Height correctors and roll corrector

Toby_HDi · Unread post by **Toby_HDi** » 07 Mar 2010, 17:28

Right, after some careful research and a drive this afternoon, the Activa is staying. I was worried it may have to go after my accident for various reasons but it's not....so

How do I go about removing the height correctors and the roll corrector? I feel they'll benefit if taken off and cleaned thoroughly and then refitted.

What should they be cleaned with and can I use spray grease or LM grease to lubricate them again?

On top of the Activa the Coupe needs some jobs doing, namely a cambelt

(which I'm not looking forward to) and handbrake adjustment

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 07 Mar 2010, 22:08

Have a look at my blog for a bit on the roll corrector Toby. I'll document how to remove it and the height correctors tomorrow as tonight I'm not up to it after a very busy trip to Somerset and back.

The roll corrector mechanism is well worth doing. You need a press to dissemble it though. Again, see my blog for an exploded view of one..

V6 Cambelt. That's a good fun job. Has your coupe the VVT engine (ES9J4S)? as the procedure is a little different to the non-VVT ES9J4.

Toby_HDi · Unread post by **Toby_HDi** » 07 Mar 2010, 22:13

Thanks Jim, much appreciated.

Do I need to disassemble the roll corrector to clean it? As I don't have a press.

Yes I have the VVT ES9J4S, luckily there is a nice write up on the Coupe forum but it still doesn't stop the trepidation after I cocked the HDi's up (which was only an 8v and could be locked with a drill bit and an allen key). Not only that but GSF don't seem to do the kit, I've tried Euro and Peugeot and both seem to have it at around £300

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 08 Mar 2010, 09:34

You'll have more confidence in doing the timing belt if you beg, steal or borrow a SEEM gauge to check tension but then again, the ES9J4S will have the auto eccentric tensioner where you just line up the pointer with the mark. It can't be wrong really...

The belt itself is cheap enough, it's the rollers that are expensive. As it is your car Toby, check the rollers by spinning them, feeling them and listening to them. If they pass muster, don't replace them. DO replace the water pump and tensioner though. I'll be sure you will get away without replacing the plain rollers this time but you do want to keep a close ear on them and if you hear them getting noisy, replace 'em quick..

On the roll corrector front, this is a fun component to remove. Firstly, jack up the front and support well.

undo and remove the 13mm bolts that secure the roll corrector link rod to each lower wishbone. Crawl under and loosen the locknuts on each side of the barrel screws that adjust the effective length of the roll corrector link rods and thus adjusts it's standing tilt. Beware that one side of the barrel has LH threads. use a flare nut spanner to undo the locknuts just a tad. Spin the barrels to disconnect the rods from the corrector mechanism. Pop off the white "dogbone" link between the roll corrector mechanism and the troll corrector hydraulic valve that looks like a height corrector. Undo the three 10mm bolts that hod the mechanism in and tease it out.

Take great care not to damage the locknuts or threads on the rods and barrels. Those LH threads can really catch the unwary. Basically, if the locknuts seem very tight assume you're trying to undo it the wrong way...

On the bench, check the the mechanism is nice and free to rotate about its big pivot and that the both sets of plates (separated by a sheet of polythene) are free to slide against each other and pop back to their rest positions with no help.

The whole shevang should be very free. WD40 will help free it off and in the past, I've soaked one for days in Hydraflush. My project one though HAD to be dismantled as it was practically solid. A press is needed to press the pivots out which are rivetted over to hold the whole shooting-match together...

Here's one all in bits:

And together:

Keep it well greased with thin spray grease to prevent it seizing

The front height corrector is an absolute **** to remove and can oly be removed complete with the hydraulic bits. They rarely seize at the front so I'd not touch it, just give it a good spray with lube.

The rear mechanism is prone to seizing but can be removed fairly easily without disturbing the hydraulic bits. It is worth doing to give it a good clean-up and a thorough lubrication. It should respond, if a bit tight, to a dose of WD and vigorous manipulation. If i is really seized, chuck it and get a better one. Again to disassemble, you need to press out rivets.

Always keep all the mechanisms well lubricated and additionally, on an Activa, keep the roll corrector rod blocks and balljoints well greased as well.

The freer all these mechanisms and linkages are, the better they work...

Toby_HDi · Unread post by **Toby_HDi** » 08 Mar 2010, 17:01

Fantastic Jim. Much appreciated. I assume that on refitting I will need to adjust the link rods to the right position?

I'll get round to doing this soon, with the Coupe and a couple of other favours for people I seem to be getting quite busy, couple with this a desire to just lounge about on days off and it's easy to see why I get nothing done

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 08 Mar 2010, 18:43

Best value es9 timing kit seems to be: this which has everything (belt, idlers and tensioner) except the water pump for around £140

Koukku · Unread post by **Koukku** » 09 Mar 2010, 07:17

Great write-up on the roll corrector removal Jim, thanks!

And while on the subject of correctors... any idea what might cause the front not to rise from low to normal height? I always need to take it to (mid-) high position first before the front end starts to rise.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 09 Mar 2010, 08:17

Hi Koukku,

That'll be almost invariably stiffness or lost motion in the front height corrector mechanism. It's quite inaccessible and normally picks up "free" lubrication from engine oil leaks but on a V6 this is unlikely to happen and, to make matters worse, the heat from the exhaust gets to the height corrector and dries out any lubrication. You know how much heat a V6 produces

It should respond to a good douse of release oil, a good manual workout and a greasing.

I once had a case where the ball of the balljoint was loose on the front height corrector and this initially resulted in lost motion before it fell off completely... A loose ball could cause the same issue so worth a check.

A front height corrector (especially on an Activa) is a difficult job to remove as it is necessary to disconnect the hydraulic pipes to it and access is very poor for this. It can be done but it's a bit of a messy job and much bad language will be used in the process.

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 10 Mar 2010, 20:22

xantia_v6 wrote:Best value es9 timing kit seems to be: this which has everything (belt, idlers and tensioner) except the water pump for around £140

These water pumps look like a good deal. They are probably the early model, but can be used with the later tensioner by cutting off the extra flange.

Tzani · Unread post by **Tzani** » 14 Apr 2010, 21:12

Hi,
Can I ask you, what is the height to which the Activa should be tuned?
For the normal Xantias it should be 16cm from the road to the front subframe, but as per an official document I have, they say that Activas should be 2cm lower.
Is this correct?
And if it is correct, if I tune it to 14cm (the rear should be corrected too ofcourse) would it become softer or what?

Thanks in advance.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 14 Apr 2010, 21:30

Tzani wrote: Can I ask you, what is the height to which the Activa should be tuned?

I never worry about setting the height exactly. A good measure of near enough correct height is that you can get three fingers between the tyre and top of the wheelarch at the front and one finger at the rear.

This seems to be good for both the Activa and ordinary Xantia.

Setting the height is the easy bit, the levelling of an Activa is the hard bit and height and levelling is interdependent to some degree

Tzani · Unread post by **Tzani** » 15 Apr 2010, 05:54

CitroJim wrote: Setting the height is the easy bit, the levelling of an Activa is the hard bit and height and levelling is interdependent to some degree

Oh, I know this.

That is why I'm wondering about the exact height, probably it would deliver the best riding index.

I believe that you have the Service Citroen Backup software. There is where it is written that the Activa should be 2cm lower than the ordinary Xantia.
I have tuned mine like a normal, because the roads here are quite bad and higher car is an advantage.