This is gonna cost me...

[Xantia2.0]

Well everything was going fine, the Xant hadn't had a problem for a reasonable time, and then I hit a 3" pot hole in the road (on the N/S) at 60MPH, and the I think I've done something terrible to the rear...


Here are the symptoms:

There is a massive clunk coming from the N/S rear everytime I go over anything vaguely bumpy.

The rear is pulling to the left.

I jacked the N/S rear tyre up and there is a lot of movement in it; left to right (tie rod probably), and it moves in and out (like the lug nuts aren't tight enough but their on rock solid).

And my freshly restored and shined up alloy is buckled

I really don't think it could have gotten any worse...

So... How much is this going to cost to put right ?

[Stempy]

Make the council pay, get a photo of the pot hole then get no win no fee lawyer.

[xantia_v6]

Never heard of that on a Xantia!

If your spheres are in good condition, they should have absorbed a 3" pothole with no excessive stress on anything.

Are you sure that the wheel isn't broken?

If the side to side movement of the wheel is just behind the wheel, then it seems like there is something wrong with the wheel bearing. If the whole trailing arm is moving in and out, it would be the trailing arm bearing.

Neither is terribly expensive from GSF, but the arm bearing is a bit more tricky to change.

[Xantia2.0]

Yep trailing arm is moving. So I need a new trailing arm bearing, and a new tie rod end. The rear suspension was all replaced for the MOT 1 month ago, but I was turning a corner at the time and the car was leaning to the left, so that didn't help much I imagine. And it is also possible I've done in the wheel bearing as well ?

Well, for the time being, I'll be driving my Focus. The air box hose came today anyway, so it's all ship-shape for daily driving. After all, you can depend on a Ford!

If I complain to the council, I'll have to wait about 2 weeks at least, and I need the car in 2 days!. So I'll just pay myself. Maybe it was my fault, I should have been watching the road, instead I was looking at the radio to change the station!

How much am I looking at for a garage to get it all fixed up (trailing arm bearing and tie rod end + labour) ?

And as for the buckled wheel that's another thing. The tyre isn't leaking air so that can be put on the back burner for now.

[Xaccers]

Don't know for certain, but it might be an idea to see if you can claim on your insurance.

[landcrab]

Turning a corner at 60mph while tuning the radio !! Beggars belief.

It strikes me that all your troubles are self inflicted.

[citronut]

XANTS dont have rear tie rods, and driveing over a pot hole would not usualy damage arm bearings, the only thing i can imagine is the arm bearings were already gone but not showing any movement,

then the impact jarred the arm/bearings which alowed the arm to move about,

regards malcolm

[KevMayer]

Remember the proverb -

'Criticism is futile because it only gives rise to resentment and may reflect badly on oneself'.

Dale Carnegie said something along these lines in one of his books.

[Xantia2.0]

Turning a corner at 60mph while tuning the radio !! Beggars belief.

It strikes me that all your troubles are self inflicted.

I wasn't tuning the radio, just glancing down to press the button to change over to the other station. And it wasn't like a junction-corner, it was just a wee corner in the road.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ETA:

Dropped the Xantia of at the garage 20 minutes ago and was told they'd phone me tomorrow morning after replacing the trailing arm bearing.

The mechanic didn't think I would have damaged the wheel bearing, but said he'd check just incase.

As with most garages these days, they couldn't tell me how much it would cost for the job, but he did say around £70-£100, so that isn't bad I suppose.

As for the buckled wheel, my friend said he'll take the tyre off and hammer it back into line, then spray over it. Though I can't help thinking it won't look as good as it did before Sad

I might just buy one new alloy, but I'll see how it comes out first!

If this were a Peugeot or VW or any other car giving me all these problems, I'd have got rid by now, but it's something about the big Citroén that I just can't sell it! Not because I love it as such, but because it's such an addictive car! Anyone else find that ? Probably not!

[addo]

I can see several things being exacerbated by a good "whomp". A low pressure sphere failing, the trailing arm bearings getting hammered and our obvious one of a wheel being damaged (was tyre pressure correct, or a bit low?)...

Based on prices charged and subsequent issues posted prior, either the garage used for previous work is not communicating clearly or they're not actually doing what is inferred. Neither situation is ideal!

Given the way Xantias (specifically) hang on around corners, I reckon the very same event in a F****rse would have the car wrapped around a solid object or on its roof.

[citronut]

yes Adam but we dont have the same ROOOOO syndrom you have over there, and i suspect even though our roads are in a bad state, they dont come close the the pot holes in the AUZY outback

regards malcolm

[KP]

If yours is a mk2 then i think the rear arm and bearing i have may do you.

Like has been said above, get pictures and evidence and the price of new units and send the council the invoice for it, should end up quids in as i wouldn't want more than scrap money for my rear arm as thats where its going to go anyway

[Xantia2.0]

Well, this morning at 9.30 I got a call from the garage saying my car was ready to pick up, and it would cost £77.95. Not a bad price. So I got a lift down there, and the mechanic said he had replaced the Trailing Arm Bearing and that should be all my problems sorted, however the wheel bearing did take a bit of a shunt and there was a little bit of play in it, though he took it for a test drive after fitting the Trailing Arm Bearing and said it drives fine and the wheel bearing doesn't need changed immediately. Which is good!

As I suspected, they told me the O/S front wheel bearing was shot, but I already knew that!

And after driving the car back, it does drive great! No wandering or anything, it does feel a tiny bit "funny" when cornering at speeds due to that N/S rear wheel bearing having a bit of play in it, but at least now it'll corner without swerving off the road!

Anyway, I reckon that is the end of this thread, as the problem it started with is now sorted!