1997 1.9TD Estate - A Tyre-ing question about handling

[Timmo]

Beko, for the rear end, as a thought, you mentioned before about playing with the clamp on the selector rod at the rear height corrector, is it worth setting the suspension on normal, undoing the bolt on the clamp so it can slide on the rod, then adjusting the suspension height to the correct level then bolting the clamp back up? - back up on ramps so you don't accidentally lower it and crush yourself!
Did pretty much that to get mine riding right,

[CitroJim]

Give me dates and I'll book one off work!

Sam, basically any Monday or Friday is good, excluding this coming Friday and the following Monday... On both those particular days I'm already booked!

[beko1987]

Beko, for the rear end, as a thought, you mentioned before about playing with the clamp on the selector rod at the rear height corrector, is it worth setting the suspension on normal, undoing the bolt on the clamp so it can slide on the rod, then adjusting the suspension height to the correct level then bolting the clamp back up? - back up on ramps so you don't accidentally lower it and crush yourself!
Did pretty much that to get mine riding right,

That is exactly what I need to do! But I also want to strip and clean the corrector unit, it's finding a day to do both!

[Zelandeth]

If I'm about I'd be more than happy to pop round and lend a pair of hands if it would be useful.

This coming week I won't be about though as we're off to Center Parcs for the week for some much needed rest and relaxation.

Always fun seeing how many cars we can get outside Jim's.

[CitroJim]

Always fun seeing how many cars we can get outside Jim's.

6 Xantias plus my own is the target to beat Zel!!!

Have a great stay at Center Parcs

[beko1987]

I'll try and pick a date when your both about then, sounds fun!

So where are we now. We'll, I decided on a whim to join an autoshite meet up in the Midlands, so drove 240 miles mainly on Saturday, from home in thame to wolverhampton services on the M6, then to cannock, then to Birmingham, then home.

Things I noticed:

Above 70, theres a very harsh vibration coming through the steering, that almost shakes the whole car. If I back off a bit it goes away, keeping it bang on 70 was fine. Whilst it makes a good speed limiter it is a bit worrying.

It pulls to the left now it's on new, balanced tyres

Suspension is not happy about something, possibly life

The brakes stuck on slightly. I went from thame to wolverhampton without stopping, parked up at the Travelodge and didn't move until Saturday morning. Reversing out if the space there was a definite clock from the front end!

I need new wiper blades

Its very crashy on mid to bad road surfaces

I really should have not gone on Saturday and sorted the rear height corrector... Naughty

But it was fun, the clutch clip behaved itself, and I did 250 miles to just under half a tank at a steady 70,plus some pottering in cannock and a horrible drive through Birmingham!

[Timmo]

Wheel vibration that Shakes the car suggests out of balance rear wheels,
I seem to have a patch on my screen that Always gets missed on the return sweep even with new blades, regular cleans and application of rainX helps Immensely!

[beko1987]

Wheel vibration that Shakes the car suggests out of balance rear wheels,
I seem to have a patch on my screen that Always gets missed on the return sweep even with new blades, regular cleans and application of rainX helps Immensely!

Does it? That would be super, since the rear tyres are on the list for next month. Should I feel it through the steering?

My blades are a bit smears, but by far the most annoying thing is the water collects on the metal bits and flicks up onto the window, requiring a smart flick to get rid of it,

[Timmo]

When I first got mine the wheels werew well out, shook like mad through the wheel, whole car shaking,
I have tesco floppy wiper blades on as they get good reviews and are reasonably priced to! And! I can chuck them in with the groceries!

[van ordinaire]

Tesco's wiper blades! Really? Too bad I don't have cause to go there since their 15 litres of sunflower oil for £12 finished.

[Timmo]

10L for £9 last week, I pick mine up from booker 17.50 for 20L, much the same but I can buy coffee and tubs of sweeties that my cycle repair business obviously Needs!
The tesco floppy blades always got good reviews, circa £8 for the big ones (20" ers)

[beko1987]

Good to know about tesco, I could get there easily, we have a massive one locally.

Guess I'll need to invest in 2 more tyres to see if that cures things then. I think a visit to the Citroen whisperer is in order though so he can give it the thumbs up or thumbs down.

Problem is, if I invest £3-400 in her, I can buy a pretty decent other car for that. And I'm not exactly flush with money! Even if I get everything running right I have an engine that's been fettled with and runs quite loudly (although has never actually gone wrong bar the aux belt incident), and very rusty rear door shuts...

Let's look at the calendar

[Timmo]

My door shuts are okay, drivers gone and been welded but my sills have gone, 2 patches on drivers and one on passengers, my rear wings, more so the passenger rear one have many small rust bubbles although more Osmosis style, it is best part 20 years old now though, not many as old about now!

[beko1987]

My rears are awful, passenger side one has fully, fully gone, drivers side one gets more brown by the day... Surface rust around the roof rails too
Add the quite rusty back end, ruined interior, questionable engine condition and modifications and I'm quite tempted by a backup plan I have forming...

May still try and see Jim though, would be good to see him again

[Timmo]

I can understand the back up plan, I do occasionally find myself looking at C6's! :-O