Xantia suspension cost

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Post by Peter.N. »

I too would doubt that the height correctors need changing, I have one on an XM thats done getting on for 300,000 miles and although the suspension drops very quickly when you stop, all the while you are driving its OK. Spheres are about £22.00 each from GSF.

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Post by citronut »

i belive suspension dropping quickly after switch off especialy on one with high mileage, is the leg and strut seal's are not holdding presure as they should,


regards malcolm
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Post by Xaccers »

citronut wrote:i belive suspension dropping quickly after switch off especialy on one with high mileage, is the leg and strut seal's are not holdding presure as they should,


regards malcolm
Can also be low pressure spheres at that end of the car.

To test the seals do you just pop the small return pipes off the LHM tank and check for more than a dribble?
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Post by citronut »

or even pop the leg pipe off with a tray under the car just in case it spouts lots of citro blood,


regards malcolm
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Post by CitroJim »

Peter.N. wrote:I too would doubt that the height correctors need changing, I have one on an XM thats done getting on for 300,000 miles and although the suspension drops very quickly when you stop, all the while you are driving its OK. Spheres are about £22.00 each from GSF.

Peter
Generally, all that happens to height correctors is they get full of dirt and become sluggish in operation. Here's one that is typically mucky:


Image

The muck has the effect of blocking the damper port, especially the graduated hole in the nylon plug. This makes the HC very slow to respond to moderate height changes and to not respond at all to small changes.

It's not hard to overhaul them and if you're careful you don't even need to replace the seals. Cleaning them makes one heck of a difference to response and comfort.

It's just getting them out and on the bench that can be difficult :twisted:

Quick sinks can indeed be the front struts leaking. A test, although it means taking the strut top off, is to block the hole at the top of the piston rod (where fluid enters and leaves) and try pumping the strut up and down like a bicycle pump. If you feel little or no resistance, it's leaky. I've seen very high mileage ones with wear to the thrust sides of their pistons that cause a leak at the normal ride height area.
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Post by Dommo »

Do you have a guide on HC overhaulling/internal cleaning Jim?
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Post by CitroJim »

Dommo wrote:Do you have a guide on HC overhaulling/internal cleaning Jim?
I'm about to do one Dom.. It'll appear on my website in due course...

It's prima-facie not difficult.

In the meantime have a look at the latest entry in my blog for a harrowing tale of woe concerning a height corrector overhaul on my Activa :twisted:

That's when the job gets VERY difficult!!!
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Post by CitroJim »

Here is my guide to rebuilding and overhauling height correctors...

Let me know of any errors/omissions...
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Post by admiral51 »

Seems to be pretty comprehensive Jim, only 1 omission as far as i can tell

Your hourly rate and whether or not you visit the patient :lol: :lol:

Colin

Ah thats 2 omissions actually :oops: :oops:
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Post by KevMayer »

I have two front corner spheres in my garage which are in good condition and would be just right for an SX.
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Post by citronut »

the thin washer i belive is a baffel :wink: ,

also citroen say to clean hydraulic components with petrol :lol:

also again i thought the nylon bypass valve can be unscrewed,

and if memery serves this use to be brass on very early citroen H/C's,

and i belive there was a special tool to unscrew it,


regards malcolm
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Post by CitroJim »

Ahh, thanks Malcolm :D I was trying to think of the propername/function for that thin washer. Baffle - perfect :D I've edited my web pages to use the correct term...

Petrol's good but a tad smelly and flammable. Brake cleaner seems OK as a substitute... It doesn't appear to attack the rubber of the diaphragm, smells better and is not so dangerous... Secondly, I use it because it does not affect my breathing like petrol and white spirit does...

In a Xantia HC the nylon plug cannot be removed. It has a tiny tiny hole that acts as the damping element. In the BX and earlier height correctors there is a brass plug here and under the brass plug is a stack of discs that achieves the damping. These are absent in the Xantia variety...

There was a special tool for the brass plug and one can be made from a piece of suitable diameter pipe, a junior hacksaw and a file to make a key for it.


admiral51 wrote:Your hourly rate and whether or not you visit the patient :lol: :lol:
It's around the same as Barclays paid in Corporation tax Colin and for that kind of hourly rate, yes, anything you ask....
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Post by Dommo »

Thanks Jim that's a great guide. I'll give it a go when I get chance, I'm still not sure where the front HC sits mind you, is it meant to be offset towards the offside?
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Post by CitroJim »

It's well hidden Dom and yes, off to one side in the rear of the front subframe. On the Activa it's hemmed in by the roll corrector.

Get right under and you'll see it sitting above a plate bolted between the front and rear rails of the rear of the subframe. In fact, the easiest is to eyeball the anti-roll bar, see the dogbone and follow it back to the height corrector...

The front height corrector has to be entirely removed for overhaul and on the Activa it's a seriously fiddly job...

EDIT: Dom, the picture on page one of my guide is of a front height corrector assembly complete....
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Post by redzzed »

as a footnote...
I booked the car in for a check with a reliable citroen indy(nut) in the south east .
he says both height corectors are red rusty and need regular oiling .
the rear 2 suspension spheres are red rusty and solid .
the front accumulator is 30% effective .

Unfortunately he also said that the bottom of the rad. is rusty , the handbrake cables have been routed wrong and front pads and discs are worn and rusty .
also something worn in the track rod department .

he replaced a small plastic t bone unit from the front h. corrector and the suspension is now roughly normal .
i have decided to let him replace the rear 2 spheres and the accumulator .
will probably get the brakes done at a drive-in brake/tyre specialist , i have been quoted £120 for the brakes .

thx for all the replies ; i still prefer zxs' , but this xantia drives well .

dave
current : 1997 xantia 1.9 td sx a/c
previous cars :
1997 zx memphis td
1996 zx volcane td
1994 zx volcane td
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