Citroenmads Citroen blog.

[robert_e_smart]

Chris,

I would have the parking brake cables as my top suspect for your C5 brake caliper problems. The stick in their guides.

[Citroenmad]

Good work Chris

The NS side inner balljoint is possibly the easier one of the two to do so you're in luck there...

All best on the radiator. Take it slowly and use all the advice I've given on this job and you'll be fine. No need of an Indie for that

Thanks Jim, that is good news

Im looking forward to having both jobs done as they have been hanging over for quite a while now. The local Citroen indy has offered to lend us a tool which he says is required, he said its not too much of a bad job but I think ill be the judge of that

Im just about to set off to the exhaust place to have that replaced.

Chris,

I would have the parking brake cables as my top suspect for your C5 brake caliper problems. The stick in their guides.

Hi Robert,

I originally suspected that on my last C5 and so replaced the guide tubes and cables thinking it would cure it. Nope, it was in fact the sticking caliper mechanism on the handbrake and its the same for this one. The cables are very free moving but the caliper is not. With the cable removed from the caliper the handbrake mech lever on it would only return to off by using some force, the spring was not enough to return it.

Very common C5 problem

[RichardW]

The inner track rod is a wishbone off job - unless you have a tool that slides over the joint, and allows you to unscrew it - note you need one that grips the outside of the joint, rather than one that has a 'spanner' attachment round the back - there is no hex on the Xantia joint. Provided the tool your indie is lending you is the one described above, you are good to go. I don't know if boot will servive being undone like this - but a new one is not that dear - details in this thread: Inner track rod info.

[R9UKE]

I would have the parking brake cables as my top suspect for your C5 brake caliper problems. The stick in their guides.

The beauty of an auto....

[CitroJim]

The beauty of an auto....

Must be me Luke but I always use the parking brake in my auto. P and handbrake on when not in use. Likewise in a manual Xant I always leave parked in 1st gear and handbrake on.

Old habits and a residual distrust of handbrakes, especially Xantia ones

[robert_e_smart]

Never bother with parking brakes. Only for MOT tests.

[R9UKE]

I always wondered who these people were who use P AND the parking brake! I never ever do, I think it's half the appeal of an auto - whack it in P and jump out! Can honestly say I've never touched the parking brakes in my autos, although the Vel Satis used to apply it when you turn the car off.

[CitroJim]

Ahh but you're both young Luke and Robert and have spent much of your driving careers in an auto. I'm old and 99% of mine has been in manual cars. Old habits die hard, just like mine of always dipping the clutch before starting up. That's from the days of driving knackered old Brit cars where disengaging the gearbox from the engine gave the starter a fighting chance by not having to spin up a set of cogs bathed overnight in a gloop of Hypoid-90 oil...

I learn recently that dipping the clutch to start is a very bad practice. It allegedly causes increased wear on the crankshaft thrust washers. I believe that's bollocks as I've been doing it consistently for the best part of 35 years now and never had an issue.

If that was the case then an auto would get through thrust washers at an alarming rate...

[R9UKE]

Ah I do that as well.. Dipped clutch and foot on the brake for every start. Force of habit from the Renaults mainly!

[Citroenmad]

The inner track rod is a wishbone off job - unless you have a tool that slides over the joint, and allows you to unscrew it - note you need one that grips the outside of the joint, rather than one that has a 'spanner' attachment round the back - there is no hex on the Xantia joint. Provided the tool your indie is lending you is the one described above, you are good to go. I don't know if boot will servive being undone like this - but a new one is not that dear - details in this thread: Inner track rod info.

Thanks for that

I believe the tool the Citroen specialist is lending me is the type you describe. however if not I had the wishbones off to do the P bushes not all that long ago, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

The beauty of an auto....

I don't often use the parking brake on automatics, sometimes if parked on a steep hill or parking close to something to avoid the car lurching forward on its gears. The Range Rover was bad for that, it would move what seemed like a couple of inches downhill.

Be careful not to forget that EGS and Sensodrives are not autos and so dont have a P


The exhaust place discovered my Xantia does need a new centre pipe (not surprising, I told them that) and that the pipe out of the cat needs repairing. However they could not get hold of the exhaust until Thursday so ive got another trip there on Thursday. Really should have chosen a exhaust place closer rather than having to do a 60 mile round trip 3 times! Though they get a decent reputation and make bespoke exhausts so hopefully it will be a decent job.

Well ive had a pretty full day and achieved very little. I spent the rest of the day rushing about getting heater bits for the tortoise vivarium thermostat. Had a wasted trip of 100 miles (took the C1 for a change) to get a part which turned out not to be in stock. I also dropped into work, 4 times! So much for a day off

[R9UKE]

Be careful not to forget that EGS and Sensodrives are not autos and so dont have a P

I'm more likely to be found on a bus than piloting a SensoShite!

[Citroenmad]

Be careful not to forget that EGS and Sensodrives are not autos and so dont have a P

I'm more likely to be found on a bus than piloting a SensoShite!

Not me! It would have to be a pretty bad car to see me on a bus instead of using it

[R9UKE]

Exactly my point! Buses don't give whiplash with every gear change!

[Citroenmad]

Exactly my point! Buses don't give whiplash with every gear change!

You clearly have not driven many smart cars then Scary at a busy junction as you go to pull away into a gap and by the time the gearbox has processed the idea of moving the gap has gone. At least the sensodrive can be made to get off the mark quickly.

Im trying to think of a car bad enough for me to consider a bus ride than driving the car. Im struggling First thought would be a Metro

[lexi]

Lots of C5ing there Chris. I have a hunch that I may end up with one of these as a tool......I'll rephrase that !

Bigger than Xantia?