Wonky AX

Stempy · Unread post by **Stempy** » 31 Jul 2008, 21:35

Got the AX home, seems in very good condition, paintwork and interior very clean. Lady Stempy drove it home and I followed in the Xantia. It looked slightly lop sided to me, like it had a flat offside sphere

should I be worried or are they all like that. Couldn't see any springs that might have collapsed, seems to have some kind of torsion bar affair which I know nothing about. Must get a manual. I know what I'll be doing this weekend.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 01 Aug 2008, 10:01

Hi Stempy,

I'm hoping it's just your imagineation and you're seeing things!

The AX has a rear beam very similar to that fitted to the Pug 205. One major problem with the rear beams is failure of the trailing arm bearings. These are needle rollers and are supposedly greased for life. Water gets in and does it's stuff. The bearings can be replaced but so often the training arm shaft journal surfaces are beyond salvage and the bearing housings in the beam tube will have worn oval and again will be beyod salvage.

The easiest way to check the rear suspension is to look critically at the rear and look for excessive negative camber (just as you would with a Xantia) and using your hand, take a measurement from wheelarch to tyre on each side and between the tyre sidewall and the wheelarch.

If the beam is less than happy, the best bet is to go to a scrapyard and find a good one. I think you may find the Saxo beam is the same and is a straight fit. In any case, the beam is an easy job to replace.

If you do need to get a serviceable beam from a scrapyard and you intend to keep the car, it is not a bad idea to replace the bearing in the new beam before they fail.

Spud · Unread post by **Spud** » 01 Aug 2008, 10:01

I have an AX....... that is wonky too.
Despite changing the front springs and shocks, it's still 2 cm lower on one side than the other

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 01 Aug 2008, 10:06

Spud wrote: Despite changing the front springs and shocks, it's still 2 cm lower on one side than the other

You know, now you come to mention it Spud, my old 205GTi always used to look a bit lop-sided as well

And that had a refurbished rear bean and new front suspension on it.....

I'm pretty used to lop-sided cars now, running Activas

Unread post by **myglaren** » 01 Aug 2008, 16:55

Following my daughter home in her newly acquired 106, I noticed it seemed to have a slight list to the right. More of the same, I presume.

Stempy · Unread post by **Stempy** » 01 Aug 2008, 21:20

Well I don't think I'll worry too much about it at the moment, probably spent too much time parked on a high camber street. Of more concern to me at the moment is the big flat spot in the fuelling.

Took it for my first drive tonight and while it runs fairly well theres a big glitch at the point between open throttle and overrun. It is a late model with monopoint FI, so there's my hope of a simple engine to work on out the window.

Gregg1100 · Unread post by **Gregg1100** » 02 Aug 2008, 01:34

Hi Stempy,
I have an AX manual in great condition---will look it out and see what it covers tomorow. Haynes BOL version.
Greg

Stempy · Unread post by **Stempy** » 02 Aug 2008, 09:39

Cheers Gregg. I've actually just nabbed one from fleabay for a fiver, so when it turns up I'll get stuck in. Start off with a full service and take things from there I think. Brilliant little car though and will be great for local trips instead of the gas guzzling Xantia. I don't think the fuel gauge has moved in 100 miles