BX Estate Rear Sphere will not budge!!

ed4ferrets · Post by **ed4ferrets** » 20 Aug 2005, 20:51

Hi folks!! I'm at my wits end with this sphere[xx(]Having acquired a sphere removing tool I easily cracked one sphere loose but the other side is turning the whole works!I've loaded the rear with all the ballast I could find (excluding the in-laws) without any joy. There is also lhm weeping from or around the knobbly bit on the end of the sphere, is this strange or what[?]

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 20 Aug 2005, 21:57

If the sphere is turning, add more weight! You do have the wheel that is attached to the sphere on the ground don't you? If leverage won't budge the sphere, you could try hammer and chisel, a bit of shock sometimes starts things moving.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 20 Aug 2005, 22:05

Hammer & chisel as it's much easier this way to apply a peak giant pressure. Also the sphere body is a surprising heavy steel - you dont need to fear penetration [;)]
The leak from the knob means the sphere is totally shot.
Dont bother re-gas the spheres - purchase brand bew ones at some £20 instead (from GSF).

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 20 Aug 2005, 22:17

Silly question, but are you doing it with the engine running? If not, try it with the motor running and the system under pressure- this should hold the cylinder still while you crack the sphere loose.

ed4ferrets · Post by **ed4ferrets** » 20 Aug 2005, 22:28

Wheel is on the ground, had concrete fence posts, spare wheels and some heavyweight family members (who shall remain anonymous) in the boot.... to no avail[:(]. It took a lot of effort to turn but unfortunately the strut body still turned as well [:0]. How far can the strut turn before damage is done, and will hammer and chisel not cause same the damage?
On another subject, I'm not implying that you're a greybeard Anders[;)]but you may be able to help with my posting on the Renault forum too!!

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 20 Aug 2005, 22:37

You can't turn the cylinder too far or it may damage the HP pipe-Im not sure if you have enough room to get the pipe undone with the sphere still on, you may now need to start applying some heat.

dnsey · Post by **dnsey** » 20 Aug 2005, 23:03

If it comes to the worst, I've cracked a reluctant sphere by setting blocks under the tool handle with the suspension on high, then lowering the car. I'm not saying that I recommend it though...[}:)]

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 20 Aug 2005, 23:59

If the strut is turning, lowering the car onto a tool won't help it will break something.
The Xantia struts are held by the subframe, they have a piece that protrudes and goes into a sort of bracket, there is a bit of play on this, so the strut can turn a bit as it takes up the play. Is the BX similar to the Xantia, what stops the struts rotating on a BX?

bernie · Post by **bernie** » 21 Aug 2005, 00:30

Just the 3.5mm pipe!!!!!!!!!!!

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 21 Aug 2005, 00:53

The only way that works without causing trouble once you get this far, is to set the car at maximum height and smite the the outer edge of the sphere with a cold chisel and two pound hammer. That'll shock it loose. This technique has never failed me.

basil40 · Post by **basil40** » 21 Aug 2005, 01:06

make sure you have the car supported if you have any part of your body underneath it - try to get some eye protection too.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 21 Aug 2005, 20:48

Hi Ed - hope you're well apart from this present problemette: which BX is it that needs rear re-sphering?
My patent method for removing reluctant rear spheres involves the sphere tool and gravity, but adds in an extra element. This is a LARGE stilson wrench or similar. This is used to grip the cylinder at the boot end, taking care not to chew up the boot. There should be enough bare metal to get a grip on with the stilson. This is positioned so that it's it'll oppose the direction of sphere-unscrewing-rotation when in contact with the ground, and then the car is lowered gently until the handle end of the wrench in is firm contact with the ground, locking the suspension cylinder.
Now is the time to attack the sphere using the tool/method of choice - I prefer a sphere tool, rather than the hammer and chisel approach, but possibly because I own one! This worked very nicely to crack some rear spheres that had resisted all previous methods for many months before, and on which there was a considerable amount of cylnder rotation.
I hope to be passing on the way to South Wales within the next couple of weeks, and if so I will pack the sphere tool and stilson.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 21 Aug 2005, 20:53

Whoops - see you've got the sphere tool so don't need that. One other refinement: I removed one wheel at a time when using this method to give as much workspace as possible, and so I wouldn't have to work underneath the car (which had addition axle-stand support in position in case the stilson slipped).

ed4ferrets · Post by **ed4ferrets** » 21 Aug 2005, 23:13

[:D]Thanks for all the input, tried hammer and chisel then added a wee bit more leverage to the tool....... sphere cracked under the pressure!![8D]

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 22 Aug 2005, 20:18

Yup! Where subtlety fails us, yea violence avails us. Welcome back to the comfort zone.