Xantia rear suspension ram - advice on changing?

reddeathdrinker · Post by **reddeathdrinker** » 16 Aug 2007, 17:41

Picking up a replacement ram tomorrow, the lip that holds the sphere seal in place on my old one has corroded away to the point it no longer holds the seal (and fluid!) in place... I've got new rear spheres to fit anyway, and a new hyd pipe for the body, but does anyone have any advice/tips on changing the ram itself?

It appears pretty straightforward, but there's bound to be a catch.....

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 16 Aug 2007, 20:03

The catch is - you HAVE to remove the sphere to get out the suspension cylinder.

There is no other way !

- unless you want to angle grind the chassis frame to bits.
The job is therefore very much the same as replacing the wheel sphere.

It can prove impossible to remove the lock pin from the cylinder rod in the end of the arm. Be sure the lock pin truly has its time over a couple of 24hr's with genuine rust solution. Its the only way.
Drilling it out will make a large hole damaging the arm for good.

reddeathdrinker · Post by **reddeathdrinker** » 17 Aug 2007, 16:09

Thanks Anders - I had the sphere off anyway, and new ones waiting to go on

I have the pin out, bit rusty, but easy enough to punch through. The base of the ram seems to be corroded into the suspension arm, so I'm posting this whilst having coffee, leaving it soaking in WD40

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 17 Aug 2007, 22:29

reddeathdrinker wrote:Thanks Anders - I had the sphere off anyway, and new ones waiting to go on

I have the pin out, bit rusty, but easy enough to punch through. The base of the ram seems to be corroded into the suspension arm, so I'm posting this whilst having coffee, leaving it soaking in WD40

Wow you guys really do have problems with rust up there don't you.

I've just removed the suspension cylinders on mine to do rear arm bearings and had no problems with anything being rusted... thats not to say that I didn't have other problems though....

(I'll give you one hint - ABS sensor.....

)

Regards,
Simon

pprado · Post by **pprado** » 18 Aug 2007, 14:09

Well, to say something that was awkward to do on reassembly of mine: the vent pipe and the LHM return pipe.

There is almost no space to put your hand, or even pliers, to push the pipe on.

(I needed to remove mine because I loosened the gaiter from the rod end one time, just to find out that I could not put it back whithout pushing the rod from the cylinder end...)

reddeathdrinker · Post by **reddeathdrinker** » 18 Aug 2007, 23:58

pprado wrote:Well, to say something that was awkward to do on reassembly of mine: the vent pipe and the LHM return pipe.

Yup, they were awkward...

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 19 Aug 2007, 05:03

reddeathdrinker wrote:
pprado wrote:Well, to say something that was awkward to do on reassembly of mine: the vent pipe and the LHM return pipe.
Yup, they were awkward...

I'll second that, after just having refitted them... luckily I have long skinny fingers well suited to the job

Regards,
Simon