95 TD Xantia Rear Suspension Stuck

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 17 Feb 2006, 17:56

I have a 95 TD Xantia and the rear suspension is stuck solid on high. It's also very bouncy when driven. When you adjust the ridse height the front goes up and down no problems, but the rear won't budge.

Has anybody got any ideas as to what this might be?

Thanks!

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 17 Feb 2006, 18:11

Plastic link to the height corrector - either fallen off or broken.

//NiSk

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 17 Feb 2006, 20:16

Item 6 :
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/cap ... 366010.gif

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 18 Feb 2006, 10:30

Cool thanks. Doesn't look too major. Is this easy enough to replace? Can you get the links by themselves or are they part of the height corrector?

BonceChops · Post by **BonceChops** » 18 Feb 2006, 10:43

You can buy the plastic link on its own from the Citroen dealer. Not expensive ( under a fiver if I remember correctly). You might find the ball it clips onto has corroded and the new one might also drop off. I ended up wiring mine on with a length of copper wire, out of some twin and earth electrical cable, to stop it falling off. That was a couple of years ago and it is still fine.

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 18 Feb 2006, 10:56

I've just been out an had a look. The plastic link has indded come off. Looking at the picture which was posted above, it's the bottom one.

The link doesn't look broken, but it's too short to reach the link on clamp number 5. I've tried pulling on it, but it won't budge. does this just need some brute force and/or lubrication to bring it back towards the plastic link?

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 18 Feb 2006, 16:07

no with the car saftly suported so it dose not drop on you,try moving the hight adjuster inside the car to the opposite end of adjustment to where it is,this should bring the linkage together more,do not leaver any of the linkage as you might bend it then,then all the hight adjustment will be out
regards malcolm

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 18 Feb 2006, 19:01

It's no good just refitting the original one, as the problem that caused it to jump off will still be there, and it will jump off again at random.

The most common cause seems to be wear in the plastic (nylon ?) cup causing the balljoint to become slack, allowing it to pop off under strain. (And that linkage is under a LOT of strain)

A new link is cheap and will eliminate the slack caused by wear and prevent it coming off again. (In the forseeable future)

Regards,
Simon

zzf00l · Post by **zzf00l** » 18 Feb 2006, 19:07

I believe that a common fix (AA/RAC) to 'get you home' is to use a plastic cable tie to keep the clip in place.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 18 Feb 2006, 20:40

The link is too short because its meant to operate the height corrector and the height you've got your car at now is either too high or too low.

The height corrector ball should move but you're working against quite a strong spring and its at one if its extremes so you might not be able to move it by hand. The way I sorted this out the last time I did one was to jack the car to approximately the correct height, then you'll find the link is the right length.

When the link is off it will be EXTREMELY dangerous to do any work underneath the car so make sure that the car is either on ramps so it cant fall onto you or that the car is properly supported by axle stands or something similarly suitable.

Digging through my pile of receipts...
Part number was 529103, 10/05/2003 cost £1.36 including VAT
Want to bet on what it costs _now_?