GS height adjustment help needed

Post by **ekaftan** » 30 Dec 2006, 15:23

Yes, I am that insane... I bought a 1979 GS.

Height adjustment is all messed up. Can you point me to where I can get info on how to adjust it? or at least whats the correct height?

thanks

Post by **Peter.N.** » 30 Dec 2006, 15:28

'Correct' height is usually when the suspension arms are parallel to the ground. I think the height adjusters are similar to the CX ones, which in turn are similar to the modern ones, in which case, lubrication of the linkage is the first port of call, unless you know that the height setting has been interfered with.

Post by **ekaftan** » 30 Dec 2006, 15:49

Peter.N. wrote:'Correct' height is usually when the suspension arms are parallel to the ground. I think the height adjusters are similar to the CX ones, which in turn are similar to the modern ones, in which case, lubrication of the linkage is the first port of call, unless you know that the height setting has been interfered with.

the linkage is pretty well lubricated by 27 years of oil leaks and yes,
its very much messed up. previous owner liked it 'sporty' and adjusted the
front way lower that the back. I now use it the middle position to keep it
from scraping pavement...

will get it into the lift and just eyeball it for now...

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 30 Dec 2006, 15:58

the linkage is basicly the same as the CX/BX but no where near as complicated as all of the later hydraulic citroens like XANTIAS onwards,
you MUST make sure you have enough clearance under the car so when you are on your back under her with the car level and on the lowest hight setting you can not get squoshed and KILLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!,the very least you will need is 4 car ramps of the same hight,as you do need to have the car level with corect tyre presures and a straight batton which will sit across one pair of car ramps,no when you are comfy the front hight is mesured from the point from where the tyre is sitting up to the the under side of the front anrtiroll bar just beside the adjuster clamp,and front should mesure (272+/- 10mm)rear should be taken from the same level to the rear bottom edge of the rear sub frame ans should be(272=/-10mm)
regards malcolm

FrenchLeave · Post by **FrenchLeave** » 30 Dec 2006, 18:09

ekaftan, you're not insane. I had three; a GS pallas, a GSX and a GSA pallas.
If you can solve the corrosion problem you have a damned fine car.

My Russek handbook shows correct heights as follows, measured in the normal (lowest) position:

Front. Measured from centre of anti roll bar to ground. 189mm +- 10mm (7.44 ins +- 0.4 ins)

Rear. Measured between the centre of the rear flanged edge of the subframe - behind the fuel tank - and the ground. 272mm +- 10mm (10.71 ins +- 0.4 ins).

The engine must be running during these checks.

To adjust, remove the three screws and the protection panel from the front height corrector. raise the floor covering in the boot and remove the access cover to the rear height corrector.
Then, Front: slightly slacken the clamp of the automatic control, adjust the clamp to give correct setting and retighten to 0.8 - 0.9 kgm (5.8 - 6.5 lb.ft.) .
Rear: Slacken screws securing corrector and move corrector until correct height is obtained.

Hope this helps. Please take notice of Malcolm's warning about working under an unsupported car, I don't think this will apply to the rear adjustment as it looks as if it can be done from inside the car.

Derek

Post by **ekaftan** » 30 Dec 2006, 18:31

FrenchLeave wrote:
Then, Front: slightly slacken the clamp of the automatic control, adjust the clamp to give correct setting and retighten to 0.8 - 0.9 kgm (5.8 - 6.5 lb.ft.) .

What clamp? the one one the antiroll bar or another one?

I did manage to adjust it an hour ago. what I did was to slacken the roll bar clamp, raise the car fully, tighten half way the clamp, lower the car and then with a large flat screwdriver managed to move the clamp until the height was ok, then tighten.

I never got the space to rotate it towards rising as it was too stiff.

Thanks for the instructions on the back one. It was ok so I did not mess with it

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 31 Dec 2006, 09:37

ekaftan wrote:
FrenchLeave wrote:
Then, Front: slightly slacken the clamp of the automatic control, adjust the clamp to give correct setting and retighten to 0.8 - 0.9 kgm (5.8 - 6.5 lb.ft.) .
What clamp? the one one the antiroll bar or another one?

I did manage to adjust it an hour ago. what I did was to slacken the roll bar clamp, raise the car fully, tighten half way the clamp, lower the car and then with a large flat screwdriver managed to move the clamp until the height was ok, then tighten.

I never got the space to rotate it towards rising as it was too stiff.

Thanks for the instructions on the back one. It was ok so I did not mess with it

ther clamp which is mentioned is the adjuster clamp on the antiroll bar,sounds like the one you have adjusted on the front end,this is the same at the rear,which you can not get to from the top,the linkage which is visable from the inspection panel in the boot floor is the hight corector linkage which should not be adjusted to alter the ride hight
regards malcolm
ps.
the mesurements i posted are from the genuine citroen manual

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

FrenchLeave · Post by **FrenchLeave** » 31 Dec 2006, 17:20

Oh well, one in the eye for Russek.

Derek

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 31 Dec 2006, 22:17

citronut wrote: ther clamp which is mentioned is the adjuster clamp on the antiroll bar,sounds like the one you have adjusted on the front end,this is the same at the rear,which you can not get to from the top,the linkage which is visable from the inspection panel in the boot floor is the hight corector linkage which should not be adjusted to alter the ride hight
regards malcolm
ps.
the mesurements i posted are from the genuine citroen manual

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

Huh ?

I've always adjusted the rear ride height of a GS through the inspection hatch of the boot - surely thats what its there for ? In fact from what I remember its pretty much impossible to get at it from under the car since the height corrector is above the petrol tank....

And if you're not going to adjust the rollbar clamp, what are you going to adjust ? The front height corrector on a GS has an additional "fine" adjustment next to the height corrector, but the rear one doesn't...

(Unless my memory is playing tricks on me)

Regards,
Simon

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 01 Jan 2007, 12:13

ok Simon
it seems you are wright on the rear hight adjustment,but it seems you loosen the rear H/C mounting bolts and slide it forwads or backwards to acheve the corect hight,as the other adjusters are not realy for fine adjustment ,but for adjuting the manual hight contl setting,because when the car is set at the normal ride hight the front and rear hight corector links should not be touching the manual adjuster rod coupleings,as they should be free floatting
regards malcolm
ps.
HAPPY NEW YEAR

FrenchLeave · Post by **FrenchLeave** » 01 Jan 2007, 16:37

So, Malcolm, it looks as if Russek was right after all, and so was I.

Incidentally, my original posting on this subject was not meant to conflict with yours, it was being written at the same time but you finished first.

Happy New Year

Derek

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 01 Jan 2007, 20:43

citronut wrote:ok Simon
it seems you are wright on the rear hight adjustment,but it seems you loosen the rear H/C mounting bolts and slide it forwads or backwards to acheve the corect hight,as the other adjusters are not realy for fine adjustment ,but for adjuting the manual hight contl setting,because when the car is set at the normal ride hight the front and rear hight corector links should not be touching the manual adjuster rod coupleings,as they should be free floatting
regards malcolm
ps.
HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hi Malcolm,

You still have me a bit confused....

Although its been a few years since I had a GS I still remember it quite well... for the rear height corrector, through the hatch in the boot you can not only see the height corrector right there, but you can also see the clamp where it clamps onto the middle of the rollbar, and its easily got at with a socket and ratchet to loosen and tighten for setting the height.

(From the clamp the torsion bar travels off about 200mm to the right, does a loop and comes back to the height corrector again)

For the manual override setting there is a plate with a hole and two tube nuts locked against each other, and as you say they should not be binding on the plate at the normal ride height...

At the front from what I remember from the Citroen manual they told you to set the fine adjustment (the plate at the end of the rod by the height corrector) to the middle of its range, then set the height approximately using the rollbar clamp, then do a fine adjustment with the plate. I usually never bothered to use the fine adjustment, and just set it using only the rollbar clamp...

Regards,
Simon

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 01 Jan 2007, 23:00

its also a long time since i have had my hands on a GS/A but in my genuine citroen repairs and adjustments manual there is no mention or picy of a clamp adjuster on the rear antiroll bar,after saying all that i feel the same as Frenchleave regarding conflict,my version is partly bad memory and the rest is how i interprit the manual
regards and best wishes for the new year
malcolm