Hard rear end

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 05 Feb 2006, 09:34

Having taken the old Xantia 1.9TD (reached 170K last summer in Northern Spain) into the local garage for MOT and two rear tyres, I picked it up and was told that the rear suspension "is a bit hard". I don't think it was before I took it in. But it certainly is now. Before I get down to replacing the rear spheres, has anyone any ideas what may have occurred? I am wondering if it could have been jacked up at the rear, causing the height adjuster to be twisted around to put the suspension in a mode that would be attempting to push up all the time, thus making it more or less solid? BTW, no drop in LHM level.

micitroen · Post by **micitroen** » 05 Feb 2006, 09:43

I have no idea as to the whereabouts or layout of the H/A under the Xantia but they would have definitely jacked up the car at the front and the rear to check wheel bearings etc.....this is normally under the chassis crossmembers front and rear so it may be possible to 'catch' the H/A when they did this. I would have thought that the car would be at a different height now though if this had been the case. Does it look lower? If so they might have twisted it as you think. I know its a silly one but have you checked the height control lever? Hasn't been messed around with and put on intermediate by any chance.Hope this helps, Mike.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 05 Feb 2006, 09:48

Try do the Citaerobics (fully up & down) several times. If air (or gas) gets into the fluid side of the suspension, then it oddly feels very hard.
This will be vented by the citaerobics.

Do the standard suspension test : jerk down each corner while car in normal height. It should feels soft like any standard sprung car.
If not - then both spheres on same related axle must be replaced. No need to replace all spheres if no other symptoms.

BTW : Does the rear height looks too high when car ready to drive ?

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 05 Feb 2006, 10:00

batbay wrote:Having taken the old Xantia 1.9TD (reached 170K last summer in Northern Spain) into the local garage for MOT and two rear tyres, I picked it up and was told that the rear suspension "is a bit hard". I don't think it was before I took it in. But it certainly is now. Before I get down to replacing the rear spheres, has anyone any ideas what may have occurred? I am wondering if it could have been jacked up at the rear, causing the height adjuster to be twisted around to put the suspension in a mode that would be attempting to push up all the time, thus making it more or less solid? BTW, no drop in LHM level.

Jacking the car up is perfectly harmless to the height corrector, unless they put the jack under the height corrector of course

The suspension limit stops prevent it moving to far to cause any harm to the height corrector.

Are you sure there is a difference in the softness at the back compared to before you took it in ? Is it completely solid now ?

If they jacked the car up then they would have no doubt discovered that they could not get their jack out again when they let it down until they set the suspension to maximum height.

If the spheres are very low in gas and about to die anyway, its possible that lifting the car to maximum height could be the final straw that allowed the diaphrams to rupture, as it puts full system pressure on them, and therefore maximum strain. I havn't heard of any documented cases of this happening though, it is just my supposition.

As long as the ride height is correct I can't really see anything they could have done to cause it where they would be to blame...(old spheres rupturing under full pressure would hardly be their fault since jacking up the car requires setting the height to maximum....)

Then again I've heard of all kinds of strange things being done to Citroen's by unknowing mechanics, so who knows

Regards,
Simon

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 05 Feb 2006, 10:57

Thanks for your comments. Actually, I have quite a lot of faith in the local garage who always do a good job at a fair price, so I am not really trying to place the blame, only to try to figure out what may have happened.
Anyway, I've just been out to the car and;
Checked the LHM - it was low. Added approx 400cc to resevoir.
Carried our Citaerobics - Set to high - both ends rise
Set to "low" back drops, front stays up.
Did this again, front does not change, repeat 5 times, front wont move from high.

Set to "normal" - rear goes to more or less correct height, front doesn't change.
Pumped brakes a lot, tried with engine off. No change, front is now stuck in "high" position, back goes up and down, but feels very hard. ??????

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 05 Feb 2006, 11:09

OK -

Check the reservoir level again

- this time with engine idle and height set to HIGHEST position.
Now top up until the indicator is between the 2 red rings. It may in fact take more than a liter !

Then do the Citaerobics again !

Overfilling does in no way harm the system - it just means messy spilling on your driveway.

Dont panic - we'll sort out the problems on your Xantia 8)

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 05 Feb 2006, 11:24

batbay wrote:Thanks for your comments. Actually, I have quite a lot of faith in the local garage who always do a good job at a fair price, so I am not really trying to place the blame, only to try to figure out what may have happened.
Anyway, I've just been out to the car and;
Checked the LHM - it was low. Added approx 400cc to resevoir.
Carried our Citaerobics - Set to high - both ends rise
Set to "low" back drops, front stays up.
Did this again, front does not change, repeat 5 times, front wont move from high.

Set to "normal" - rear goes to more or less correct height, front doesn't change.
Pumped brakes a lot, tried with engine off. No change, front is now stuck in "high" position, back goes up and down, but feels very hard. ??????

Ok, so you have two problems now instead of one.

Rear - if it feels very stiff even at normal ride height, then the rear spheres are most likely punctured and need replacing.

Now on to the front. I presume that prior to you working the height from low to high that the front height was ok ?

It sounds a lot like the plastic link on the front height corrector has jumped off. It is a short link with a balljoint cup on each end connected to the rollbar clamp. Most likely it is worn and once it starts jumping off it will continue to do so..... and should be replaced with a new one.

(Very cheap to obtain in the UK, so while you're at it, get two so you can replace the rear one either when it wears out, or pre-emptively before it gives trouble)

You'll need to drive the car up onto some safe ramps or use a pit/hoist to gain access to the height corrector.

Be VERY careful to make sure that you have plenty of room under the car even if the suspension goes right down or you could be injured/killed, as the height corrector is a long way back and difficult to reach when on ramps. You've been warned.

Near the middle of the rollbar is an oval shaped hole with a clamp, this is the height corrector clamp, and there is a white plastic linkage connected to it, you'll probably find the far end of the linkage has disconnected itself.

When fitting the new link, try to avoid undoing the rollbar clamp, otherwise if you do you'll have to go through the procedure for setting the ride height.

It will only click into place when the suspension height is at normal height, so you might need to manipulate the height of the car externally. In theory it should still respond to the manual height control if the link is not fouling, so you should be able to use that to get the height near enough for the link to attach.

Failing that undo the clamp to allow you to connect the link, and then follow one of the posts on the forum for setting the ride height.

Regards,
Simon

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 05 Feb 2006, 11:43

Thanks again,guys.
I have checked the LHM again, (yes, did it correctly first time) , no change.
Guess the "now have two problems" is the correct diagnosis. I bumped hard over a "sleeping policeman" yesterday and that could well have caused the height corrector to pop out.
So, as the garage is just down the road, I think I'll take the easy way out and get them to put it up on their lift tomorrow.
Will keep you posted - I'm not quite ready to buy my next Xantia!
Barry

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 05 Feb 2006, 11:47

If you get them to fix the front height problem and if it is the plastic link that is popped off, insist they replace it with a new one rather than just clipping it back on, as although that will get you going again, it will almost certainly jump off again at a later date due to too much slack.

Regards,
Simon

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 06 Feb 2006, 13:07

Just read Jonnyboy970's post of 16 Jan. Very similar story to mine regarding the hard rear....................

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 08 Feb 2006, 14:07

As planned, the local Garage put the car up on their lift and checked the front height adjuster. I think I was lucky I hadn't broken anything as the clamp had moved on the antiroll bar thus causing the high front end.
Next job is the rear spheres -which I will do......................

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