Front Activa ram gaiter

[djadams]

Hi all,

New activa-related challenge... The gaiter on the front Activa ram is hanging in two pieces, leaving the chrome shaft exposed next to the nearside front wheel... According to service.citroen.com the gaiter isn't available as an individual part, only the entire ram, which is clearly not required just yet. I can see the black plastic sheath of the ram cylinder exposed, but nothing is leaking LHM from anywhere, from perusing Jim's instructions for repairing a leak from the rubber leak-off at the base of the cylinder, the black plastic sheath contains the LHM return, right?

Is there anything stopping me protecting the shaft of the ram from the winter salt by grafting something like a steering rack gaiter on, to bridge from the black plastic sheath up to just under the ball joint at the top? Has anyone else done something similar, or used anything else to replace the gaiter?

All suggestions gratefully received...

Cheers,
dan

[Deanxm]

yep use a steering rack gaiter, unscrew the top ball joint, slip the old one off and fit the new one, cant remember what ones fit (think it was a mk3 fiester rack gaiter) but the job is a simple enough one, the job can be done in situe too, just have to undo the top ball joint.

D

[djadams]

Legend, thanks Dean. I'll check the diameter of the black plastic sheath and then compare that with listings for rack gaiters on the 'bay... When I find something suitable I'll post back so it's on record...

[CitroJim]

Dan, one thing to check is that the high pressure pipes are correctly routed and not rubbing on the gaiter. How they go is totally non-intuitive...

My guide to repairing rams gives some info on the correct routing here...

Replacement is a reversal of removal but note that the long flexi pipe must be fitted to the front union on the ram as you look at it in its fitted position. The long pipe must connect to the right-hand (as you look at it) rigid pipe.

It's good to replace the gaiter as soon as you can and again my web pages show how to remove the top balljoint.

If the gaiter is left split there is a chance of the piston becoming scored and then the ram is a complete writeoff...

[djadams]

Awesome, thanks for the tips Jim, much appreciated...

[djadams]

Right - have found something that looks suitable on the 'bay. Listing describes them as rack gaiters for a 1.8 litre Fiesta '89-'95. Dimensions in the image in the listing are as follows:
Inside diameter (large end): 37 mm
Inside diameter (small end): 14 mm
Length: 228 mm

Not a bad length and the ram measurements I ended up with were 36mm on the black sleeve (it's not plastic... ) and 15mm on the shaft. Looks promising, anyway.



When the parcel arrives I'll see if I can make it work...

[djadams]

OK, so I have nothing against black lace in the right context, but it has no place in one of the most sophisticated production car suspension systems ever built...


Looking much better now:


Managed to fit it without removing the ball joint from the ram - I was concerned I may damage the ball joint. I had a fitting cone that was supplied with a rack gaiter I bought for my previous Xantia, so I used that and a plastic bag to ease the gaiter over the ball joint. It worked a treat, even though this gaiter wasn't sold as one that could be stretched over a ball joint.

So far as I could tell, the HP hoses to the ram are routed correctly, but I'll be keeping my eye on the new gaiter to see if any witness marks appear after a few hundred miles - it's bigger diameter than the OE gaiter so it might rub anyway. Still, one of these every now and then at about £6 each is fifty times cheaper than buying the whole ram from Citroen...

Thanks for the tips, guys!

[CitroJim]

Excellent work Dan

My goodness, that's a very dry ram you have there!

[6speedmanual]

Nice one Dan.

Now all in situ, I would put a good soaking with ACF50 followed by a dollop Waxoyl around the bottom to reduce corrosion build up under the leak return collar.

Activaly
Peter

[djadams]

Good idea. The other thing I've done since is provide a drain-route. The oe gaiter has "drainage slots" at the bottom to allow any water that's got in to drain out. I have tucked some short lengths of stainless rod under the bottom of the gaiter and clamped it back up tight to hopefully achieve the same effect...