Xantia suspension high

[dav3y]

Hi all

I picked up a xantia earlier this year. after a summer of putting to much weight in the back the rear suspension started stiffening.

I recently replaced the rear spheres ( not the middle one ) and this worked like a dream for a day. The day after I opened the boot and rested my weight on it and it slowly sunk down.

My problem is the ride height has now shot up and I feel like iam driving in a jacked up hot rod.

I am no mechanic and I can't afford a garage so I'll give anything a go as this is a dream to drive and only has 50k on the clock.

Would I have to go to the extremes of replacing the centre sphere or would this just require some re adjustment? A good diagram of the height link assembly would be useful.

Citroen xantia td sx 2000, rear spheres replaced ( outside only ) , fluid replaced, filters cleaned, car drops front and rear to the deck when in low position and also whacked up to top position.

Car now sits about 5 fingers at rear and 4 at front. Oops was it because I put the rear on ramps and not the front when doing? Hopefully I just need some hints on how to re level.

Spanner in hand with willingness ! Cheers

[Hell Razor5543]

A good start might be to cycle the height from full low to full height a few times to see what happens. This is known as 'Citrobics' to Citroen owners, and helps to keep the suspension moving freely.

When you changes the spheres did you bleed the brakes? The hydro-pneumatic system drives the steering, suspension, and brakes. The first two are circulatory, but the brakes dead-end at the callipers. Bleeding the brakes will get any remaining air out.

[VertVega]

You should check if the REAR HEIGHT CORRECTOR plastic clip (white) popped up. Number 6 in pic.

[dav3y]

Thanks guys, stupidly I followed a Haynes manual which didn't mention bleeding at all. I also had a quick web search but have only just come across this forum after doing it. I shall be following this site from now on !

Thanks shall bleed the brakes and have heard much about various linkage issues since and shall give that a once over as well as clean and grease. Thanks for the diagram, it's very helpful to understand in my head before looking at it and spending hours underneath. I must admit I did poop myself a bit after spending ages delicatley trying to undo the spheres then realising I should be doing it under full pressure, I shan't be looking forward to that again soon ( l/h/r ) ruptured and spurted everywhere when removing!

Bizarrely it doesn't ride that bad for being so high. So hopefully a good bleed and linkage check should sort me out. I'll have a good read up in these forums and shall have a bash. Such a great car for little price, I will definitely be visiting here more often, cheers

[Northern_Mike]

As always, use Axle stands and/or ramps when under a hydropneumatic Citroen. If the suspension changes height when you're under it and messing with the height correctors , you probably won't be here to tell us about it..

[Hell Razor5543]

If you find that you need to adjust the height, remember that it can only be done when the car is bearing all of its weight on its wheels (otherwise you will not be able to tell if it has been set correctly). When I was adjusting Gracies' front height corrector she was up on ramps. My first adjustment was too far, and when she stopped moving (dropping!) her sump was just touching my chest (and, thank god, at the bottom of her travel). With CitroJims' help we got her ride height set correctly.

Before you make any adjustments it still is worth going through a Citrobics session. It might just be that something has started to bind, and the session might free it up.

I don't know about the estate car, but a rule of thumb for the hatchback ride height (when set on normal) is 3 fingers width at the front, 1 finger width at the back.

What is your location? Most of us on the forum are willing to help in one way or another.

[VertVega]

Northern_Mike pointed to a very important issue.
I'll quote from myglaren's post titled Height Correctors --> http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 22&t=31296" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"As always, prior to starting any work that involves getting underneath a Xantia, or any Citroen with hydraulic suspension, make absolutely certain that the car is firmly supported on axle stands or ramps. This is particularly important when working on the suspension system hydraulics, the car can drop very suddenly with fatal results. "

Also very useful information in this thread:
Spheres, Hydraflush and Brake Bleeding --> http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 22&t=24595" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dav3y]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated.

Yes the first thing I did was place the rear on car ramps as I was aware of the suspension dropping and didn't want risk anything. I do have axle stands and jack but didn't think this would be stable enough when the car was going up/down.

I did perform the citroebics several times after sphere and fluid change and dropped and rose perfectly and sat at the height l expected it to. Test drive was a better ride than when I got it. The next day I did a clear out in the house and popped a few bits in the boot, few wood and plastics most probably weighed same as a god shop, got home, switched off, when I run again that evening height rose.

I will continue to do citroebics and give the height adjustment clean out over the next few days. I am in Hastings, east Sussex. So if anyone fancys a brew and poke there head over while I bleed / play with height this Friday, let me know. Sounds like the majority of people are north of the country?

[dav3y]

When jumping in the car this morning, the ride height looked about right if not a little high ( must have dropped during the night ) and a quick push with my finger on the corners brought it slowly down. She didn't do its normal up down automatic citroebics on startup and as it looked roughly right, gave it a 5 minute warmup and off i went, drove great.

On getting to work i did a quick citroebics and no matter what position i placed it in itwould not level out.
Low position = front and rear would drop to floor ok
Low position to medium = only front would raise
Medium to high = front and rear would raise
High to medium = front would drop to mid rear stays high

I put permanent pen on the "octupus" to help distuinguish my pipes but i must admit by the time i got it back together with lhm hands i couldn't really read them very well. Is it possible an incorrect connection would prevent this from automatically dropping?

Ill be bleeding and height adjustment check / cleaning but this just sprung to mind also.

[dav3y]

I had a quick look at the rear height adjuster and yes indeedthe plastic link no 6 in the diagram vert vega supplied has popped out, I tried to pop this back in but was maybe 3/4 inch away from going back in. I expect this was because I had the height on full just to get under, bearing in mind it was 10pm at 2 degrees laying on the ground !

I take it if I secure the the car and lower the suspension this link will pop back in with a bit of persuasion or will this require replacement part or do i have togo all the way to taking the system apart described in the links to get this back in? Cheers

[Northern_Mike]

I had a quick look at the rear height adjuster and yes indeedthe plastic link no 6 in the diagram vert vega supplied has popped out, I tried to pop this back in but was maybe 3/4 inch away from going back in. I expect this was because I had the height on full just to get under, bearing in mind it was 10pm at 2 degrees laying on the ground !

I take it if I secure the the car

My apologies if I'm reading your post incorrectly, but it appears to me you were under the car with it on high *without* securing it?

Seriously, if you were pulling on the dogbone, you're really lucky the height corrector didn't move.

PLEASE put the car on axle stands or ramps next time. If it changes height without, it'll kill you. Simple.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[Hell Razor5543]

Agreed with Mikes' comments. Don't EVER do ANY work on the underside without supporting the car, otherwise it could kill you. It weighs well over 1 tonne.

It could be worth going to Citroen first and getting a couple of 'dog bone' clips. If the original has cracked or worn it won't take long for it to pop off again.

[dav3y]

Noted, thankfully i wasn't to keen on messing around with it in the cold and dark much last night, ill go for a new dog bone while taking the unit off and clean as in posts. Will let you know how i get on at the end of week, cheers

Shame, ill miss my rear jacked up hot rod !

[Mandrake]

Although worn ball joints on the dog bone can cause it to pop off easily, a contributing factor could be a seized height corrector linkage - the pivoting arm/spring arrangement that it connects to. I'd also give that a good spray of grease to try to free it up a bit. Also check the metal ball that the dog bone clips onto for evidence of corrosion or pitting - if the ball itself has rusted away and reduced in diameter even a new clip may still pop off.

[Hell Razor5543]

OK, but at full height damage might occur (as the suspension will have very limited travel), and not be very comfortable.