Suspension issue.........

[HDI]

End of last November I replaced all 4 wheel spheres and the accumulator.
Initially the ride quality was lush, totally superb compared to the state it was in with 5 mucked spheres !!
Since then though, I'm sure the ride as become a little harsher, it is quite knobbly over transverse ridges, the nastier potholes and rough road surfaces. It's not terrible as it was with the shot spheres but I was hoping it would be better and if it had stayed as it was initially I would be more then happy.
The sport suspension switch does work by firming up the ride and the effect is noticeable on fast sweepers etc.

So, how do the remaining 2 spheres have an effect on ride quality and should those be replaced ?

[Deanxm]

You will find replacing the two hydractive sphere's wil make twice as much difference as just replacing the wheel spheres as these are heavily damped and form the sports suspenion mode, soft mode is down to the centre hydractive spheres alone as they are undamped to give the super soft waft.

Is there a BIG difference between sport and normal mode?

D

[andmcit]

So, how do the remaining 2 spheres have an effect on ride quality
and should those be replaced ?

Yes, the middle spheres actually 'do' the soft ride bit.

You've been running with the give in the set up delivered by the new corner
spheres but it's very likely the middles have now gone phut and there's no
change now between normal and sport modes. For the sake of x2 more
spheres you'll not know yourself changing these lasst 2! The ride could actually
really surprise you if the corner ones change did!

Andrew

[HDI]

Wouldn't say there is a BIG difference between normal and sport, just a noticeable difference.

Looks like I need to do the other spheres then

I do want that wafty soft ride over the rough stuff !

[Deanxm]

If there is no really noticable difference between the two modes its time for change

D

[andmcit]

Yep, needs doing. The speedbumps around Worcester won't know
what's hit them - literally!

Andrew

[andmcit]

Actually, just done this job on a VSX and thr bracket the front centre sphere
that lives k=just below the battery tray on the front cross member had a bit
too much spring or 'give' in the force of the pukka Pleiades sphere wrench
and was in danger of twisting that into the rad rather than undoing the
flat sphere.

Judicious bridged timber of 1 x 3 and teh width of the rad end caps and then
a smaller wedge up against the mounting bracket and it instantly yielded.
I'd faffed for ages from below and above fretting about access and potential
damage to more stuff than I wanted to replace!

May be different of course on the posher Exclusive with aircon etc and
chuck in the complication of a HDi motor compared to a 2.0i petrol auto
that you can practically stand inside the engine bay with...

Andrew

[HDI]

That could be useful info, thanks.
My 24" Ridgid pipe wrench doesn't mess about when removing dead spheres

[DHallworth]

I replaced the spheres on my 24v XM a couple of years ago.

I did all 4 corners and the accumulator to start with but as time was running out that day I left the 2 centres as they were a sod to get at.

The difference was noticeable but it wasn't as soft as I expected. When I changed the centre spheres it totally transformed the ride.

David.

[Xaccers]

With hydractive suspension the corner spheres are stiff and the two centre spheres are there for the soft ride.
When you throw the car about, the centre spheres are excluded, so the suspension stiffens giving a more stable firmer ride.
The sport button on Xantias just changes how soon the firm ride kicks in rather than putting the car into permanant hard mode (like I believe was the case on XMs).