Rear height corrector - what bits move?

D.Slatford · Post by **D.Slatford** » 13 Aug 2005, 03:50

Another small catalogue of things have all gone wrong at once on my Xantia (1997, 1,9TD)
After fitting the spare wheel today, I found the rear wouldn't sink back to normal height. It sank fully down when told to, and rose right up when told to, but nothing in between. It'd been fine up till now.
So, I had a look underneath and sure enough, the little plastic lever thing seems to have popped off the height corrector. It's still attached to the banana-like bit stuck to the anti roll bar, I presume none of that is supposed to move.
My question is, what exactly is supposed to move on the height corrector? I couldn't get a good look (not having any ramps at the time!) but from what I can tell, both ends of the plastic arm are a ball joint, and the HC end has disconnected. But nothing that end seems to move. I presume it should either pivot, or move up and down, or something? Presumably becuase I haven't put it on full before it had seized, and popped off under the strain of full height. Or maybe it had something to do with the spare wheel carrier falling to the ground and hitting it?
Anyway, it's had a liberal spraying of WD40, and tomorrow (on ramps!) I'll try and reattach it, but as it stands right now, on full height the clip doesn't meet up with the HC and nothing seems to want to give to make them meet up. I don't want to force anything in the wrong direction either!

andycarter · Post by **andycarter** » 13 Aug 2005, 05:46

Hi Dan,
With it on full height the HC ball joint will be really stiff under spring pressure and wont want to move, the two ball joints will be too far apart to easily refit the linkage.
You need to reverse it up onto some ramps then move the the lever to normal position to allow the HC free movement then refit the link.
Regards
Andy

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 13 Aug 2005, 17:04

it is best to purchase a new link from cit dealer,because it has come off once it will keep poping off unless you fit a new one
regards malcolm

zzf00l · Post by **zzf00l** » 13 Aug 2005, 17:13

Or secure with a plastic tie!!

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 13 Aug 2005, 17:17

why bodge it when they only cost a couple of squide from citroen,and take a couple of mins to fit
regards malcolm

zzf00l · Post by **zzf00l** » 14 Aug 2005, 02:05

true!

FrenchLeave · Post by **FrenchLeave** » 14 Aug 2005, 05:01

Why not fit a new one AND fit a plastic tie to keep it on?

D.Slatford · Post by **D.Slatford** » 14 Aug 2005, 17:51

Managed to get it up on ramps today. Had a good look, I don't think it's fixable. The pivot thing that the plastic clip clips onto is free to move, but the rod it moves into the center of the hydraulic unit does not want to budge at all. Looks like I'll have to limit my driving while the rears on the ground until I can get it to my cit man

May as well get those clunky droplinks replaced at the same time. Something new every month!

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 15 Aug 2005, 04:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by D.Slatford

Managed to get it up on ramps today. Had a good look, I don't think it's fixable. The pivot thing that the plastic clip clips onto is free to move, but the rod it moves into the center of the hydraulic unit does not want to budge at all. Looks like I'll have to limit my driving while the rears on the ground until I can get it to my cit man

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
When you say the height corrector rod doesn't move, keep in mind that the normal MAXIMUM travel of the height corrector rod (sticking out from the drum) is about 2mm at most. Also it has a hydraulic damping valve which prevents it from moving quickly, so it takes several seconds of sustanined pressure to make it move at all.
Even when in normal condition it wont slide back and forth freely and loosely while there is still oil in it, if thats what you're imagining it should do...
Also it is possible to disassemble a height corrector and recondition it, if you're in a got-nothing-to-lose situation it may be worth trying given the cost of a new one.
I've done it before a couple of times, the main thing that seems to go wrong is they get sludge and grit collecting in the hydraulic damper valve ports.
Regards,
Simon

D.Slatford · Post by **D.Slatford** » 15 Aug 2005, 04:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Even when in normal condition it wont slide back and forth freely and loosely, if thats what you're imagining it should do...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Well, if it just moves by a couple of mm then I see no way of fitting the clip back, with the car on full height the two ends of the plastic clip are too far apart, and car on lowest setting (on ramps) almost touching each other, and I can only move them closer, not further apart. Something's not right about that.
Have to hope my cit guy in Dewsbury can see to it start of the week, and find out what's really happened.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 15 Aug 2005, 04:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by D.Slatford

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Even when in normal condition it wont slide back and forth freely and loosely, if thats what you're imagining it should do...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Well, if it just moves by a couple of mm then I see no way of fitting the clip back, with the car on full height the two ends of the plastic clip are too far apart, and car on lowest setting (on ramps) almost touching each other, and I can only move them closer, not further apart. Something's not right about that.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The connection between the height corrector and the rollbar is itself a torsion bar, and it deliberately bends when there is an error in height, this converts the error offset into a force rather than a position, which together with the hydraulic damper in the height corrector, is what gives you your 10 second delay before it adjusts for a height change.
The movement of this bar over the full travel of the suspension when disconnected from the height corrector is MUCH more than it moves when connected, thus depending on the height of the suspension and the setting of the manual height control lever the gap will be wrong to reconnect the linkage. (You can't connect it under strain)
So to reconnect the linkage you need to either jack up the suspension to normal height so the linkage is in the neutral position, or perhaps get an assitant to move the manual height control lever one way or the other until the gap is correct, then pop the linkage back on.
Regards,
Simon

D.Slatford · Post by **D.Slatford** » 16 Aug 2005, 05:15

That makes some sense!
Still, it's fixed now, the independant citroen mechanic I use confirmed it had well and truly seized. New unit on now (and had front droplinks changed at the same time), feels like a new car again now!
Thanks all for explainations.