Xantia spheres

[KP]

Does anyone know which cx spheres are suitable for xantia's or where to find specs of certain cx spheres as I'm guessing it's just the pressure and volume that matters for the sphere bits as my two rears are far too hard to be right IMO on the activa?!??

[Mandrake]

No its not just the volume and pressure that matters, there is the damper valve calibration which will be different and is fairly critical, being matched to the weight and handling characteristics of the car.

I wouldn't recommend trying to use CX spheres on a Xantia.

[Northern_Mike]

Jim's the man to ask about Activa spheres and which ones to use to get a good ride/handling compromise I believe. He did tell me what to put on mine donkeys years ago, and it was perfect. I think they were Hydractive Estate rears or something. They weren't standard issue Activa ones.

[KP]

Sounds like a plan! I was just wondering if there was a larger capacity accumulator set that's all as it would in theory help the system not need pressurising as much and keep the pr less busy...

[Northern_Mike]

I think Jim has a quite interesting sphere configuration on his. I'm sure he'll answer at his usual 4.10am..

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[Sl4yer]

Didn't spot that you'd got another Activa Will.

No doubt Jim will reply soon, but I think he had good results as, northern_mike said, with standard Hydractive spheres in the centres (front and rear). I'm certainly tempted to try it myself this time, since the standard Activa seems a little firm.

As far as I know, Westroen (Doug I think) still recondition spheres. And there is an online company still supplying new ones here, although I haven't used them myself.

James

[CitroJim]

Jim's the man to ask about Activa spheres and which ones to use to get a good ride/handling compromise I believe. He did tell me what to put on mine donkeys years ago, and it was perfect. I think they were Hydractive Estate rears or something. They weren't standard issue Activa ones.

Absolutely spot-on Mike Yep, standard Hydractive all round with Estate rears..

The Activa balancing sphere and accumulator are critical to a good ride, especially the former and they must be made up specially. The Activa balancing sphere is an accumulator blown up to 30 bar and a tired main accumulator may be used and selected with a sphere tester. The Activa accumulator is an anti0sink style sphere blown up to 62bar. A standard 55 bar anti-sink can be used happily...

[CitroJim]

I think Jim has a quite interesting sphere configuration on his. I'm sure he'll answer at his usual 4.10am..

Sorry 20 minutes late

[handyman]

Hi James, your link is just to an on-line retailer of IFHS spheres, not the cheapest around. I recently bought a pair of rears for the Diesel Donkey from AEP in Scotland, a bit cheaper with free postage, ordered PM, delivered AM next day. Good service.

IFHS dont do all the sphere combinations with cars like the Xantia Activa & V6 being scarcely catered for, but then nobody, not even PSA, can supply all the OE fitments.

I have noticed though that the price of spheres has been steadily creeping up, presume its to do with supply & demand, which might make getting the replacement valves from Technisoir a real proposition, as I've got the genuine Citroen recharging gizmo and a good source of nitrogen gas.

Is Pleaides still doing sphere recharges?

Handyman

[KP]

Hence one reason why years ago when driving past plaides I took a whole box of god knows how many to then although I know some may well have been useless if at least 1 in the box was savable then it was worth it

First order of call is a sphere removal tool!

[KP]

Are these the right ones?
Also are Monroe any good?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221106817384" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KP]

And omg they have the activa spheres in stock as well!!!

[handyman]

KP, I'm assuming these are the ones for the Hydractive suspension? They look to be about a £ dearer than I paid from AEPDirect.com, who sent me IFHS units.

Monroe are a US manufacturer, but like many of these international companies, have a plant in Spain , Greece, Eastern Europe, SE Asian, etc, where they can exploit cheap labour. I used to wholesale their products, which were primarily conventional shock absorbers and they were pretty good. I visited their Kentucky based manufacturing plant in the 1980s & did find it a bit Heath Robinsonish , but then they were primarily supplying the US market where they were a market leader. Even then, they were a part of a larger US corporation as their HQ was high up in the Sears Tower in Chicago.

I assume, if their spheres are CE rated, & they'd need to be to be sold in the EU, that they meet or surpass the minimum OE standards. I have a suspicion, given the economic states of many manufacturers that they now make spheres due to the acquisition of a manufacturing plant.

H

[KP]

Yeah they all seem to be available in their eBay list of stuff for sale as each listing gives a number of which sphere the actual listing refers to

[handyman]

Must say, I prefer to deal wiith companies directly, as ebay & their cohort, paypal (spit), like to play silly buggers with the UK corporation tax laws, like many of these multi-national businesses. Ebay is useful as a source of information, but I have found, where possible dealing directly with the supplier invariably gets a price reduction. Except with Euro Car Parts.

H