middle height setting comparison in Xantia and BX

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falling-out-with-my-car
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middle height setting comparison in Xantia and BX

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Hi,

in my old BX you could drive on the middle height setting (thats one step higher than normal road driving position) but if you do this in the xantia the ride is way to hard, am I supposed to be able to drive my xantia in this half raised position or does it serve some other purpose? in the BX I used to raise the car one notch for going off road to go fishing/climb a high kerb going very slowley of course, do this in the xantia X2 and the ride is awful.

even with new spheres the ride seemed to be hard on the xantia at this setting.

regards Nigel.
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Post by CitroJim »

Hi Nigel,

Seems all Xantias suffer this and I recall we'ev spoken of it in several threads in the past. Basically, on the intermediate high setting the rear goes to full height and stays there, hence the very bumpy ride as there's no suspension travel left.

All mine do this.

I'm not entirely sure anyone has found a reliable fix for this.

Quite honestly, the one and only time I've been in a BX, I was left with the distinct impression that the BX is a lot better suspended than the Xantia. I rode around the infield at Stratford Racecourse and you really could not feel a thing. I then drove the same route in my Activa and I was tossed about like a cork in a rough sea :roll:

We were sort of replicating the era of the CX acting as the mobile camera stand when filming horse racing.
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Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

ok thanks jim,

thats good its a design floor then, I was wondering what else I had neglected.

regards Nigel.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
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Post by citronut »

it should be able to ride over uneven ground on the intermediate setting, as that is what that setting is intended for, maybe its to do with the XANT's over complicated H/C linkage/mechanisum being a bit STIFF and not moveing as it did when it left the factory,

the BX has very simple H/C linkage/mechanisum, and its usualy only the rear link pivot that seizes up,

regards malcolm
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Post by Sid_the_Squid »

I also noticed this 'issue' when moving from the BX to Xantias, the Xantias don't seem to find the intermediate setting well, like Jim's all mine have all just about hit top position, or close enough to top that there's very little difference, and on some none at all. Other than this 'issue' I personally rate the Xantia suspension higher than the BX, particularly the hydractive models.
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Post by citrov6 »

in soft mode mine stays comfortable to about 50mph at the next setting up from standard height, but if the hydractive switches to hard mode with some throttle it becomes bone shaking. drove in this setting 6 miles at 50mph when my exhaust broke

in contrast before doing citaerobics on it it wouldn't manage that sort of speed more like 10mph would be throwing me against the roof.

don't know if there is more to it as to why i am getting a smooth ride

my dads bx when he had them were brilliant, you could mount a verge at 60mph and it would feel like your still on the road, as he did to avoid a truck overtaking
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Post by red_dwarfers »

Before I ramble, I like the explanation of the manual height side as a 'creating reference points for the automatic adjustment' :D

I've noticed this on mine. However when I first got my Xant, on intermediate the rear would still have an inch or two of spring in it. I think this stopped when I took the front height corrector linkage off for a deep clean. I intend to do the same thing to the rear corrector linkage before I go tinkering any more.

I've got a funny feeling that the reason that intermediate can't be reached may be down to the manual height lever adjustments on either end of the bar that runs to the HCs. Possibly maybe also why the below happens?

While we're on the issue of suspension heights, after doing citrobics today I noticed that if I went from service low to drive the car settled about 2" higher than if I went from service high to drive. The ride was immensly better after doing the latter but of course as soon as people get in the car, the height naturally drops and the correction sticks it up too high :twisted:
As said before, im going to give the rear HC a deep clean before I investigate further.
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Post by citronut »

Kev
i belive an aufull lot of suspesion quircky's are down to, the turrets on the H/C linkage/mechanisum's not being as free moveing as they were when the car left the factory

when the car is in intermediate it should still have some suspension travel,

as this setting is ment to be used on the likes of a farm track to give more undercarridge clearance, not realy to cuase the ocu pants any dis confort,

i dont think it was intended to be used at any speed,

all hydraulic citroens suspension can and dose get caught with its pants down when driveing across rough ground, as the H/C's cant respond quick enough,

obviously there are other complications with a hydractive system

regards malcolm
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Post by Krede »

I have been driving my Xantia a couple of months now.. and to be frank, I have still to experience the "excellent ride comfort" that people seem to talk about when the hydro pneumatic suspension mentioned.
I recently replaced all the spheres to make sure everything was up to spec.
But I still feel that every tiny bump I pass over gets transmitted to my hands through the steering wheel, yet the car is very far from "sporty" with a fair bit of body roll (not too bad) and a bit of "up and down boat action" going on. :)
I belive that Citroen made more of a compromise regarding the suspension than they did with the BX, with the BX build thoroughly for comfort.

What has surprised me is, how good the road holding is on small country roads... that in combination with the torque of the HDI engine makes for some really fun moments. :)
Last edited by Krede on 06 Aug 2009, 20:18, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by red_dwarfers »

Krede,

The hydractive suspension on the VSX and Exclusive are the ones that is raved about being more comfortable than the mechanical setup ones (if all the leccys are in working order) combined with better roll resistance.
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Post by Krede »

Yahh I suspected that to be the case Kev... :( ...
Sadly HDI Xantias with the HA suspension option are very few and very far between here in Denmark, as I suspect these were mainly bought as company cars etc.
I have thought about getting a car with HA as a spares car.... but the task of swapping over the inter suspension is daunting to say the least... :)
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Post by citronut »

Krede wrote
"I belive that Citroen made more of a compromise regarding the suspension than they did with the BX, with the BX build thoroughly for comfort. "

i think this is/has been the case all through the hydraulic citroens life from the very first cars (D's),

they have firmed it all up to try to get people to feel like they are driveing a non hydraulic car

but in saying that a standerd XANT shouyld still be quite a smooth ride if its all working corectly

regards malcolm
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Post by Sid_the_Squid »

Krede try using different spheres on your xantia, read this thread,
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=27493

If my understanding of the sphere chart (link in the thread) is correct the default HDi spheres are quite hard even compared to the previous xantias.
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'99 Xantia 3.0 V6 Exclusive (Green Goblin)
'02 C5 Hdi 110 LX Estate
'98 Xantia 1.8 sx auto with LPG
'00 Xantia Hdi (110) forte
'97 Xantia 1.9D sx
'93 Xantia 1.9D lx (my first) R.I.P
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Post by Krede »

Thanks for the advice Sid...

Reading up on the subject..

As I have JUST fitted new spheres all around, I wont mess more with it for now... though I might consider some other ones for the front next time as I find the front end a bit on the hard side..... I don't mind a softer more "wobbely" ride.... after all... that was what I expected when I bought a Xantia :)
Xantia 2.0 Hdi , Talbot Matra Murena 2.2(fuel injected ;) )
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