Another "speared" Xantia strut top...Check YOURS!

[andmcit]

CITROEN XANTIA SPEARS/ REPAIR ebay item number: 4651517020

Speared through the bonnet! Is your gaiter at half mast on your strut? This maybe next!



I know we're going to see a few more of these - not one in a yard of 6-7 cars last weekend had any worth bothering to take off to look at closer...

Have you checked yours? Had to change one's on two of mine in the last few months! No more spares to rely on.

Andrew

[mezuk04]

Eh?

I am aware of this failure, but how can you prevent it? and how can you tell if its going to happen sometime in the not so distant future?

[ACTIVE8]

Is there another way of diagnosing the problem other than the obvious visual check ?

By that I mean is there a specific particular noise which they make when they are wearing/worn, and starting to go, which would bring the problem to the drivers attention, before they collapse ?

[mpr1956]

Hi all, I did my n/s strut top recently, as a result of reading a thread on here recently.. apparently the first sign of serious corrosion of the strut top is when the strut gaiter will not secure to the retaining ring under the strut top... this is due to deformation of the retaining ring ( it becomes oval as the strut top gradually fails ) replacement is a doddle (once the sphere is off) and took me around half an hour. trouble is the cost.. £137.00 quid all in with the (1)strut top and retaining nut, rebound rubber, new gaiter and some bolts. This could make an otherwise fair car uneconomic to repair.

ps... make sure you get the right strut top.. they are l/r handed and four different types ( I have a 93 tdsx xant)

[mezuk04]

What sort of mileage do these average out, at the point of failure?

[ACTIVE8]

CITROEN XANTIA SPEARS/ REPAIR ebay item number: 4651517020

Speared through the bonnet! Is your gaiter at half mast on your strut? This maybe next!



I know we're going to see a few more of these - not one in a yard of 6-7 cars last weekend had any worth bothering to take off to look at closer...

Have you checked yours? Had to change one's on two of mine in the last few months! No more spares to rely on.

Andrew

I like the pun in the auction title.

[fastandfurryous]

Has a "fault" with the suspension.

Personally, I'd say that's more than just a "fault", but that's eBay!

[Clogzz]

Apparently, there would be a sound of metal-to-metal contact when getting close to full steering lock.
Here's a ‘preventative’ job.
I’ll dig up the thread if there’s any interest.

[mezuk04]

I'm not learning anything?

Remember people, I am a silly billy (well chris) and need dumbed down posts

[Rostami]

Hi to all,

I read some time ago that this problem was mostly seen on Xantia MK1 and that MK2 had solved this issue.

Can anybody please confirm?

Thanks!

[Mandrake]

Hi to all,

I read some time ago that this problem was mostly seen on Xantia MK1 and that MK2 had solved this issue.

Can anybody please confirm?

Thanks!

I havn't heard any evidence that the situation is any different with the MK2's - the strut tops and struts are compatible between Mk1 and Mk2.

(I just recently fitted some struts from a 2001 Mk2 model into my 1997 Mk1, so they are definately compatible)

On the other hand I think the replacement parts strut tops have been somewhat reinforced - although mainly in the rubber block, which looks a bit thicker and more beefy, but I'm only going by visually comparing the new strut tops that mine has fitted vs the originals on another Xantia, so it is somewhat hearsay...

Regards,
Simon

[NiSk]

If you can pierce the rubber coated metal dome that can be seen front under the bonnet with a sharp small screwdriver anywhere, then it's definitely time to change.

Speaking from experience on a series 1 XM . . . . (got it just in time).

//NiSk

[davethewheel]

after reading this thread and checking my car for it's m.o.t i checked my strut tops all looks good on the top (tried poking rubber with a screwdiver and feels solid) but underneath the nearside is showing slight cracking around the rubber, and the offside has the gaiter at halfmast and some very serious looking cracking to the rubber, if i decide to change them do i need to order anything other than the strut tops.
i will take the car for an m.o.t tomorrow to see if it fails on anything else, i know it needs an a.b.s sensor, it's now also sporting a odd coloured drivers door after the top hinge has snapped off

[andmcit]

Eh?

I am aware of this failure, but how can you prevent it? and how can you tell if its going to happen sometime in the not so distant future?

Prevention can be done by having good spheres so the shocking through the strut top is damped as much as possible. Otherwise this will knacker up the rubber that you see slowly tearing and decaying.

BUT real area of concern is the metal collar where it meets the underside of the wheelarch. There's effectively a ledge where water [not shielded by the wheelarch liner BTW ] gets to the top of the strut and just sits festering...

I'll take some scary pics...

Andrew

[DoubleChevron]

Apparently, there would be a sound of metal-to-metal contact when getting close to full steering lock.
Here's a ‘preventative’ job.
I’ll dig up the thread if there’s any interest.

That looks really familiar

In Austrialia though we dont' have the issue with the metal rotting away. Just the rubber degrading due to the heat.

seeya,
Shane L.