C5 Spheres and Headlight

JT · Unread post by JT » 24 Jan 2006, 14:35

Hello again everyone,
I am looking for rear spheres for my 2.0l HDI C5. It is a 2002 model.
I live in the Republic of Ireland. So I rang GSF in Dublin where I normally get my Citroen spares( two Xantias before the C5).
They said they stocked spheres for all models except the C5.
I nearly had heart failure!! Does this mean I have to go to the stealers to have spheres fitted at enormous expense.
Is it possible to buy spurious ones in the U.K.
Also my H7 dipped beam headlight bulbs blow every 3 to 4 months.
Does anybody have any idea what is wrong here.
Help!!!

mezuk04 · Unread post by **mezuk04** » 24 Jan 2006, 14:38

Ive just checked the downloaded catalogue and apparently it would seem correct they dont stock spheres for the C5....surely someone here will know a solution

dnsey · Unread post by **dnsey** » 24 Jan 2006, 17:20

Aren't the C5 spheres supposed to last indefinitely?
If so, it's understandable that people like GSF don't want to keep them on the shelf.

406 V6 · Unread post by **406 V6** » 24 Jan 2006, 18:27

They are supposed to last up to 5 years, together with the rest of the hydraulic system before maintenance. That's the reason why they are only found on the Citroën network, unlike older spheres that are sold easily

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 24 Jan 2006, 20:31

The only reason for bulb failure, other than mechanical shock, is excessive voltage. Check the voltage across your battery with the engine running, it should be 14 volts plus or minus very little. If its much over that, the regulator on your alternator is faulty.

Mandrake · Unread post by **Mandrake** » 25 Jan 2006, 01:24

406 V6 wrote:They are supposed to last up to 5 years, together with the rest of the hydraulic system before maintenance. That's the reason why they are only found on the Citroën network, unlike older spheres that are sold easily

I think its simpler than that -

If they last as long as the multilayer spheres on the Xantia then they will easily last 5 years without losing significant pressure, and since the C5 only first came out in 2001 the oldest ones are only just reaching 5 years old now, so previously there would have been no market for 3rd party C5 spheres !!

The only C5 spheres that would have been replaced until now would be those that failed early due to some kind of defect, and many of those would have got replaced under warranty.

Why stock them if hardly anybody needs any yet ? The market for replacement spheres doesn't exist until the model reaches an age where the average sphere is expected to need replacing... and since the C5 uses a new design of sphere and a new hydraulic oil it is a radical departure from early sphere designs...

Give it a few years and C5's will be reaching the age where their spheres actually do need replacing in large numbers and suddenly there will be a big market for 3rd party C5 spheres and people like GSF will start stocking them...

Regards,
Simon

JT · Unread post by JT » 25 Jan 2006, 08:51

Thanks for all the help guys.
The reason I was looking for new rear spheres is that the wrong ones were fitted at manufacture apparently, and the car is now out of warranty.
So I have to pay the cost of changing them.
As for the lights I will check the battery and work from there.
Thanks again to all.
JT

andrewhall · Unread post by **andrewhall** » 25 Jan 2006, 13:10

Hi JT

I have found a company in Belgium that manufacture C5 (And all other citroen) spheres.

They are :
I.F.H.S. - Intern. Factory of Hydraulic Systems N.V.

Address Z.I. Noord, Klaverbladstraat 2 C, 3560 Lummen
Phone 013 53 19 67
Fax 013 53 15 50

Not sure if they will deal direct.
Check out this web site, they have the IFHS Sphere Brochure.

http://www.dworzak.at/Kataloge/KATALOG_ ... N_2005.pdf

Let me know how you get on - My C5 is at 115,000 miles so I will probably need to replace at some time soon also (I'm in Galway by the way!!)

Regards

Andrew

bencowell · Unread post by **bencowell** » 25 Jan 2006, 21:21

My C5 2002 2.0 HDI 110 saloon had its spheres changed. The independent fitted IFHS spheres, but for the H3+ not the H3.

Subsequently I had genuine Citroen spheres fitted.

The Citroen 31 bar ones give a softer ride, but the IFHS 25 bar ones gave a quieter ride.

IFHS also make comfort spheres but they weren't available in December when I had the work done.

The spheres were £60 each (plus VAT), and the Citroen ones £75+ vat.

I won't say who supplied or fitted them as I am really annoyed that they lied about fitting genuine Citroen spheres when they didn't.

Ben

406 V6 · Unread post by **406 V6** » 25 Jan 2006, 22:12

JT,

If they were not changed by Citroën, call them and they will do it as it was a factory recall, and as such, has nothing to do with the warranty.
Don't go for the old "out of warranty, you pay" song. As i stated before, it's a factory recall. Make pressure on the dealer by saying you are going to expose your case to the importer or the mother home, Citroën France, this usually works

:D

JT · Unread post by JT » 30 Jan 2006, 16:30

OK, first let me say thanks to everyone for all the help.
On the lights issue, Peter, I have checked the battery voltage with the engine running and it is bang on 14 volts.So presumably the alternator is functioning as it should and the fault lies elsewhere. But where, is the question?
In relation to the spheres I have been on to Citroen Ireland and they say that this car was recalled to have the wheels changed for some reason, but not the spheres and as far as they are concerned the original spheres are fine. Yet my local Citroen dealer tells me the wrong spheres are fitted and this is causing the clonking noise in the rear suspension.
Andrew, thanks for the info on I.F.H.S. I had a look at their website, which in turn somehow led me to a site called FROGBITZ (Apologies to the politically correct) and they seem to sell all Citroen spheres including ones for the C5. The cost at the moment is 60 to 70 pounds sterling each but they expect this price to drop in the future.
I will give them a ring this week and let you know how I get on.
JT

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 30 Jan 2006, 19:12

andrewhall wrote:Hi JT

I have found a company in Belgium that manufacture C5 (And all other citroen) spheres.

They are :
I.F.H.S. - Intern. Factory of Hydraulic Systems N.V.

Address Z.I. Noord, Klaverbladstraat 2 C, 3560 Lummen
Phone 013 53 19 67
Fax 013 53 15 50

Not sure if they will deal direct.
Check out this web site, they have the IFHS Sphere Brochure.

http://www.dworzak.at/Kataloge/KATALOG_ ... N_2005.pdf

Let me know how you get on - My C5 is at 115,000 miles so I will probably need to replace at some time soon also (I'm in Galway by the way!!)

Regards

Andrew

that looks like a very usfull site,as the chart has O/E part numbers and you can read it in english
regards malcolm