Xantia-Rear suspension strut removal

[citroenxm]

oooo aaaaaa ouch - I would NOT Put a stand on the cill jack point!!

HOW CAN a LIP hold the weight of a car like that!!!

PUT the AXLE stands UNDER the sub frames!!!! FLAT and more of an area to support the car!!!



PAul

[Xaccers]

It's designed for lifting the car.
I've seen how badly axle stands or jacks sit under the sub frame, how much they can slide about because the subframe is not designed to be a jacking point, and the jacks/axle stands are not designed to lift/support from there.

[citroenxm]

Hmmm maybee on the Xantias But on the XM's they ARE useless on the cill lips!!!

You look ay an XM and see how many have Bent jacking lips... this then also contributes to the rears of the cills rotting inside outwards when then its too late once found..

I have to say, the Xantia Body Shell DOES seem a bit tougher in the Cill area...

Paul

[Xaccers]

It's definitely re-enforced there, the only bit likely to bend are the slip guards at each end if you don't have the axle stand between them when you lower the car, they'll curl over but they don't sink into the bodywork.

I had someone support their xantia on high axle stands under the flat part of the subframe, and I refused to go under (and not just because they hadn't chocked the back wheels!).
The angle the car was at, and only on the edge of the axle stand cups, all it would have taken was a slight nudge for the car to come crashing down.

[ellevie]

I put the axle stands on the front jacking points on the BX but I use little squares of roof batten timber which fit neatly into the cups to protect the jacking points. These little squares of timber crush and have to be replaced eventually but do a great job in the meantime.

[NewcastleFalcon]

To mark this thread's selection by the random hand of the FCF Archives February Ferret 2023 a little tying up of loose ends may be in order.

This was my first ever thread on the FCF and unfortunately the conclusion to it was never reported back here. Maybe because the conclusion was some months after the thread started in a new thread called Xantia Rear Strut Anatomy on 7th August 2012 https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... hp?t=40698

Must go into the FCF book of records from February 26th 2009, to its successful removal in August 7th 2012, that's a decent 1,258 days to remove that rusted retaining pin from the rear strut.

Thanks for your replies
With the same sort of perverse pleasure Dentists must get pulling teeth I have now completed a successful extraction of the pin and the strut

Here is my little trophy



and here is my trusty toolkit. The moment of inspiration was in extending the centrepunch with a 10mm socket, an extension piece, and an impact driver. I could then get a good whack at it with the lump hammer and the impact driver would rotate the punch at the same time-may have done some good although I don't know for sure.

The centre punch was too thick to punch through so I angle grinded it to a smaller diameter. The piece de resistance was the pulling/levering the pin out from the other side once the punch had done the major part of the job with the mole grips ably assisted with the big screwdriver.



I now need a new rubber gaiter for the replacement strut. All the rubber gaiters on the struts I have are ripped and minus the bit that neatly fits round the cup in the radius arm.

Are these things available at GSF or is it a Citroen, or a second hand thing?

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Should you be in trouble with your rear struts then a few subsequent threads to this may prove helpful.

The problem with mine was a weeping joint between the sphere and the strut end. I'm not saying the entire problem was due to the strut end being made out of compressed aluminium foil, but it looked like this...and wouldn't seal.



My "solution" was to replace that strut with one from a "spares" car which sealed fine. That's when I ran into the immovable spring clip/pin that passes through the bottom of the strut at the radius arm.




I thought sealing with a copper washer rather than the rubber O-ring might be worth a try, but I reckon it was too thin, a solution not quite tested out and seen through, but Chris Morewood did have success with machining the end of the strut flat and using a custom dowty washer which he specially ordered.

I'll have a go at putting together a list of links to cover the story, and maybe help others out.

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

I have nothing relevant to add to this thread but its revival as a result of the February Ferret has lead me to abandon an idea I was formulating! As a slightly ill equipped FCF member, no French car after sale of last C4 Picasso from my maintenance fleet, I was considering talking to the dealer about a swap deal. My MX3 for this ideal petrol auto that cropped up:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... tia&page=1

Having now been reminded of what I might be letting myself in for, I have rejected the idea. Thanks Neil!

[NewcastleFalcon]

My MX3 for this ideal petrol auto that cropped up:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... tia&page=1

Having now been reminded of what I might be letting myself in for, I have rejected the idea. Thanks Neil!

Swopping a gorgeous looking head turner, for a French Ford Mondeo destined to drip the green stuff, what were you thinking of Mick More than glad to help.

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Swopping a gorgeous looking head turner, for a French Ford Mondeo destined to drip the green stuff, what were you thinking of Mick More than glad to help.

Regards Neil

We are all entitled to the odd looney idea - I did love my Activa, but no doubt a 1.8 auto would only disappoint me anyway!! However without the timely reminder from this thread who knows what might have happened! My next step was going to be to ask Jim to join me in a visit to look at the car but all plans abandoned now!!

[CitroJim]

Ahh! No there's a memory You sent me your duff cylinders Neil, so that I could use them to test the efficacy of a potential repair method involving a bit of lathe work to spin off the corroded top and create a new 'land' for the sphere seal...

I never got to be able to test it in anger but could see no reason why it would not be good...

[NewcastleFalcon]

Summary of Links

Xantia Rear Strut Anatomy.....finally the pin comes out
https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... 71#p327871

Xantia Rear Strut new boots gaiters soufflets (and Clips)
viewtopic.php?t=40827

Rear LHM Leak (Chris Morewood)
This thread is the mutts nutts of pain! 10 Pages of it.
viewtopic.php?p=361100#p361100

also includes the ultimately successful Dowty Washer fix though from here...
viewtopic.php?p=367072#p367072

Chris ties up the thread with this:
Dowty seals Work http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=46231" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and Suspension cylinder unions
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=46395" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
C5 ones fit

I believe Richard W also had a contemporary thread to Chris' and did this summary

Xantia Rear Suspension Struts and More
viewtopic.php?p=364761&hilit=pin+strut#p364761

as well as his own thread

Xantia Rear Strut Clip Removal
viewtopic.php?p=363386#p363386

That should just about cover it

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

I've just read through Richard's thread. I mentioned Chris Morewood's 20 pager was the mutts nutts of pain, Richard's 4 pager is an equally agonising process to follow...but ultimately successful.

Like the ratio "time required vs cost of the part"! contributed by Richard in the throes of the job where the pin was still "firmly wedged in the arm"

Tonight it is RW 1: Xantia 1

I can confirm you can remove the rear arm with the push rod attached Don't ask me HOW though - just kept wiggling and pulling till I got enough angle and the pushrod popped out, and then the arm came out of the subframe.

I can also confirm the pin is firmly wedged in the arm

I used to think that the clutch clip had the highest ratio of time required vs cost of the part, however, I now see that that is woeful by comparison. Clip is £1.20 and so far 10 hours expended, and it is STILL laughing at me!!!!


Oh, and remember to remove the clip that goes into the arm from the ABS plug before you are half way out with the arm and realise that the wire won't come through the hole

Here is a new pin contributed to Richard's thread by Chris. I guess when its new you just pull it out! as per Haynes!



Regards Neil

[RichardW]

I remember the pain well