CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

I completed the Activa pre-MOT checks this afternoon following a very lovely lunch with my girls... Not seen them for a couple of weeks so it was great to catch up...

The Activa is a failure

One lower swivel joint boot is split and one inner CV boot is split... I noticed immediately by all the grease that's been centrifuged around the immediate area of it!

Luckily, it's on the nearside driveshaft and that means it's the easier of the two...

It's only a very tiny split but by golly it's really let the grease out!

I have a spare swivel joint in stock but not a boot... Going off to order one up now...

Also, the back box is looking like it won't last out until the next MOT - it's a potential advisory now as it's looking very rusty around the joint where it clamps to the mid-section but it's not leaking and will be an advisory at worst I'd imagine..

Apart from those two items, from an MOT point of view the car is in fine order...

And it looks like we're game-on to collect my new baby on Saturday I have a friend needed to make a journey to just outside Frome and she's offered to take me for cost of fuel, lunch and advice on the best route to take as her sat-nav never seems to know how to get there..

It's been a good day

[Stickyfinger]

I am calling the outside DONE now.....

[CitroJim]

That looks spectacular Alasdair You have done a wonderful job there!!!

So pleased to see she has a sunroof too

I'm good to come down on Saturday if that's OK with you My cunning plan worked out with a friend needing to travel to a place not so far from you

[CitroJim]

New CV boot for the Activa on order

[Stickyfinger]

I even painted the windscreen Wiper arms ....ocd strike !

[CitroJim]

I even painted the windscreen Wiper arms ....ocd strike !

Alasdair I'm in awe

I know that on Saturday I'm really going to see one very immaculate little Saxo

[Stickyfinger]

LOL....I can see so much to do ..........but not doing it

I will work on the engine bay tomorrow and treat some surface patches. The smell should be gone by Sat.

[Zelandeth]

That's looking lovely that is!

Nothing too dire for the Activa then, even if I have to admit that CV boots are one of those jobs I immediately throw at a garage...just can't be done with the hassle and mess myself. Given how expensive OE spec exhaust parts for Xantia's seem to be, I reckon getting a new rear silencer made up in stainless will probably be the way to go once it needs done... especially if it's unique to the model and as a result harder to find.

[Stickyfinger]

Stainless is the way to go.....vroom vroom burble burble

Will you have time for coffee on Sat mate ?

[CitroJim]

Stainless is the way to go.....vroom vroom burble burble

Definitely Fit once and forget. Mind you, the one presently on the Activa has lasted a good 5 years...

Will you have time for coffee on Sat mate ?

Absolutely and Val asks if you will be able to spare her a coffee before she makes her way home! I'll be plying her with lunch on the way down...


Zel, yes, I hate CV boots too but this one I'm doing as I trust no garage to dismantle that side of the suspension and I've decided to do the big brake conversion and check the wheel bearings at the same time...

May as well whilst it's all in bits...

I shall do it all in gentle stages... Not going to rush any of it just to get the MOT... I'l enjoy doing it like that...

I may not like driving big (nay) cars any more but I do sure love spannering them still. That's not changed

[RichardW]

Inner joint boot is unusual Jim, but not that hard on the bench AFAIK - just watch out for the pingfuckit rollers!! And wear gloves

[CitroJim]

Inner joint boot is unusual Jim, but not that hard on the bench AFAIK - just watch out for the pingfuckit rollers!! And wear gloves

It's a shockingly tiny little split too...

Definitely a bench job Richard and yes... I've had much fun in the past rebuilding tri-ax joints that have pinged

It's that horrid grease I hate The rest of the job I'm content with!

[CitroJim]

Rather than replacing the whole lower swivel joint, which is OK bar a split boot, I'm going to try one of these replacement boot kits from eBay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-Xanth ... 2680472845

Note how Xantia is spelt

[RichardW]

Do you have to remove the outer joint to fit the new boot, or can you get it over the tri-ax spider somehow?

[CitroJim]

Do you have to remove the outer joint to fit the new boot, or can you get it over the tri-ax spider somehow?

I have a boot fitting cone so will try but until I see how stretchy the replacement boot is I won't know if I can do that...

Even then you have to be careful the tri-ax does not try to make bids for freedom

Knowing my luck I'll have to pop the outer joint off... Time will tell...