Xantia Bouncing Front End

[scropionking]

Xantia SX 1.9 TD 1996

Hi,
So another MOT is due and the car has started bouncing around at the frront end suspension. I suspect its the spheres need changing. I have tried pushing the front end down but its really hard, no give at all.
Rear end wiil push down alright.
So I just wanted to be sure and don't know what Spheres to buy, are Lizarte ones good, and can you just replace the fronts on these systems.
I've heard you can just set the car on low and wait for pressure to go, would this be correct.


Thanks in advance


Kevin

[RichardW]

If the ride height is normal (3 finges width between front trye and wing), then odds on it's the spheres. No third sphere on an SX, and nothing complicated, so yes, just set it on low with engine running, allow it to sink, wait a couple of mins engine running for it to fully depressure then you can undo. Might be difficult to get spheres now, you'll probably have to get whatever you can - but even then they may not last that long, as they have been sitting about....

[Armidillo]

Certainly sounds like dead spheres. Shame that the online Sphere Shop has closed down - I got a full set of IFHS spheres for my SX wagon from them last year - all were recently manufactured, so still nice and fresh even after delivery to Australia.

You could try AEP - I believe they sell IFHS spheres.

http://www.aepdirect.com/citroen-xantia ... ory_id=121

Is it not necessary to release the pressure at the regulator (as well as letting the car settle onto it's bump stops)?

Cheers

Alec

[white exec]

Agreed, the front spheres sound as if they've lost their gas, or the sphere membrane has ruptured, and so have gone rigid.

For Xantia saloon, non-Hydractive (just has the 4 corner spheres, plus the up-front Accumulator one), the correct sphere spec is as follows:
capacity cc / pressure bar / damping orifice mm

Front corners: 400/55/1.5 or 450/50/1.5
Rear corners: 400/30/1.2 (Estate: 400/40/1.25)
Accumulator: 400/62/-- (-- = non-damped sphere)

Lizarte do not have a good reputation.
IFHS spheres are good, and can be had from AEP in Glasgow; they'll dispatch anywhere; see their website.
Citroen's own spheres are the best, in terms of life and build quality, but expect to pay more.

To remove and refit spheres, the system needs to be de-pressurised.
Procedure (sufficient for the front wheel spheres):
- Support the front of the car on ramps
- With engine running, set the height lever to Low
- Switch off engine
- Unscrew the depressurising bolt on the pressure regulator by 1 turn; do not undo further or remove.
The bolt is a 12mm hex one, on the regulator body, standing about 1mm proud of the body.
The regulator is the hydraulic chunk which supports the Accumulator sphere.
When the bolt us slackened, any pressure in the system is released back into the reservoir.
- Remove each front sphere - strong strap/chain wrench, or a sphere removal tool.
- Fit the new spheres, with their new square-section O-rings; lubricate rings with a smear of LHM when putting them into the sphere mount recess.

- Re-tighten the pressure relief bolt
- Start the engine, and allow to run for a minute or so.
- Put the car to Normal height, and check that it rises.
- Do a few 'Citrobics' to rid the front of the system of any trapped air: Go Highest-Lowest-Highest-Lowest half-a-dozen times, waiting for each height to be achieved.

With luck, you shouldn't have to bleed the system (done at the brake calipers) as the brake-pipe "dead legs" haven't been disturbed.

For a full description of de-pressurising, and a full list of spheres for the cars, go to the Mechanics' Booklets here.
You need the Xantia-XM-Synergie booklet for 2001, page 250 onwards.
On the site, go Board index > Members' area > Resources > Mechanics' Booklets.
You'll need to make a small forum donation to access this area, but the instructions on how to do this are all there.
A donation will give you access not just to this Section, but also to Parts information for all of this year and next.

Hope helpful.

[moizeau]

Two other things to add to Chris' instructions.
If they really don't want to unscrew, re-tighten the pressure relief bolt, put the car to high setting then try to unscrew them, NO MORE THAN 1/8TH OF A TURN, DO NOT UNSCREW THEM MORE THAN THAT. Then go through the procedure again. 2nd thing, have a couple of rags handy in case you have a 'fountain sphere'.

[admiral51]

I got mine from AEP a year or so ago, very happy with the Spheres and service from them

Others will clarify but i think the ones you need are SSXA55FC

[scropionking]

Hi,

Thanks for all the quick replies, I don't know what Spheres are on there at the moment, I'll have to have a look. Just wondering what the original ones were fitted by Citroen.


Thanks

Kevin

[white exec]

If you can post your VIN, and make a small donation to the forum, we can post the part numbers for the pukka Citroen spheres for your car.

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