Xantia sphere removal tool

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fangy
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Xantia sphere removal tool

Post by fangy »

Could anyone put me in touch with a shop that sells a sphere removal tool, I've been trying to remove a Xantia front center sphere, that's not for budging. I followed a link to http://www.citroen-hydraulics.com/ but I couldn't see any mention of the tools on there website and with it being late Saturday when I phoned they where shut.
Thanks,
Fangy.
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Post by Peter.N. »

Pleiads used to do one as did GSF I think, but I cant find them listed either. Might be worth a phone call though. There were a couple of secondhand ones on ebay a while ago, worth a look. Otherwise a sharp cold chisel and hammer will do the job, get the chisel into the weld around the middle and hit in an anticlockwise direction. That's how I got mine off.
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Xaccers
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Post by Xaccers »

It'd be quicker, eaiser and cheaper to make your own.

Someone on here came up with the following (can't remember who, but massive thanks to them):

Go to B&Q, buy a length of box bar (metal tube that's square) a length of threaded rod (I used M6 size), both about 1m in length, along with two suitable washers and nuts.

Drill two holes slightly larger than M6 size into one end of the box bar about the same distance apart as the diameter of a sphere.
When no one is looking, bend the threaded bar into a U shape using a lampost or something similar.

Thread the U into the box bar to make something that looks like a P
Cut off the excess threaded bar that sticks out from the box bar, but leave enough to fit the washers and nuts on and also be able to loop it around a sphere.

Loop it around the sphere just past the ridge of the sphere, tighten the nuts, and turn the bar the right way!
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DIY sphere tool
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Post by CitroJim »

I like that Xac :D :D

I have a very heavy duty webbing strap that is really marketed for oil filters (on earthmovers by the looks of it!). It is made by Draper and cost a tenner from our local Motor Factors.

The webbing is about and 1 3/4" wide and the body of the thing has 1/2" squares to accept a "T "or breaker bar.

Thus far, it has never failed to remove even the tightest of spheres and a few on my Activa had been done up by King Kong.
Jim

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Post by slim123 »

Pleiades sell the best one, I cant see it on the web site?? but the do sell them.

As for ebay, I saw a pleiades one go the other day for £45.00 + postage, when pleiades (I think) sel them for around £35.00

Ebay is a strange place, why not buy one, do the job, then list it on ebay and make yourself a profit.

Regards
Slim.
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Post by bxbodger »

This was nine quid from my local (good) spares shop-20" double row chain, 12" handle: it's never failed......so it's probably worth going to a decent factors and asking what they've got. It was from the Franklin/Laser range, although it's not listed on their website.

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Post by Mandrake »

Careful removing a front hydractive sphere that wont budge - the bracket that holds the hydractive block isn't that strong and is easily bent!!

I've always found that the safest way to free a really stubbon sphere without exerting too much force is to apply a strong but steady force on the sphere with the tool, and then get someone to give the side of the sphere a good solid hit with a 2lb block hammer - the jolt breaks the corrosion bond between the faces, and lets it come undone with a lot less force than applying turning torque alone.

Usually only one or two hits is sufficient if you do it in the right place - don't hit the end, hit it on the side near the base where its screwed on so the impact is trying to push the sphere away from what its screwed onto.

Removing stubborn spheres is more about technique than it is about brute force :)

Regards,
Simon
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Post by AndersDK »

Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
fangy
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Post by fangy »

Thanks for all the help, I tried to chap it free with a hammer and chisel, but couldn't get the chisel to bite into the sphere, I also noticed the bracket the sphere's attached to flexing a bit so I didn't want to hammer it to hard for to long. I'll soak the sphere join in wd40 and go down the local auto shops tomorrow to see what kind of chain/webbing wrenches they've got. Failing that it's of to B n' Q.
Thanks again for the help.
Fangy.
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Post by splitpin »

I was told once to put the suspension on the high setting. This stops the aluminium suspension leg turning. Make sure the car is supported when you do this, because if you undo it too much, the car will drop rather rapidly. To crack the sphere, I use a large ratchet strap. That never fails.

Graham.
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Gregg1100
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Xantia sphere removal tool

Post by Gregg1100 »

Hi,
I bought this from Ebay a while ago---not too hard to knock up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/ ... 010421.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/ ... 010423.jpg

It is under stairs at the mo, but I think it was made by Pleides--will have to dig it out to make sure.
Greg

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Post by steelcityuk »

I bought one of these for under a tenner -

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... ter-wrench

Looks like it'll be getting some action soon on the XM.

Steve.
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