activa suspension

stephen burch · Unread post by **stephen burch** » 16 Sep 2004, 01:04

Help.... I have a '97 Activa that's being silly on the rear suspension. It was driven over a potholed road at about 40 mph for about 2 miles and since then it has frequently refused to rise at the back. I have replaced the rear rigidity regulator sphere and the rear hydractive sphere thinking it may be one of these, but to no avail. On the occasions that it does rise I have had it in the middle position on the suspension control lever, it has risen at the back, briefly stayed in the middle height setting, then gone on to full height by itself. If I then put it in low setting the front sinks ,then the back but very slowly. I then put it in the middle setting and the back refuses to rise again.
Within the last year it has had all spheres (including the accumulator sphere) replaced; the exceptions being the front wheel spheres and the front sphere nearest the right hand inner wing as viewed from the front of the car. I am not too sure which one this is. It has also had the rear anti-sink valve replaced, been hydraflushed, filters cleaned and new LHM put in. The front is working perfectly.
Any ideas?

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 16 Sep 2004, 02:08

Stephen I really think you have kind of a simple problem with the linkage to the rear height controller.
Have the rear wheels lifted on ramps (or get the car over s pit), then investigate this area under the rear.

stephen burch · Unread post by **stephen burch** » 16 Sep 2004, 02:25

Thanks Anders for your reply but I have already checked the rear height corrector function, linkages etc. and this is all working properly. There are also no noticeable external leaks so I am somewhat baffled.

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 16 Sep 2004, 02:45

Ok -
But have you actually tried fiddle with the HC while safely under the car - to check it does control the height properly ?
I have to say on the Activa anti-roll system I'm completely blank, but I'd suspect this system to give another kind of symptoms, like different heights side-wise.
BTW : It's known that a weak (flat !) main accumulator sphere (on the PR) may play havoc with the height on hydractive systems.

Panjandrum · Unread post by **Panjandrum** » 16 Sep 2004, 15:18

I don't see anything specifically Activa that could cause your symptoms - unless it's to do with the fact that it has all those spheres to keep happy.
I had a similar, but different, problem after rear sphere and bush replacement in August (refused to go high). An exhausting session of Citaerobics made it go away - leaving me thinking it was a last bit of stubborn gunge in the HC or some bit of linkage that eventually twanged into proper operation or a bearing that finally decided to work properly again!
PJ