Rear suspension height on a Xantia

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pete.fair
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Rear suspension height on a Xantia

Post by pete.fair »

I've just got back from holiday and noticed that the rear suspension would not raise as the boot became heavier with the engine running. The rear / car can be raised via the height lever in the car as normal. I have read several of the threads regarding the rear suspenion and dont feel it is a sphere problem but the plastic link on the rear height adjuster. Can anyone help in locating its position or suggest what other issues may cause the height problem. Thanks
Richard Gallagher
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Post by Richard Gallagher »

The plastic clip is a small link about 1" long with a ball joint on each end. You will find it situated underneath the car in the middle just forward of the spare wheel. It connects the anti-roll bar to the height corrector which is round in shape. You will see a long thin rod running into the height corrector from the front of the car which connects to the lever next to the handbrake. The problem is more than likely the height corrector, it has most probably got 'stuck' due to lack of use/wear/corrosion. Try repeated raising/lowering of the suspension, it may get it working again, if not then replacement is your next option.
Powerman
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Post by Powerman »

The plastic adjuster is like a small banana. The ride height is set by the position of the link rod which comes from the lever by the handbrake inside the car. This lever sets the position of the height corrector body. The plastic adjuster connects from the anti roll bar to the sliding shuttle inside the height corrector. Basically, as the roll bar rotates as the rear wheels go up and down with respect to the car body, the plastic banana pulls or pushes the shuttle inside the corrector. The push/pull causes fluid to be added to the spheres (to raise the body) or removed from the spheres (leaking fluid back to the reservoir under the bonnet thus lowering the car body). So, once height is selected, the shuttle is continuously moving in and out as the wheels go up and down. If your ride height is too low, it could be a problem with the link bar from your height selector lever; the pinch bolt clamping the plastic adjuster to the roll bar may have come loose and moved; maybe the support assembly for the height corrector is corroded (Citroens don't corrode do they ?)or loose or damaged; or you have left your motherinlaw in the boot. You can easily see the whole height control assembly if you get under the car. I adjusted my front and rear ride height recently by adjusting the pinch bolts on the roll bars. It doesn't take much movement of the pinch clamp to cause several millimetres change in ride height.
sandancer
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Post by sandancer »

Had this happen to me recently up in the hills of Scotland near Braemar. Discovered the sprung loaded lever mechanism that's attached to the height corrector valve had seized solid. This in turn had sheared the lever clamped to the rear anti-roll bar. Surprisingly the troublesome plastic link had stayed put. Even moving the height adjuster lever in the car wouldn't change the height. Copious amounts of WD40 eventually released the seized mechanism, and height adjustment was made by moving the height lever. Drove ok for about 10 miles before we had to stop and reset the height. Couldn't cope with the caravan though (Oh, damn, I've admitted it!). Thank goodness for Green Flag.
Replacement clamp and plastic link cost about 13 quid from the local Cit dealer. Took about 10 mins to fit and 3 days to get the height correct.
'97 Xant Est. 1.9TD. 62K Miles
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