Xantia spheres

[igor253]

Hi,

I have a question about the spheres. When did citroen start manufacturing xantia models with 8 spheres and when did they stop with 8 and start with 6 spheres? (what year to be exact)

Thank you for your help

[andmcit]

The first thing to determine is what you mean by 6 and 8 spheres.
The crux of your question seems to rest on whether you're talking
about the difference in design between the x2 main Xantia suspension
systems. There is a significant difference in the x2 systems that were
offered on Xantia from their introduction in 1993 and later revisions
added further variations.

The normal models (LX and SX) use conventional Citroen hydropneumatic
suspension (based largely on the Bx system) - one sphere at each corner
and a central regulator accumulator mounted onto the gearbox which
gives 5 spheres in total.

From early in the car's production (late 1994) an additional so called
anti sink sphere was added at the rear of the car which makes 6 spheres.

The second derivative of Xantia suspension - hydractive was available from
the car's launch on the VSX models and added an additional sphere on each
axle over the normal system mentioned above giving a total of 7 spheres

Again an additional anti sink sphere was added in late 1994 giving a total
of 8 spheres.

A further development of the hydractive (VSX) suspension was the Activa
system that used an additional sphere to store pressure required for a
pair of rams (one on each axle) that control the roll of the car's body.

Hope this helps clear things? To answer your question directly Citroen
offered both types of suspension alongside one another throughout the
car's production from it's launch in 1993 until it was discontinued in
approx 2001. Later hydractive equipped cars were badged Exclusive.

Andrew

[igor253]

The first thing to determine is what you mean by 6 and 8 spheres.
The crux of your question seems to rest on whether you're talking
about the difference in design between the x2 main Xantia suspension
systems. There is a significant difference in the x2 systems that were
offered on Xantia from their introduction in 1993 and later revisions
added further variations.

The normal models (LX and SX) use conventional Citroen hydropneumatic
suspension (based largely on the Bx system) - one sphere at each corner
and a central regulator accumulator mounted onto the gearbox which
gives 5 spheres in total.

From early in the car's production (late 1994) an additional so called
anti sink sphere was added at the rear of the car which makes 6 spheres.

The second derivative of Xantia suspension - hydractive was available from
the car's launch on the VSX models and added an additional sphere on each
axle over the normal system mentioned above giving a total of 7 spheres

Again an additional anti sink sphere was added in late 1994 giving a total
of 8 spheres.

A further development of the hydractive (VSX) suspension was the Activa
system that used an additional sphere to store pressure required for a
pair of rams (one on each axle) that control the roll of the car's body.

Hope this helps clear things? To answer your question directly Citroen
offered both types of suspension alongside one another throughout the
car's production from it's launch in 1993 until it was discontinued in
approx 2001. Later hydractive equipped cars were badged Exclusive.

Andrew

Ok, I don't know what the right question is, but the thing is... My xantia has a total of 8 spheres, and it says that it was made in 1995. Is this possible? I mean if it has 8 spheres? Because I read about the xantia suspnsion, and it says that it has 6 spheres

Thanks for repling!

[andmcit]

Ok right. If you don't actually have the model variant (LX, SX or VSX)
to confirm which model suspension type you have the easiest way
is to check the diameter of the feed pipe that enters the sphere top on
the car's front strut - standard hydropneumatic has 3.5mm diameter feed
pipes throughout and the hydractive has a much fatter 10mm feed pipe
- you'll know immediately as one feed pipe will look like your finger,
the other a lolly stick!

Then you can evaluate which spheres you need to concentrate on where
you plan to swap/renew etc. Yes, it's possible a 1995 car has 8 spheres:
it does sound to me that you have a hydractive (VSX) car

4x spheres - 1 at each corner
1x gearbox mount accumulator regulator
1x centrally mounted rear anti sink
1x front crossmember beside radiator centre hydractive
1x rear subframe offside mounted centre hydractive

An additional pointer/clue to a hydractive system is a switch just ahead
of the height adjuster lever that alters the parameters the suspension
operates in.

How frequently does the system hiss/click on idle as this will help
determine how healthy the accumulator sphere is? For advice/help
on spheres and replacing/working on them check out:

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=24595

Andrew

[igor253]

The first thing to determine is what you mean by 6 and 8 spheres.
The crux of your question seems to rest on whether you're talking
about the difference in design between the x2 main Xantia suspension
systems. There is a significant difference in the x2 systems that were
offered on Xantia from their introduction in 1993 and later revisions
added further variations.

The normal models (LX and SX) use conventional Citroen hydropneumatic
suspension (based largely on the Bx system) - one sphere at each corner
and a central regulator accumulator mounted onto the gearbox which
gives 5 spheres in total.

From early in the car's production (late 1994) an additional so called
anti sink sphere was added at the rear of the car which makes 6 spheres.

The second derivative of Xantia suspension - hydractive was available from
the car's launch on the VSX models and added an additional sphere on each
axle over the normal system mentioned above giving a total of 7 spheres

Again an additional anti sink sphere was added in late 1994 giving a total
of 8 spheres.

A further development of the hydractive (VSX) suspension was the Activa
system that used an additional sphere to store pressure required for a
pair of rams (one on each axle) that control the roll of the car's body.

Hope this helps clear things? To answer your question directly Citroen
offered both types of suspension alongside one another throughout the
car's production from it's launch in 1993 until it was discontinued in
approx 2001. Later hydractive equipped cars were badged Exclusive.

Andrew

And of course I need you too tell me what are the two rear spheres in the center (not the ones near the wheels) for?

Thank you!

[andmcit]

Right - you beat me to the reply! As I speculate, the car sounds to me as
though it is VSX model with the additional centre hydractive spheres.

their positions and functions are listed:

Yes, it's possible a 1995 car has 8 spheres:
it does sound to me that you have a hydractive (VSX) car

4x spheres - 1 at each corner
1x gearbox mount accumulator regulator
1x centrally mounted rear anti sink
1x front crossmember beside radiator (and battery box) centre hydractive
1x rear subframe offside* mounted centre hydractive

*by offside I mean on the petrol filler flap side of the car towards the top
of the rear face on the subframe.

the following web link goes into far more depth and illustrates the positions too.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/perhe_pitkanen/xw/spheres.htm

Andrew

[igor253]

Right - you beat me to the reply! As I speculate, the car sounds to me as
though it is VSX model with the additional centre hydractive spheres.

their positions and functions are listed:

Yes, it's possible a 1995 car has 8 spheres:
it does sound to me that you have a hydractive (VSX) car

4x spheres - 1 at each corner
1x gearbox mount accumulator regulator
1x centrally mounted rear anti sink
1x front crossmember beside radiator (and battery box) centre hydractive
1x rear subframe offside* mounted centre hydractive

*by offside I mean on the petrol filler flap side of the car towards the top
of the rear face on the subframe.

the following web link goes into far more depth and illustrates the positions too.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/perhe_pitkanen/xw/spheres.htm

Andrew

Ok,now heres the real deal. My rear spheres finally gave way, so I went to the auto parts shop and told the guy what I need and for what car. So he gave me three spheres, and because I am a young driver, I decided to have a little fun and change them myself , but I do need some help. Id like to upload a picture of what kind of spheres I bought, so you can tell me what I'm missing, and what I acctually have. But I see no option here for uploading pictures...

Thanks![/img]

[andmcit]

The advice for sphere fitting is all covered comprehensively in this thread
I linked to in my last post:
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=24595

take heed of warnings for the safe working on the car as these can catch
the unwary with the body rapidly collapsed onto someone working
underneath which combined with high pressured LHM hydraulic circuits
and nitrogen gas in the spheres may cause inadvertent injury.

As far as pictures posting onto the forum goes I have a handy set of instructions below:

This starts from the point where it is assumed you have a series of
pictures already on the PC and they're preferably (usually) in a
jpeg format!

1: Where you get started - http://www.photobucket.com

Remember too you'll need to create a user name account with a password
to access their system and post images - it's free so nothing to worry about!

The images/video upload:





2: To get a specific picture you click on the "upload" option which will pop
up a search dialogue onto your PC to choose what you want to post:




It then uploads automatically onto photobucket and is catalogued onto your
album for your user account - the album is viewed in two ways:

A - small thumbnail with annoying dropdown options box which plays hard to get:



CLOSEUP:


the code required for a forum picture insert is the highlighted blue WHOLE string such as:
[ IMG]http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g318/ ... ture24.png[/IMG]

*To get the code to display, I've slipped a barspace after the first [IMG)



B - a larger image filling the screen better which is possible by clicking on the
previously shown above thumbnail:







3: After all that, the code/text can be copied and pasted in the script entry
at the relevant part of your post as you would any posting, giving an end result of:




There are other photo hosting websites although the only other one I've used before is
http://imageshack.us/ although I prefer photobucket.

Andrew

[myglaren]

Email your pictures to me and I'll put them in your post - email button at the foot of this post.

ETA - damn that was fast Andrew

[igor253]

Email your pictures to me and I'll put them in your post - email button at the foot of this post.

ETA - damn that was fast Andrew

Thanks for your help, but I found out how to upload them myself as you can see

[igor253]

I'm aware of the dangers, I've looked at a couple of videos on how to change them, but I will ofcourse look at the thread that you posted.

As for the pictures, I'll try it out now
This is supposed to be the picture of the three spheres I bought
http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66 ... MG2140.jpg

So if I did it correctly, you'll be able to tell me what I have

Thank you!!!

[igor253]

Let me try that again

[andmcit]

I'm surprised there's corrosion on the one to the left of the picture
- are these supposed to be new?

This particular sphere is different to the other two in the fact that the throat
where the sphere threads is totally open and doesn't have an inserted 'jet'
that is effectively the damper for the flow of fluid into the sphere and
against the nitrogen gas pocket inside. This particular design is never fitted
to the corners of the car, only in the position of the hydractive centre sphere
at either axle and the main gearbox mounted accumulator/regulator sphere.

This also means the other two which appear to match are corner spheres.
I cannot tell from the picture just by looking at them if they're the exact type
for hydractive mind although this will be a smaller size diameter to non
hydractive! Have you managed to check the feed pipe on your actual car
to confirm which suspension system it uses?

On the second two spheres, are there any stamped figures on the silver disc
where the 'jet' into the sphere is - Citroen as standard practice put the
measurement on this end disc astride the opening as a 0.7, 1.1 etc
measurement.

Additional markings are sometimes stamped on the outer crown of the
sphere just off the "nipple" top which indicate the pressure in "bar"
that's inside from new. If the sphere is an aftermarket one there's a
good possibility of black dot printed serial numbers or even labels on
the sphere to allow specific version recognition - otherwise the spheres
will tend to all look the same at a casual glance.

Andrew

[andmcit]

I'm still guessing the car you have to fix is a VSX - assuming that's the case
this article will help - Shane has some very good pictures and in his inimitable
style straight talks through his instructions in an uncomplicated manner!?

http://www.shanescitshed.com/xantia/xantiaspheres.htm

[andmcit]

It's also worth noting, the anti sink sphere whilst threaded onto it's mounting
just like all other spheres has a single vulnerable pipe fed into it's end in a
similar manner to the small 'jet' opening I mention earlier though the joint
has a threaded opening into which the pipe fastening nut is tightened
- this is all shown nicely in Shane's sphiel.

Andrew