Xantia strut tops/Spheres

np · Unread post by np » 11 Feb 2006, 19:15

Hi all,been a while since my last post.Working in Lands End at the mo.Anyway,gave my car a service the other day,while i was poking around,i noticed perished rubber & rust on the strut tops.After searching,it would apeer that i need to replace the strut tops soon

.They dont look to bad,but bad enough to start having visions of dented bonnets etc

.Any hints or tips would be a help,& best place to get them.I`m fairly good on the spanners etc,& have removed struts on Vauxhalls & Fords before.Or if its a big/hard job,i may leave to the local Independent.
Also,i`m going to change the spheres soon,so if anyone living in the Bristol area has a removal tool,that would be great.
Many thanks

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 11 Feb 2006, 21:49

I know that is a problem on some XMs but didn't know it affected Xantias. What I would do personally is to try and prevent the rust getting any worse, by giving the whole area a good soaking with oil and when thats soaked in everywhere follow with a layer of grease. That will at least keep the problem in check until you can do something about it.

As for a source of replacements, I know that the XM ones are difficult to get, but as there are about 100 times more Xantia's, I wouldn't think it should be to difficult. I am sure someone will come up and tell you.

mpr1956 · Unread post by **mpr1956** » 11 Feb 2006, 22:55

Hi np... I live in chippenham, but am in bristol from time to time and you are welcome to borrow my sphere tool... just give me a pm or email, and we can organise something.. Martin

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 11 Feb 2006, 23:29

Oh yes, these will "go" AND probably easier than an Xm one - the metal's thinner and there's less rubber...

Now I've had the misfortune of one 'letting go' as I was pulling away up the road from outside my house on a 2.0 Sei Xm so have seen the bent bonnet shennanigans already, and it felt for the world as though I'd hit an invisible tree when there weas a load thunk and the bonnet doubled up in my field of vision [if you've ever had the late brake running into something feeling - this is like it!!]

I've just done a really "hanging" strut top change a few weekends back on a newly acquired TD SX estate on an N plate with 130k miles - took me about an hour and a half with some faffing included...

It was "hanging" on by the faintest dregs of luck and chance with the top strut somehow "just" sitting through/on the metal collar that's attached onto the wheelarch!! Couldn't believe it. I'd just driven it reasonably hard home through some twisties after buying it!! Sure ther'es a lesson to be learnt here, but anyhow...

Yes, god knows how it was actually working. The angle of the metal head the sphere attaches onto could actually easily reoirientate itself randomly on the metal collar when it was removed...

scary stuff - check yours NOW!!

The GIVEAWAY is droopy bellows as there's no integrity left of the ring in the under wheelarch area at the top onto which the bellows attaches to - I've got wise now to this one but cannot believe it was so bad here = I was aware that it "would" need changing when I bought the car, just not as imminently...

The change over itself, is painless although for me personally, I found a fiddle was actually getting the central piston ram to drop through off the sphere head after undoing the big nut on the top. The trick is to sharply welt it without damaging the thread. If the nut is finger tight left on and it drops through you'll just need a big enough spanner to turn the nut and a big allan key hex size to stop the shaft turning on undoing it.

I found the hard way how to knacker it all up by having a practice on a car in the local scrappy to me. He sold me a nice pukka strut top for a tenner.

I'll see about digging my camera out to take some more illuminating piccy's

All the best,
Andrew

np · Unread post by np » 12 Feb 2006, 01:47

Thanks guys.Martin,i`ll be in touch when i`m ready thank.Your only 25 mins away.
I`ve been looking on Citroen pr net.Looks like the strut top is built into the sphere housing as a all in one unit.£92 ish each.Can anyone confirm that it is the whole unit.
Thanks,Neil

Unread post by **martyhopkirk** » 12 Feb 2006, 08:15

np wrote:I`ve been looking on Citroen pr net.Looks like the strut top is built into the sphere housing as a all in one unit.£92 ish each.Can anyone confirm that it is the whole unit.
Thanks,Neil

I have a new strut top - Im fairly sure its a N/S but will have to check which you could have for a ten spot + postage (or collection from Blackpool) if its any use.

np · Unread post by np » 12 Feb 2006, 11:39

That would be great Marty thanks.I`ll P.M you now.
Cheers.

np · Unread post by np » 12 Feb 2006, 11:45

You should have mail marty.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 12 Feb 2006, 18:37

you will have to check martys strut top is corect one for your car as these are model secific,as far as im aware there is about 4 diferant tops and yes they are one unit with the sphere mount
regards malcolm

np · Unread post by np » 12 Feb 2006, 21:06

Mine is a VSX so has Hydractive suspension,if that makes any difference Martry.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 12 Feb 2006, 21:52

Yep - sure as eggs is eggs!! The pipe bore is far larger on the VSx strut top compared to 'normal' Xantia spec ones!!

You definately need one off a VSX - 'nuff said!!

Andrew

np · Unread post by np » 12 Feb 2006, 22:53

Well,unless Martys is a VSX top,looks like Citroen then

.I`ve only ever seen 1 VSX TD est since i`ve had mine(4 yrs),let alone ANY ests in the scrapys.

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 13 Feb 2006, 12:19

yes seems a common problem, both of mine were badly gone last year. 1994 TD xantia

I managed to get some good used ones, not too bad a job to change. (I also changed spheres, wishbones at same time, which made all jobs easier)

hardest thing i remeber was trying to get strut back into strut-top and then the bolt in, without it all compressing.. you just need a helper for this part..!

definately take spheres off before trying to remove strut tops

J

Unread post by **martyhopkirk** » 13 Feb 2006, 16:49

np wrote:Well,unless Martys is a VSX top,looks like Citroen then .I`ve only ever seen 1 VSX TD est since i`ve had mine(4 yrs),let alone ANY ests in the scrapys.

Truthfully have not the foggiest idea!