Xantia sphere change

p20 · Post by **p20** » 31 Jul 2005, 23:22

Hi, just a quick one. About to change the front spheres on my Xantia and just want to check a couple of points.
Do i have to depressurise the system?
Is there a seal between the sphere and its contact point?
Cheers.

nitro74 · Post by **nitro74** » 31 Jul 2005, 23:34

Hello
its quite easy, put the lever to the lowest and wait at least couple of minutes to make sure that the car is completely down(just incase you dont here the ticking noise). This depressurises the system, then unscrew the sphere but they are very tight so you have to use a special tool or a big pair of grip pliers, there is a rubber O ring between the sphere and where it screws back. dont forget they have to be very tight.

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 31 Jul 2005, 23:42

Don't forget to undo the pressure release valve on the pressure reg too, half a turn is enough, you'll hear it squeal as pressure is released, and when you do it up again don't do it up much more than finger tight or you'll bust it. Also, although the spheres are a bugger to get off, they don't need to be much more than hand tight when you put the new ones on. The reason they are so solid is that the sphere corrodes itself to the ram. Put the seal on the ram and not the sphere when you fit the replacement.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 01 Aug 2005, 01:01

I dont generally find it necessary to open the pressure release vale, just setting the suspension to its lowest seems to suffice.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 01 Aug 2005, 02:00

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Peter.N.</i>

I dont generally find it necessary to open the pressure release vale, just setting the suspension to its lowest seems to suffice.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
It may not be "necessary" to complete the job, but it is a prudent safety precaution, and one that I've always followed. Leaving the regulator pressurized is like switching an electrical appliance off at the front panel but leaving it pluged into the mains while taking the cover off and working on it - potentially unsafe, should there be a fault in the equipment.
When you set the height lever down you are relying ENTIRELY on the height corrector and the height corrector linkages to be functioning 100%, and everyone here is probably aware of seized/snapped/popped off height corrector linkages.
Should this happen in the middle of a sphere change you could literally be looking at a lot of high pressure oil coming your way, especially if lying behind the rear suspension cylinders while changing the rear spheres. At the very least it would make a big mess. (Oil all over the auxilary belt anyone ?)
With the regulator depressurized even if the height corrector did fail there would be no pressure source for it to leak.
Safety first chaps [:D] Hydraulic systems can kill or injure you in unexpected ways unless you give them due respect and take appropriate precautions.
Regards,
Simon

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 01 Aug 2005, 03:45

Worse than just getting a bath in LHM, if a height corrector were to fail, you could be talking about the car jacking up its suspension and knocking itself off its props or hitting you with a suspension arm / wheel / brake disc etc.

JohnT · Post by **JohnT** » 01 Aug 2005, 03:57

I agree it is not a good idea! The 'safe'way is the way to do it. All you need is a 12ml spanner for 1/4 turn, you will hear a whoosh and then the system is safe to work on.

nitro74 · Post by **nitro74** » 05 Aug 2005, 04:52

hello
can anybody tell me where is that preassure release valve??

tanto · Post by **tanto** » 05 Aug 2005, 06:36

it is on the front of the regulator facing the radiator as said before just 1/4 turn do not take it all the way out or you risk losing the small ball that makes the seal

p20 · Post by **p20** » 05 Aug 2005, 22:26

Got my front spheres changed. Nice and straight forward. Only down points being sold the wrong spheres in the first place[:(!] and losing some skin against the radiator when changing the accumulator sphere.[B)] Passed its test no problem. It now makes the back end feel a little firm in comparison. Great to have the magic carpet ride back.