xantia bouncy ride

pikey · Post by **pikey** » 13 Dec 2002, 15:58

I am in the middle of changing my front spheres, as suggested that this maybe the resolution to a bouncy ride (using a tool made up with 10mm studding pukka!). spheres are now removed. I have noticed that the lhm seeping from the now open front cylinders has lots of fine air bubbles in it.
Is this normal???
Any Suggestions ?
My plan is to just wait until the lhm stops flowing then attach the new spheres and seals.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 13 Dec 2002, 16:49

Don't panic mate. That's just the nitrogen from your ruptured spheres. Just whack the newies in, bleed via the accumulator 12 mm bleed screw & put the height adjustment from bottom to top a few times & bleed via accumulator again. The bubbles are par for the vourse in situations such as this.
BTW, always open the bleed valve when the suspension is on its highest setting.
Alan S

pikey · Post by **pikey** » 13 Dec 2002, 17:33

New spheres on,
Ride is like new.
Thanks for help.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 18 Dec 2006, 15:49

alan s wrote:Don't panic mate. That's just the nitrogen from your ruptured spheres. Just whack the newies in, bleed via the accumulator 12 mm bleed screw & put the height adjustment from bottom to top a few times & bleed via accumulator again. The bubbles are par for the vourse in situations such as this.
BTW, always open the bleed valve when the suspension is on its highest setting.
Alan S

I've not seen this mentioned I recently - bleeding when suspension is set at highest. Is this the correct method?

Steve.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 18 Dec 2006, 16:47

The bolt on the regulator is really only a pressure relief valve. Leave it open with the engine running will cause LHM to flow from the pump back to the reservoir, carrying any air with it. The suspension is one way unless the height corrector is opened in which case it expells LHM (with gas) as it drops.

There's no real problem with getting gas out on these systems - getting it out of the accumulator circuit first is a good idea as then it won't get dumped in the brakes or suspension, but if it does get in the suspension it'll come out after a few raise/lower cycles.

Gas is also unlikely to get into the brakes as those limbs should be full of LHM and not receive any fresh flow.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 18 Dec 2006, 17:00

I see what you mean. I've already tried it but it hasn't made any difference.

Thanks for the info.

Steve.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 18 Dec 2006, 18:50

alan s wrote:BTW, always open the bleed valve when the suspension is on its highest setting.
Alan S

I forgot 2 weeks ago when replacing front spheres on a BX

What a wheezing mess from the first sphere removed.

Reason for any suspension pressure left is rusty and no longer perfectly working HC linkages. This leaves the HC just a tiny wee open to control the lower height setting. And then any remaining accumulator pressure (above approx 100 bar) will be connected to the suspension spheres.

Believe its more a problem found on earlier hyd Cits with the long springy steel linkage bars. Xantia and later hyd cits have a much different HC linkage.

At least it proves that my accumulator sphere is able to hold some spare pressure

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 18 Dec 2006, 21:18

I've always used this method after changing spheres.
It only relieves one side of the system of any air that might be in, (the low pressure return side) but as Anders points out, it also helps to give the hydraulics a working out in areas that normally don't get much use and can help prevent h/c seizures as well as moving into normally unused areas, sections of certain suspension components that tend to normally work only over a very limited area.
Every 18 months or so, I tend to do a bleed via the brakes to help prevent stale/contaminated LHM from doing any damage at the brake cylinders and at 3 years (second 18 months in that cycle) I remove the LHM tank, drain wash out, refit, refill and then again bleed until the new fresh LHM comes from the bleed nipples. Doesn't take long, and I get a much smoother ride and braking as a bonus.

Alan S

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 18 Dec 2006, 21:27

Makes sense to me. I've noticed by going through the posts from the oldest to newest that a reasonable number of members ask questions about faults but don't leave any feedback as to whether the faults were fixed. Shame really, how else can we build up a workable knowledge base.

Thanks.

Steve.