Another Xantia suspension thing

CitroenNuts · Unread post by **CitroenNuts** » 29 Apr 2006, 21:24

It been a while since I last had a xantia as I have had the C5 for just about a year but cant get over how different the suspension is

Its so soft and bouncy I’m concerned that it might have the wrong spheres or am I being paranoid?
The back end is like sailing a boat not driving a car. All the xantia’s I’ve had in the past have been the VSX or Exclusive models with the awkward suspension so this is my 1st normal one is there any solid way to test or at least reassure myself that its normal

Sorry about this just want to be safe

1999 Xantia 2.0Hdi SX

Forgot to say did notice that front wheels are 195/60/15 but rear ones are 205/65/15 would this make much odds is this safe?

Mandrake · Unread post by **Mandrake** » 29 Apr 2006, 21:39

CitroenNuts wrote:It been a while since I last had a xantia as I have had the C5 for just about a year but cant get over how different the suspension is

Its so soft and bouncy I’m concerned that it might have the wrong spheres or am I being paranoid?
The back end is like sailing a boat not driving a car. All the xantia’s I’ve had in the past have been the VSX or Exclusive models with the awkward suspension so this is my 1st normal one is there any solid way to test or at least reassure myself that its normal

If you think its soft and bouncy like a sailing boat then its probably NOT ok

The wrong spheres can easily give this result. One common mistake (which even Citroen agents seem to be making sometimes) is putting estate rear spheres onto a hatchback, which will give a ride at the back that is TOO soft with not enough damping like you describe. (The rear end feels like it has a mind of its own at speed....)

Let us know if your car is a hatchback or estate, and see if you can find the numbers printed on one of the rear spheres - there should be a stamped 2 digit number by the filler plug (30 or 40 for a Xantia) and also the part number which is a long number starting with 9 for genuine spheres, or a short number starting with an N for GSF spheres. From those numbers someone can look them up in a sphere table.

Sorry about this just want to be safe

1999 Xantia 2.0Hdi SX

Forgot to say did notice that front wheels are 195/60/15 but rear ones are 205/65/15 would this make much odds is this safe?

Should be ok, although putting bigger tyres on the back may bias the car slightly more towards understeer on the limit.

If the bigger tyres are in good condition I would be inclined to swap them to the front, although if you don't push the car near its limits you probably won't notice the difference.

I had 205/60/15 on the front and 185/65/15 on the rear of mine for quite a while without any problems. It's important that the tyres on each side of the same axle are the same size though of course.

Regards,
Simon

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 29 Apr 2006, 21:40

I believe the tyre sizes should be 205/65/15 all round.

And the exclusive/vsx hydractive 2 system is better in my opinion. And the sot should be softer on the hydractive two, and the hard harder, so my feeling is, if the xantia you have now feels too soft then maybe the wrong spheres are on the back, hence the boat feeling. Good luck.

Mandrake · Unread post by **Mandrake** » 29 Apr 2006, 21:45

All the specs I've seen say that for Xantia's with 205's fitted as standard they're either 205/60/15 or 205/55/15.

I've got 205/60/15 on mine and I feel that they're slightly too high in profile and I would have prefered 205/55/15, although it wasn't available in the type of tyre that I got...

So 205/65/15 might be getting a bit large, and would certainly affect the gearing and speedo accuracy a bit if on the front.

Regards,
Simon

CitroenNuts · Unread post by **CitroenNuts** » 29 Apr 2006, 21:50

1999 Xantia 2.0Hdi SX Hatchback

Will get under the car again in the daylight to see if I can read the numbers but they a very rusty.

Strange as all the dead spheres on my old xantia's where still nice and Green (paint that is) but although the ones on this seem to bounch they are really rusty maybe they are the wrong sort.

I'll also try change the fron and rear wheel and see what happens

Might just be me as I'm still shaken from the C5 wrightoff

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 29 Apr 2006, 21:52

well were glad you stuck with citroen and got a xantia

CitroenNuts · Unread post by **CitroenNuts** » 30 Apr 2006, 14:44

Ok so was unable to get the numbers from the accumulator (but it only ticks when pumping up) and I think the rear antisink sphere will need done anyway

But this is the numbers from front and rear spheres all of which are ALKO

Fr: XT20.00.0044 AV HI 2.01-190 50 07/04
R : XT20.00.0045 AR HI 2.01-190 50 07/04

I assum the 07/04 bitis the date it was made

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 30 Apr 2006, 16:04

Re tyres: nothing untoward here really - Citroen started the whole different tyres on each axle a good while ago, so you're just keeping the tradition going!!

Coincidence here, but at the moment I'm running EXACTLY the same setup on my VSX and it goes well still! I think these days the tyre shops wont let customers leave without something even when they don't have the ACTUAL size required...

When it comes to the right time to change go for standardising the lot if you must. The deeper cross section will help the extra 'give' on the general suspension so if you're regularly attacked by severe outbreaks of potholes it'll help!

Andrew

CitroenNuts · Unread post by **CitroenNuts** » 30 Apr 2006, 19:00

well it looks like i'll be doing the rear spheres and the antisink sphere anyone know best place to buy

Europarts was always No1 choice as only 20min from the house but are theye best value for money?

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 30 Apr 2006, 19:37

Europarts may be as good as any aftermarket supplier. Check the box with new sphere(s) that the correct seals are supplied. They MUST be a square section seal - not a standard O-ring seal.

Dont fall into the pit buying "re-con good as new" spheres. Be sure you get BRAND new spheres at a bit higher cost. New spheres are approx £20 +vat. Recons are some £4 down. Not much to save considered the risc.

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 30 Apr 2006, 19:37

GSF maybe?

CitroenNuts · Unread post by **CitroenNuts** » 30 Apr 2006, 22:08

Has anyone got a copy or a cheat sheet fro the ALKO sphere codes as i'm not sure as the old ones are right anyway

Fr: XT20.00.0044 AV HI 2.01-190 50 07/04
R : XT20.00.0045 AR HI 2.01-190 50 07/04

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 30 Apr 2006, 22:29

The only thing I can read from those part no's are that AV must be the french abbreviation "avant" which means front - and the AR must be "arrete" which is rear. Basically the spheres are fitted correct then.
07/04 must be production date code i.e. july 2004.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 30 Apr 2006, 22:35

AndersDK wrote:"arrete" which is rear

AR - arriere = REAR!!

AV - avant = front

I REALLY hated french at skool!!

The irony of it all with stupid numbers of Citroen lying about the place here...

Andrew

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 30 Apr 2006, 22:42

errmm - what can I say

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Another Xantia suspension thing

Another Xantia suspension thing

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