If they are not in best condition, how it affect the quality of ride? Jus to mention that I have Xantia 1.8I from 1993.
Green tooth[:I]
Xantia struts
Moderator: RichardW
Unlike the BX - the Xantia (& XM) front struts are not serviceable[:(].
Repair sets therefore only exists for BX struts.
Furthermore - unlike the BX front struts - the rh/lh sides front struts are different.
New front struts are quite expensive (either model)[}:)].
Symptoms on bad front struts are :
Difficulties arriving in correct (normal) drive height on start (internal leaks due to worn hydraulic cylinder O-ring seals) - which again sets unnecessary work (& wear) on the pump & regulator.
The pump/regulator "clicks" more frequent - leading to false suspect on the accumulator sphere.
Large sidewards movement when grapping/rocking the strut by hand - sometimes felt as intermittent stuck front suspension during drive - because the too large slide bearing clearance tends to lock the axial movement of the strut.
Also seen as jumpwise noisy (squeeking) raising front on start.
(internal slidebearing worn).
It is quite common that worn out front struts not affects the "quality" - or soft feeling of the suspension - right up untill the strut litteraly "dumps" [xx(] the LHM pressure out the return hoses - with large LHM oil spill as a result[:o)].
Testing the internal leakage/O-ring wear condition is quite easy :
unplug the strut return hoses and lead them to a container. You should ONLY accept a single drop now & then from these hoses during a 5 minutes engine idle/normal height test.
Any flow/rapid dripping of LHM indicates UNacceptable (and UNSAFE [xx(]) wear condition of the strut[:0].
Repair sets therefore only exists for BX struts.
Furthermore - unlike the BX front struts - the rh/lh sides front struts are different.
New front struts are quite expensive (either model)[}:)].
Symptoms on bad front struts are :
Difficulties arriving in correct (normal) drive height on start (internal leaks due to worn hydraulic cylinder O-ring seals) - which again sets unnecessary work (& wear) on the pump & regulator.
The pump/regulator "clicks" more frequent - leading to false suspect on the accumulator sphere.
Large sidewards movement when grapping/rocking the strut by hand - sometimes felt as intermittent stuck front suspension during drive - because the too large slide bearing clearance tends to lock the axial movement of the strut.
Also seen as jumpwise noisy (squeeking) raising front on start.
(internal slidebearing worn).
It is quite common that worn out front struts not affects the "quality" - or soft feeling of the suspension - right up untill the strut litteraly "dumps" [xx(] the LHM pressure out the return hoses - with large LHM oil spill as a result[:o)].
Testing the internal leakage/O-ring wear condition is quite easy :
unplug the strut return hoses and lead them to a container. You should ONLY accept a single drop now & then from these hoses during a 5 minutes engine idle/normal height test.
Any flow/rapid dripping of LHM indicates UNacceptable (and UNSAFE [xx(]) wear condition of the strut[:0].
It's interesting that XM/Xantia front struts are totally different from BX struts.
BX front struts are similar to front struts of previous models (CX, GS) and to rear struts of all models. The cylinder comes from above, with the sphere attached on the top, while the piston comes from beneath, inside the strut. On the top of the strut there's notorious bronze slide bearing, while the main teflon sealing ring is inside the cylinder. There are two rubber pipes attached to the strut: overflow and breather.
XM/Xantia struts are similar to front struts of vehicles with conventional suspension. Piston rod comes from above, with the sphere attached on the top, and the cylinder is inside the strut. This arrangement is similar to conventional twin-tube damper, with the difference that damping valves are on the sphere, not on the piston and inner tube base, and that there is no air/gas in the outer tube (it's in the sphere, remember?) - outer tube is used for LHM overflow only. So there is only one (overflow) rubber pipe attached. There's also a slide bearing on the top of the strut, with sealing rings.
BX front struts are similar to front struts of previous models (CX, GS) and to rear struts of all models. The cylinder comes from above, with the sphere attached on the top, while the piston comes from beneath, inside the strut. On the top of the strut there's notorious bronze slide bearing, while the main teflon sealing ring is inside the cylinder. There are two rubber pipes attached to the strut: overflow and breather.
XM/Xantia struts are similar to front struts of vehicles with conventional suspension. Piston rod comes from above, with the sphere attached on the top, and the cylinder is inside the strut. This arrangement is similar to conventional twin-tube damper, with the difference that damping valves are on the sphere, not on the piston and inner tube base, and that there is no air/gas in the outer tube (it's in the sphere, remember?) - outer tube is used for LHM overflow only. So there is only one (overflow) rubber pipe attached. There's also a slide bearing on the top of the strut, with sealing rings.