Xantia 2.0 HDi suspension very bumpy! what do I do?

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icedillon
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Xantia 2.0 HDi suspension very bumpy! what do I do?

Post by icedillon »

My Xantia is so bumpy now its like being at alton Towers sometimes! What do i do? Do I have to change these so called spheres? or do get them regassed?

Thanks in advance
mezuk04
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Post by mezuk04 »

It genuinely seems easier just to get new ones and stick them on instead of driving to the 'garage' with spheres in hand, having them gassed, coming home in a friends car and then re-fitting.

For the sake of probably a few quid difference (not sure of the exact price) I would just have new ones fitted, but then its all down the personal preference.
Volkswagen Golf 59' 1.6TD S :(
Quackers
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Post by Quackers »

Its not a T reg one from Stoke on trent area is it? It was making me sick follow that car the other day, it was bouncing all over the place.

Could be your height correctors or linkage if it feels bouncy bumpy.
icedillon
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Post by icedillon »

Lol its a W Reg, How do I know if its the spheres, height corrector or linkage?

The car does maintain athe correct height when driving though, like when you first start the car, it goes up slightly to the correct ride height
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

icedillon wrote:Lol its a W Reg, How do I know if its the spheres, height corrector or linkage?

The car does maintain athe correct height when driving though, like when you first start the car, it goes up slightly to the correct ride height
Then the Height Corrector (HC) and links works fine.

The so-called spheres are indeed spheres by their looks. Its the green ones on the car.

Car in normal height - engine idle - handbrake applied.
Then jerk down each corner of the car in turn.
Should feel like any other car - I.e. feels soft.
Front corners should be quite easy to jerk down some 2 inches
Rear corners some 3-4 inches.

If it feels hard like only rubber is providing a few mm of movement - the associated wheel sphere(s) is flat (ruptured).

Use the search option on the forum - and you will get loads of descriptions on how to replace spheres. Each sphere is some £20 (+vat). Dont EVER get tempted to save a few quid buying re-con spheres.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
mezuk04
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Post by mezuk04 »

Hope I'm not correct again :wink:
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KevMayer
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Post by KevMayer »

Is your Xantia Hydractive. i.e. has it got a sport button infront of the height selector on the centre console.

My Activa seems rather bouncy at times.

Although, thinking about it, I probably need to check my corner spheres.

The other day i was doing close to warp speed on a country lane and went over some rough road surface on a bend, the Activa went into space hopper mode. Boing...Boing.....

It was obviously in hard mode, but, on reflection, was probably harder than it should have been, unless Activas have a further rock hard mode.

It is possible that the combination of hard mode and hydraulic rams caused the bouncing (Activas have further hydraulic rams one on front left and one on rear right suspension arms).

I'm not sure that I could tell from the tickover bounce test whether my corner spheres are flat. I tried this test a couple of weeks ago. It was soft on tickover then 30 secs after turn off it went hard..very hard. Maybe there should have been a fraction more bounce after the 30 secs. Front and rear were both very hard.

So, a hydractive Xantia in hard mode could be prone to bouncing if pushed. If yours is stuck in hard mode because a fuse has gone say, then you won't experience the comfort of the centre sphere.
Cheers, Kev

02 plate C5 2.2 Hdi Exclusive SE (now 170k miles 03/21).

Used to have:- Xantia 1.9 TurboD SX. 1996 Blue & 1998 Silver Activa. + 1992 BX TZD Turbo.
ACTIVE8
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Post by ACTIVE8 »

Quackers wrote:Its not a T reg one from Stoke on trent area is it? It was making me sick follow that car the other day, it was bouncing all over the place.

Could be your height correctors or linkage if it feels bouncy bumpy.
I had a similar experience, I spotted an Xantia in the rear view mirror, and it was bouncing in the outer lane of two lanes of traffic. I happened to be many cars infront of it, in the inside lane, and waiting for the traffic lights to change.

Although the sight of the other car bouncing was not something you could miss, even though it was far away.

Maybe the driver had got used to it, but even so they should (if they have any common sense) get it looked at.
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