Changing the spheres

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 19 Sep 2011, 20:26

Hi Mike,

Personally I don't bother to depressurise when doing any spheres. Crack the rear corners on high as normal, then set the suspension to low and away you go..

The centre hydractives, the Activa accumulator and Activa balancing sphere will remain under pressure and these four will be TIGHT.

The Activa system can be depressurised by releasing the union going to the Activa accumulator under the battery tray but it's messy...

I just loosen off the Activa balancing sphere and allow it to weep and dribble into a pan to discharge the pressure.

One thing you will need is a seriously good sphere tool and for the Activa a Pleiades tool is hard to beat. You do need to use it in conjunction with a club hammer and a long extension bar in some cases.

It also helps hugely at the rear to remove the spare wheel carrier as this improves access to give the Pleiades tool a good wallop or to extend it's leverage with a foot or an extension bar...

The Activa accumulator can be tight and difficult. best to remove the sphere complete with its bracket after disconnecting the 9mm union going to it and then you can attack it properly by mouning the bracket in a vice and putting some serious effort into it...

The front hydractive sphere is mounted on a flimsy bracket which will bend under any reasonable force. Use the Pleiades tool in conjunction with a big hammer to shock it loose.

I'm fresh from doing this job this weekend and some spheres were biblically tight but using the methods mentioned above won the day no problem at all...

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 19 Sep 2011, 20:27

You need to depressurise the Activa spheres by operating the side leveling Activa system from under the car. I tried to do mine without doing that, its a little messy!

No real order to do them in, so long as everything is depressurised then you should be ok and access isnt too bad actually, better than XM sphere locations.

Where are you based, if your the same superloopy as on the lexia location map then your not far from me ...

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 19 Sep 2011, 20:31

Whether a sphere is still under pressure will largely depend upon the state of the sphere's diaphragm if you've depressurised the system as shown below, the tricky one on an Activa always seems to be the front 'Activa' sphere located above the gearbox as they get rusted to its carrier which tends to bend as force is applied.

As for an order to change them it really doesn't make any difference but make sure you keep a door open so that the Hydractive system depressurises then push on the front balancing rods to do the same to the Activa system plus of course undoing the main accumulator 12mm bolt one turn.

Not many nipples undo on Hydractive blocks anyway plus they weren't fitted to early models so I always have a bowl ready to catch any spillages, if you're concerned about a nipple breaking I'd leave it well alone to save further hassle. If a sphere remains tight after the initial release/turn then you're in for shower as there will still be pressure behind the sphere making it difficult to undo

BTW Mike, any news on the immobiliser issue?

Unread post by **Dommo** » 25 Sep 2011, 01:01

If you wanted to keep a full set of genuine citroen spheres would it be possible to send Pleaides a genuine anti sink sphere and ask them to gas that exact one to 62 bars?

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 25 Sep 2011, 05:43

Dommo wrote:If you wanted to keep a full set of genuine Citroën spheres would it be possible to send Pleaides a genuine anti sink sphere and ask them to gas that exact one to 62 bars?

Yes, he does just that regularly....

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 25 Sep 2011, 12:29

Mike, I had visions of the sphere sitting there growling at you

Yes, remove the battery tray and the job becomes much easier...

I really find it's best to remove the sphere attached to its bracket and then work on removing the sphere, invariably well rusted to the bracket, by clamping the bracket in a vice.

It's ever so easy to do, undo the 9mm pipe union, undo the pipe P clip and pull the pipe clear of the sphere. Then disconnect the earth lead in the middle of the bracket followed by the two 13mm mounting bolts whilst supporting the sphere. Lift the sphere and bracket clear, minding the pipe as you go...

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 07 Oct 2011, 23:56

Screw caps for the threaded ends, then glass bead? Otherwise I might suggest citrus stripper, rinsed, followed by hydrochloric acid, rinsed then treated with a phosphoric converter...

Tecar (FCF user) may have some correct colour epoxy enamel paint to offer - ask them.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 08 Oct 2011, 09:37

As sphere's are relatively small I'd have thought a good sanding followed by a rattle can coat of paint would do the job.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 08 Oct 2011, 09:45

Ask Martin how he does them....

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 08 Oct 2011, 10:04

CitroJim wrote:Ask Martin how he does them....

IIRC he sprays them Austin Rover BRG