Xantia: Low back side

deian · Post by **deian** » 19 Mar 2007, 11:17

Hi,

Some of you may remember my little clip issue last month, this isn't the case this time, I've been under to check it. I will also check the LHM fluid, I doubt it's this though.

It goes up, and it goes down, but doesn't seem to want to settle at the correct height when the lever is in normal position. Again, the clip is clipped onto the bobble, and is held securely with two cable ties, I reckon the HC needs drowning.

Any obvious ideas I might have missed out? Thanks guys.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 19 Mar 2007, 12:44

Sounds like a seized height corrector linkage. Loads of posts on the subject including a recent one with a picture of the offending item. It seems to have a couple of bearings that could seize and so soaking it in oil may work - otherwise it'll need dismantling and cleaning or replacing.

LHM won't have much influence on it unless there isn't any (in which case the light should be on) Even a sphere that has leaked its gas will not affect the height but will of course affect the ride quality.

deian · Post by **deian** » 19 Mar 2007, 12:50

nice one jez, i will drown the culprit in wd40, is there anything else that will make 'it' live a bit longer after it frees up, like a silicone spray or something?

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 19 Mar 2007, 14:39

Check that the roll bar/ HC linkage isn't catching on the manual HC linkage, mine was, so I adjusted the HC valve in it's cradle.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 19 Mar 2007, 16:44

I think it'll require something with a bit more body than silicon spray. Having got it loose I'd try spray grease.

Steelcityuk's suggestion of catching sounds worth investigating. Remember to make sure the car is properly supported so that it won't crush you at its lowest before getting underneath to work on it and particularly the suspension.

deian · Post by **deian** » 19 Mar 2007, 22:24

I had a good look just now... it's the link from the plastic clip that hooks onto the clamp on the anti roll bar, so there is no link at all from the anti-roll bar for auto adjusting speed, or the height selector lever, it was the next point of weakness after the plastic clip which was cable-tied on so securely. So I guess the height corrector seized up and the link snapped.

I think I will go see how much it is.

But in the image, which one is the front one? the one with number 3 or the one with number 4? And I assume the link comes with the clamp?

Thanks

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 19 Mar 2007, 23:13

Top one is front, bottom one rear.

deian · Post by **deian** » 19 Mar 2007, 23:23

thought so, £16.13, not the end of the world, easily fixed really, i will try to get access to a car lift and do it from there, thanks for the help, much appreciated

slim123 · Post by **slim123** » 19 Mar 2007, 23:32

If that link has snapped then it's new height corrector time.

Just in case you are interested, I had this on a height corrector the other day, when I returned the old unit to the boys at Pleiades, they opened it for me to have a look at. Now this height corrector diddnt look too bad and the owner had tried WD40, silicone grease and all, but it still refused to work.

The car was a 1998 Xantia with about 110'000 miles.

This is why!!!!!!!!

Inside.

Now thats why I allways fit another, rather than fluff about trying to free off.

Regards
Slim.

deian · Post by **deian** » 19 Mar 2007, 23:37

so you're saying the link snapped because i have a seized height corrector? i guess i'll rebuild mine, or even get one from the scrappied to rebuild then replace mine, and rebuild mine as a spare.

slim123 · Post by **slim123** » 19 Mar 2007, 23:41

Yep I would say that.

Dont forget that the car in the scrappies will normally have a knackered one on too. Taking into consideration the time taken to dig around in the dirt under a scrapyard car and the tenner or so they will charge you???

Give pleiades a call, they are quite cheap as a fully recon item.

Regards
Slim.

deian · Post by **deian** » 20 Mar 2007, 11:23

Pleiades.... have they changed company name? I'm sure they have, can't remember to what now (if they have), can't find a pleiades website.

I reckon I'll take off my height corrector and clean it up, it'll have to come off anyway, there is no point getting the £16 link and that one snapping too because the HC has seized up, is it difficult to get off? What are the pipes like to get off, do they just screw off? I've never done this job before.

Are there any related posts or links that someone might have to share. It'll be much appreciated.

Thanks for the help so far, you pull it together well when it matters

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 20 Mar 2007, 11:28

Beware of rounding off the nuts on the pipes going into the height corrector !

I've had my front height corrector out for cleaning with no problems but when I tried to do the rear one the hex on the nuts was as soft as butter and instantly tried to round off, even though I was using a good spanner. (I gave up in the end - I can only assume they were overtightened by someone)

And thats on a NZ Citroen - and we don't generally have corrosion problems like you guys do. (The height corrector was free of any external corrosion) I would hate to think how easily those flare nuts would round off if they were corroded!

Other than that its not a difficult job. (Remember to support the car!)

Regards,
Simon

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 20 Mar 2007, 11:29

Try - http://www.citroen-hydraulics.com/

I've had a couple in bits and never seen anything like that one of Slims, look like some kind of deposite build up.

Have a look over at XM-L forum on yahoo groups, loads of good info that's also useful with Xantias.

Steve.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 20 Mar 2007, 11:33

steelcityuk wrote:I've had a couple in bits and never seen anything like that one of Slims, look like some kind of deposite build up.

I've had a few height correctors apart and never seen anything like that either - and I can't see any way it could get into that state unless either the rubber boots were punctured and someone sprayed it full of something like WD40, or if the hydraulic oil was badly contaiminated with some foreign crud or had the wrong oil in it. (Perhaps someone had poured a whole lot of standard brake fluid into the system ?)

Usually what you'll find is maybe a bit of fine grit at worst. (Particle shavings/dirt from the insides of the various hydraulic components due to infrequent LHM changes)

Regards,
Simon