fitted monroe comfort spheres...

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antonioneves
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fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by antonioneves »

... on my c5 mk1 2.2 hdi today. just the 4 corners, didnt replace the centre ones. what can I say? very noticeable improvement. motorway driving seems exactly the same, no excessive movement, but then again was already very good in the same conditions, it was the potholes and inner city driving over bumps and very poor roads around here that I found too hard.
Need more time for a more detailed review, as it was a short trip and I had to catch a flight, so will report back in a couple more days after I get back home on friday, but so far, very satisfied, didnt feel underdamped nor the suspension is reaching max travel as reported by other users in posts I read here in the forum.

I got these:
MONROE - Ref: SP8121 30bar Rear (OEM are 25)
MONROE - Ref: SP8118 57bar Front (OEM are 52)

In fact, I'm so happy I'm even considering replacing the centre spheres with Comfort ones too... looking at mister-auto the centre ones have the same pressure as OEM but should have the enlarged damper holes to allow more LDS flow. But worried it becomes too soft/underdamped.
MONROE - Ref: SP8117 62Bar Front
MONROE - Ref: SP8110 44bar Rear

Not had a chance to notice much difference with the sport mode ON. will have to further test it.

anyways, just wanted to share the experience so far.
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by Peter.N. »

The centre spheres are the ones that have most effect on the ride, when driving in a straight line the electrovalves are open so the fluid can flow into the centre spheres which are much less damped and free flowing than the outer ones, as soon as you corner or brake the valves close leaving with just the for corners.

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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by xantia_v6 »

Do the C5 center spheres have damper elements? I would expect the damper elements to be fitted to the valve block so that each wheel has an individual damper.
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by antonioneves »

Peter.N. wrote:The centre spheres are the ones that have most effect on the ride, when driving in a straight line the electrovalves are open so the fluid can flow into the centre spheres which are much less damped and free flowing than the outer ones, as soon as you corner or brake the valves close leaving with just the for corners.

Peter
thx peter!

so you're saying its worth to change or are you saying it will become too much underdamped/too much body roll?
I like it now, but if I could have more... why not? :)
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by Peter.N. »

My C5 is only basic but all the XMs I had were hydractive and the difference made by changing the centre spheres was quite amazing. The centre spheres have virtually no damping, they look like an accumulator sphere with a big hole in the middle. For my liking they can't be to soft, I like the DS, but they will stiffen up as soon as corner, if you find them to soft, which I doubt you can always switch it to permanent sport mode - at least I think you can, you could in the XM, I had a 2.2 briefly but can't remember.

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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by antonioneves »

Peter.N. wrote:My C5 is only basic but all the XMs I had were hydractive and the difference made by changing the centre spheres was quite amazing. The centre spheres have virtually no damping, they look like an accumulator sphere with a big hole in the middle. For my liking they can't be to soft, I like the DS, but they will stiffen up as soon as corner, if you find them to soft, which I doubt you can always switch it to permanent sport mode - at least I think you can, you could in the XM, I had a 2.2 briefly but can't remember.

Peter
so if I understand what you are saying, if i fit Comfort spheres for the centre ones and it's too much, by using the sport button ON (not sure how to set it on permanently, but touching the button works for me) I will cut them out, and will be back where I am now with my current sport button on?

the sport button completely eliminates the centre spheres from working from what I read here in the fórum, so the above makes sense.
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by Xaccers »

On the old MK1 XMs, the sport button would put the car into hard mode. On later XMs and Xantias, the sport button just changed the responsiveness of hard mode so it would be activated more quickly, but still be in soft mode when driving gently. By pulling one of the fuses you could force it into hard mode, but it would be really hard so no real point exept for diagnosis purposes.

Hydractive works by having harder spheres on the corners and soft spheres in the middle. When the computer detects you're throwing the car around a bit, it cuts out the softer sphers giving you stiffer suspension. So the majority of the soft ride comes from the two centre spheres. If these are flat,then you'll get a harder ride, so it could be that they're low on pressure and the comfort spheres have compensated on the corners.
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by antonioneves »

thx guys. will probably try that then
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by Smarty2 »

Anyone know if the Monroe spheres are softer than the IFHS ones? Mine isn't Hydractive plus so no sports switch.
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by EDC5 »

This is pretty interesting for me. This is my first C5 and whilst the ride is excellent over speed bumps and larger deflections, I do tend to feel the smaller potholes and smaller, harsher bumps in the road.

Could my center spheres be knackered? The car rides noticeably better with 4 passengers on board.

I'd certainly like to try a set of comfort spheres just to test the difference.

I'm aware that the X7 is meant to be stiffer than previous C5's but I think it's a touch too harsh myself.
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by Stickyfinger »

The best way to turn a C5x7 into a soft Citroen is to put 300kg in the boot..............it turns it into a Mk1 ride wise (still stiffer in the corners however)

Citroen increased the roll bar thickness on the cars ....later X7 cars got larger and larger
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by EDC5 »

Stickyfinger wrote: 25 Aug 2017, 22:56 The best way to turn a C5x7 into a soft Citroen is to put 300kg in the boot..............it turns it into a Mk1 ride wise (still stiffer in the corners however)

Citroen increased the roll bar thickness on the cars ....later X7 cars got larger and larger


Haha... that appears to be true, if I ever have to change the ARB the I'm going to put one from the 1.8 petrol as I believe it is thinner.

Good plan however a permanent 300kg ballast would dent the performance somewhat :(
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by Peter.N. »

... and the fuel consumption ...
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by EDC5 »

Peter.N. wrote: 25 Aug 2017, 23:06 ... and the fuel consumption ...


True! I'm told that the x7 is much heavier than the previous model, Citroen must have made the suspension significantly stiffer for it to be as hard as it is despite weighing so much.
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Re: fitted monroe comfort spheres...

Post by Peter.N. »

I was rather disappointed with my C5 (Mk1) compared with the XMs although the hydractive was better but the 2.2 engine dreadful on fuel.

Peter
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