Dean's Activa/XM/V6 and now Talbot blog

[Deanxm]

Xm Cage, I like it Chris, i was going to fill in all sides with perspex, could be a limited addition presentation model then, try getting that on your coffee table Jim!

[CitroJim]

try getting that on your coffee table Jim!

Yes, but you can't deny it would be a unique focal point for the lounge though

[Deanxm]

It certainly would Jim!
Brought it back today and got it all errected, even got my last fence panel cut down and put in place against it, tomorrow i start making the gates Just got to decide what roofing im going to use, might go with unduline but its damn expensive...........

SAM_0659 by Deanxm, on Flickr

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[Deanxm]

I am having a little play with the ~Activa this morning getting it ready for sale, i swapped the nice perelli tyres on the front to the back and put the avons on the front incase the new owner does not appreciat a tail happy car, i have also sorted the exhaust out and adjusted all the hangers and now it is blow free i then adjusted the handbake which was too tight and binding at full lock which seems to have stopped the squeek on the o/s/f wheel so im happy with that, i was going to replace the handbrake cables as the sheeths have worn and creak as you turn from lock to lock but i got distracted whilei was under there and decided to attack the quadrant plate to sort out this rocking, after all you cant sell an activa with the activa bit playing up can you!.
Anyway i took the quadrant off and after cleaning it all up found its actualy brand new, it must have been replaced with the rods and guide blocks a few years ago and there is no play in the joints at all, bugger, so why is she rocking when stationary......................im stumped, now i know it is not in fact the quadrant i need to get this fixed for the new owner, im just going out to set the control arms and will see how i go from there as they were not set equaly.

Does anyone have any idea's? ive got new droplinks including the expensive rear one, ive got a new rear ram bush, new rods, blocks and quadrant plate, the only thing i can think is the front ram is leaking as regulator tick times are about 15 seconds so fluid must be going somewhere, good job i have a spare one isnt it!, might swap that over quickly and see whats what.

Thoughts appreciated gentlemen!.

The V62 form has been sent this morning too so not long and i will have the logbook back.

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[Deanxm]

Ok well i had another hour on the car and pulled the front ram off and it does not leak at all, i set the rods equaly so the quadrant wasnt straining on the springs, the trouble was that bit of drive is sooo rough it is imposible to put the ramps out there and i was in a rush to go and get the stuff to finnish my gates, it was still rocking just as bad but now it was 30mm lower on the o/s than the n/s and felt awefull to drive. Ihad to go into work to pick up some welding rods so i stopped into the warf and pinched 20 minutes on their pit and set the arc linkages up properly and this is the funny bit, the car always rocked side to side by about 15mm when it had been stationary a few seconds but after setting up the linkages it now only rocks about 4mm and when you turn the car off it doesnt slump to the left, im stumped, does having a bit of preload on the quadrant make them rock about? it certainly feels much tighter to drive now and the right height has returned to a good 3 finger gap above the front wheels. I also noticed adjusting the arc linkages actualy dragged the whole front end down which is also odd as the front H/C should jack the car to the right height regardless but i guess the thickness of the arb and the lean must upset it somehow.

Anyway the long and short of it is the arc system is in great shape, everything is new ish, well cleaned and lubed and seems to be behaving itself, should have done it ages ago really but its finding the time just lately.

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[Deanxm]

FINALY tis done, ish and i have a happy xm, ish

SAM_0718 by Deanxm, on Flickr
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[andmcit]

Interesting to see your comments about the adjustment Dean.

My '99 blue Activa has always had a pronounced lean to the driver's side since I bought it and not just
parked/idle but when it's running and TBH I didn't fancy getting into adjusting it as I always expected to
renew all the rods and bushes but other things always took precedent before I got around to doing so.
Not so yesterday! My father mentioned how weird it looked after following me on the weekend so I
finally bit the bullet and sorted it, as in truth, it was starting to bug me and I've been lucky with all my
Activae that none have had this 'issue' until now - shuffles maybe but not a permanent list!

After getting the car up on ramps to fit a new ABS sensor I had a proper look at the adjustment and
in fact was surprised with how straightforward it is to alter! I cannot believe just how significantly
this has not only altered the car's appearance, giving it a much more purposeful stance and presence,
the general ride and demeanour of the car whilst driving it is much better too! Better still, no shuffles
either which I was worried about triggering by altering things.

Moral of this note then is bite the bullet and do the adjustment - for the reward of such great benefits,
one of the easier jobs I've done not only on an Activa, but a Xantia too!

[Citroenmad]

Your XM is looking much more cosy now, it'll be happier with its face back

Andrew, its a simple job and does make all the difference

[Deanxm]

It needs its rear subframe back on first Chris, its sat on the floor underneath it at the moment although this evening i have made a start on the back end., its got no fuel tank, exhaust system, heat sheilds, wheel arch liners, door cards, plastic door trims, bumpers, lights and no tyres on its rims................i could go on but its all just putting it back together now, the gearbox work is done, the condenser is back on, the leather door card upgrades are sorted, and all of the box sections have had liberal applcications of box oil and there are a lot to do on an xm!!. Now its just a case of degreasing and scrubbing the whole of the underside of the car ready for stone chip application, lots of fun ahead but it will be worth it!! and i am actualy really enjoying doing it.

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[Citroenmad]

It'll be a minter once its done!?

[Deanxm]

as close as i can get it would be nice Chris, but we shall see, i would say a modded car wont win any prizes but ive been proved wrong on that count already.

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[CitroJim]

That's a great looking XM House you have there Dean

There's modded cars and very tastefully modded cars. You know which category yours falls into... XMs seem to respond well too. There was a metallic blue XM at the X rally that had been the subject of some very tasty but subtle mods and it looked absolutely brilliant even if that was not, erm, a universally held view

I thought it was positively gorgeous. Franklin, you know the one I mean. Got a picture?

[Citroening]

Franklin, you know the one I mean. Got a picture?

Here we are Jim:



Darren's car is lovely - had a CX Bonnet Vent grafted into the bonnet too. Beautiful touch.

[CitroJim]

Thanks Franklin That's the one!!! Now that's what I call quick service. I'd barely pressed the submit button before you had the pictures up on here

[Citroening]

Thanks Franklin That's the one!!! Now that's what I call quick service. I'd barely pressed the submit button before you had the pictures up on here

Email notification came in of a reply to the thread, and voila...

as close as i can get it would be nice Chris, but we shall see, i would say a modded car wont win any prizes but ive been proved wrong on that count already.

Indeed, a fantastic looking car Dean. Any excuse for another photo of it...



A well-deserved prize winner... If I could, I'd love to buy it...