride in, not to mention dangerous. But its purely because there is no gass left, so the suspension will not be working at all. So its bouncing along on the tyres.
Watch your strut tops if it is at this stage, as flat spheres will put so much pressure on them, ive known Xantias to pop windscreens as they have had no suspension!
When ever i see a Xantia on the road (less and less often now) i always watch how they ride, 8 times out of ten they look harder than they should be, and 5 of those will be bouncing along on tyres with no gas left in the spheres. An MOT fail if nothing else.
Ive know very cheap spheres go pop straigt away as the system is pressured, so that could be the case with this, since it mentioned new rear spheres.
However if its not the spehres, it can only be height correctors, suspension set too high or a replacement of fluid is needed. Although that wouldnt cause too harsh a ride.
Oh, it looks like you have a bargain
Chris.
I have been in many Xantias like this over the years, its horrible to ride in, not to mention dangerous. But its purely because there is no gass left, so the suspension will not be working at all. So its bouncing along on the tyres.
Watch your strut tops if it is at this stage, as flat spheres will put so much pressure on them, ive known Xantias to pop windscreens as they have had no suspension!
When ever i see a Xantia on the road (less and less often now) i always watch how they ride, 8 times out of ten they look harder than they should be, and 5 of those will be bouncing along on tyres with no gas left in the spheres. An MOT fail if nothing else.
Ive know very cheap spheres go pop straigt away as the system is pressured, so that could be the case with this, since it mentioned new rear spheres.
However if its not the spehres, it can only be height correctors, suspension set too high or a replacement of fluid is needed. Although that wouldnt cause too harsh a ride.
Oh, it looks like you have a bargain
Chris.
Chris
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finally got pictures uploaded still happy enough with the car
the list of to do so far is
replace the drivers side window motor
fix rear suspension near certain its is the linkages as front will go up and down with no problem
full servce
tacho is very erratic cuold just be a dirty sensor
half the dasboard lights do not work
abs light on permanently
the list of to do so far is
replace the drivers side window motor
fix rear suspension near certain its is the linkages as front will go up and down with no problem
full servce
tacho is very erratic cuold just be a dirty sensor
half the dasboard lights do not work
abs light on permanently
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- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
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By Pom standards Adam, that's not bad corrosion at all...addo wrote: I can't believe that underbody corrosion! Salt is an evil thing...
I've just had my old 16 year old 1.9TD MOT'd (Certificate of Roadworthyness) and the tester made a comment that the underneath was "Rusty and Weak". It's not but it does look very similar to Robyn's above..
But yes, salt is an evil thing
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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The outside condition of rear spheres are very misleading. I replaced my rears about 9 months ago and it looks more like 9 yearsKeith J wrote:Judging by your picture of the underneath, those spheres hardly look new and could be in need of replacement.
The only sure fire way is to either take a ride in another Xantia and compare, or get the spheres pressure tested.
Kev
'19 C4 Cactus 130 Flair
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Actually with duff spheres you will get hardly any travel on your suspension. Presumably you mean ticking over normal ride height pushing on the 4 corners?
Dave
2011 Peugeot 3008 1.6hdi Exclusive EGS.
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2011 Peugeot 3008 1.6hdi Exclusive EGS.
'04 C5 auto estate 2.2 hdi. Gone.
Bx 1.6 TGS Auto 50k A rare beast by all accounts. A bit tired but getting better by the day. Gone.
'96 XM 2.5TD VSX.......Sadly sold. What an idiot! I should have held on to that.