Not more trouble!!!!

j_roc · Unread post by **j_roc** » 08 Aug 2005, 02:05

Help! I havent run the Xantia in a few weeks, and when I went to take it for a spin round the block the front rose up no probs, but the rear wont - no matter what!!! Also the infamous brake mod has been performed and the brakes were more "snatchy" than ever, they were either on or off - My dad almost went through the windscreen! Even citerobics (about 10 times) has made no difference. Please help im starting to worry! Thanks - Alex.

j_roc · Unread post by **j_roc** » 08 Aug 2005, 02:07

BTW its a 94 td sx hatchback.

Unread post by **martyhopkirk** » 08 Aug 2005, 02:28

Sticky or broken height corrector (plastic clip popped off) - Jack up (support on axel stands) and have a look to see if you can see the white plastic clip. Probably an idea to give everything a clean & grease whilst there.
Usually a cheap (if pain in the bum) fix.

j_roc · Unread post by **j_roc** » 08 Aug 2005, 02:52

Marty are you kidding me - I went on the online shop and it said the height corrector is £85 quid!!! Is this correct? If it is so, and you want to buy a Xantia for spares or repair e-mail me for more details as I aint paying that. Enough is enough.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 08 Aug 2005, 03:19

You dont have to replace the whole height corrector, just the clip.

j_roc · Unread post by **j_roc** » 08 Aug 2005, 03:55

Do GSF supply that part? Or do I have to go to the local stealer? - Bassets in Swansea btw.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 08 Aug 2005, 04:05

i think its dealer only,and it is actuly a plastic link not a clip,it conects h/c to anti roll bar linkage,very cheap to buy
regards malcolm

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 08 Aug 2005, 04:13

The snatchy brakes would be caused by air in the brakes. Bleed the brakes.

Mandrake · Unread post by **Mandrake** » 08 Aug 2005, 04:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by AndersDK

The snatchy brakes would be caused by air in the brakes. Bleed the brakes.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
And lets not forget that if the rear suspension is right down due to a broken height corrector clip, that the rear brakes won't be working at all. Whether this would make the braking "snatchy" or not is hard to say, but it can't be a good thing...
Regards,
Simon

j_roc · Unread post by **j_roc** » 08 Aug 2005, 04:20

When I touched the brakes (car has abs) the front end practically locked up! The last few times I have used the car, once in every 5 weeks or so the suspension has been at max height every time it has been used. The last time the spheres were changed (front annyhow) was the 10th Febuary 2001 - date written on them, god only knows when the rears and the accm sphere were changed??? How many spheres are on my Xantia?

Mandrake · Unread post by **Mandrake** » 08 Aug 2005, 15:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by j_roc

When I touched the brakes (car has abs) the front end practically locked up! The last few times I have used the car, once in every 5 weeks or so the suspension has been at max height every time it has been used. The last time the spheres were changed (front annyhow) was the 10th Febuary 2001 - date written on them, god only knows when the rears and the accm sphere were changed???
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Since the rear brakes run from the rear suspension pressure, if the rear suspension is either right up or down it will upset the action of the brakes - right up means much higher than normal pressure available to the back brakes, which may make them a bit over sensitive, while right down means not enough pressure available to the back brakes, which (due to the lack of feedback action within the brake control valve from the rear brake pressure) may make the pedal lighter and more sensitive and apply the front brakes harder for the same amount of pedal force than if the back suspension was working normally.
The moral of that little story is to fix the rear suspension first, and then come back to the brakes if there is still a problem.
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
How many spheres are on my Xantia?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Depends on the model. All models will have at minimum - accumulator sphere, front left and right suspension, and rear left and right suspension.
Models from about late 1994 onwards (and I believe all Hydractive 2 models) will also have an anti-sink sphere at the back (located directly in front of the spare wheel carrier in the middle of the suspension sub-chassis) while hydractive 2 models (any year) will also have a front hydractive sphere (mounted on a block on the corner of the radiator) and a rear hydractive sphere. (mounted somewhat to the right of the anti-sink sphere near the front right corner of the spare wheel carrier)
Regards,
Simon

handyman · Unread post by **handyman** » 08 Aug 2005, 15:47

The small plastic suspension link costs about £1-2, depending on source. Try GSF or M&C Lockwood, as it is not just a dealer only part.
Set suspension to highest setting, add axle stands, crawl under car, prize off old unit, which has security clips holding it to the link bar and height corrector unit. Fit new clip to height corrector first, then use a tool to ease link in line with clip and snap on. Refit security clips, unless you like staring at the underside of your Xantia!
Do not undo link clamp on the bar as you will need to reset suspension height!
It is worth checking and greasing height corrector as this may have been the reason for the plastic link failing.
Seized correctors can sometimes be recovered, with WD40 or TQF, sprayed on and a judicious amount of Citeaerobics with the link fitted. If not a new unit has to be fitted!
There is a similar unit at the front of the car, but seems not to suffer as much.
If you find a source for the clips, it is worth buying a few and keeping one in the glove box, with the spare lamps and fuses.

j_roc · Unread post by **j_roc** » 08 Aug 2005, 16:51

Right I have managed to get the rear of the car jacked up - what a job when its on the floor! I can see the HC unit in the middle of the rear of the car, there is a small white link - about a inch long coming out of it, with some sort of metal wire link to the ARB - is this the infamous link that is prone to breaking?

j_roc · Unread post by **j_roc** » 08 Aug 2005, 18:32

Right I have got a bit further. The white link looks fine, its still there and it is all intact. There is a pivot arm with a spring, connected to a metal arm (with me still?) that goes through a rubber seal into a cylinder shaped object with pipes that go into it (4-5 pipes)- the height corrector unit I believe. My question is this - the metal arm that goes into the HC unit, is it suposed to move - i.e is it the means of opening and closing a valve inside the HC unit? As at the moment the arm appears to be jammed - that could be the reason the suspension is on the floor. Understand what im on about? Thanks - Alex.

j_roc · Unread post by **j_roc** » 08 Aug 2005, 23:37

Job done. Stripped everything off, cleaned, greased and put back on and now we have rear suspension (everything had seized in the lowest setting) - much better than before it jammed. Thanks for all of the pointers. P.S the brakes are back to normal [8D]. Many thanks - Alex.