Hello, I've got a Xantia 19td vsx, underneath at the back there's a coiled pipe at either side just next to the back wheels, on the driver side the pipe has corroded through, could anybody give me advice on what's involved in changing this pipe, step by step if possible, I don't have a manual.
Also, what does this pipe do? is it brakes or suspension, can I still use the car with this pipe leaking?and is it better to buy a new one from a Citroen dealer?any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Fangy.
Leaking LHM
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This is the feed pipe to the rear brakes. DO NOT drive the car till it's fixed! (although speaking from experience, it does not seem to make much difference to the brake performance - I only found out because my colleague rang me up after I dropped him off to complain I had left an oil slick on his drive 
) Eventually the low LHM light would have come on though.
They are a PITA to change. You can buy them from Citroen, but unless you want to dismantle all the rear suspension pipework to get them in, don't bother. Find an independent that can make them up for you in Kunifer - nice and flexible (remembering they are not standard brake pipe flares). Pleaides should be able to do it for you, but when I enquired, they did not have a pattern, so I would have had to take them off and get them measured then order them. They come from a K pipe splitter located under the rear near side. Snip the pipes off at the spiltter and calipers and use a 6 side socket to undo the unions that are left - you might need some heat and Plus gas to free them. I then found I couldn't get the pipe stubs out of the K, so had to undo (carefully!) the main feed pipe and remove the K from the car to get the old pipes out (even then it was a challenge, and at one point I was considering throwing it in the BBQ to burn the rubber seals out!). Remove the remainder of the pipes, carefully retaining the vaious clamps etc. I had to cut the long O/S pipe into 3 to get it out - hence why you can't use the Citroen steel replacements easily. Feed the pipes back in and reassemble (with new seals) - I drilled out the rivets on the brackets, and then fitted them to the new pipes with small bolts. You can pre-form the spirals - wind it round a former of the right size - make sure it's going the right way though! Finally bleed the brakes - go very carefully with the bleed nipples though - they like braking off! And don't forget you don't get any rear brake presure with the suspension hanging down, even if it's on high!
My job took longer as I fitted new pads and discs, and cleaned the corrosion out from behind the calipers. I had to split the calipers and saw the pads in half to get them out, so bad was the rust / filth. Surprisingly, the calipers worked fine afterwards, and I got all four pipes and nipples out after an hour with the blowlamp and plus gas.
Get yourself some brake pipe spanners as well (8 and 10mm).
Took me most of a weekend, including trips to the tool shop and the pipe makers. Not a job I fancy doing again in a hurry!
) Eventually the low LHM light would have come on though.They are a PITA to change. You can buy them from Citroen, but unless you want to dismantle all the rear suspension pipework to get them in, don't bother. Find an independent that can make them up for you in Kunifer - nice and flexible (remembering they are not standard brake pipe flares). Pleaides should be able to do it for you, but when I enquired, they did not have a pattern, so I would have had to take them off and get them measured then order them. They come from a K pipe splitter located under the rear near side. Snip the pipes off at the spiltter and calipers and use a 6 side socket to undo the unions that are left - you might need some heat and Plus gas to free them. I then found I couldn't get the pipe stubs out of the K, so had to undo (carefully!) the main feed pipe and remove the K from the car to get the old pipes out (even then it was a challenge, and at one point I was considering throwing it in the BBQ to burn the rubber seals out!). Remove the remainder of the pipes, carefully retaining the vaious clamps etc. I had to cut the long O/S pipe into 3 to get it out - hence why you can't use the Citroen steel replacements easily. Feed the pipes back in and reassemble (with new seals) - I drilled out the rivets on the brackets, and then fitted them to the new pipes with small bolts. You can pre-form the spirals - wind it round a former of the right size - make sure it's going the right way though! Finally bleed the brakes - go very carefully with the bleed nipples though - they like braking off! And don't forget you don't get any rear brake presure with the suspension hanging down, even if it's on high!
My job took longer as I fitted new pads and discs, and cleaned the corrosion out from behind the calipers. I had to split the calipers and saw the pads in half to get them out, so bad was the rust / filth. Surprisingly, the calipers worked fine afterwards, and I got all four pipes and nipples out after an hour with the blowlamp and plus gas.
Get yourself some brake pipe spanners as well (8 and 10mm).
Took me most of a weekend, including trips to the tool shop and the pipe makers. Not a job I fancy doing again in a hurry!
Richard W
Leaking LHM
Thanks for the quick reply, this sounds like a nightmare of a job. I'd never heard of Kunifer,but it sounds like the way to go. Do you know the diameter of the pipe I'll need?
Fangy
Fangy