Xantia height adjustment lever marks

[charentejohn]

This is a really dumb question I am sure but......
I don't have an owner's manual (anywhere to download / buy one ?) so don't know what the difference is between the thick and thin marks in the centre of the hight adjustment lever (HDI 90SX so not hydractive model).
I had cause to move it today, it is normally on the thick line, and the car rose about 2cm or so. So it obviously changes the height but does it do anything else ? stiffen soften suspension ?

I believe you should not drive the car in the high position for any length of time, and possibly in low ?
A quick rundown of what the heights are for and when to use / not use them would be a help. I seem to remember reading that low was for motorways, middle was normal use and high was for rough ground (no mention of not leaving it in high though). What does the manual / experience say ?

John

[Xaccers]

Lowest: For depressurising the hydraulic system (let it settle on low, then undo the 12mm bleed screw on the regulator no more than 1/2 a turn, then turn off the engine and gently nip up the bleed screw), driving at this height should not be attempted unless you really have to or you're James Bond and want to get under a lorry. You're riding on the bump stops.
Normal: Car at it's normal height with full suspension movement.
Intermediate: For avoiding obstacles that you have to go over rather than around, and for fording rivers. I believe you shouldn't do more than 20mph at this height, but that would be on a smooth road, not over obsticles! For obsticles I'd go dead slow due to the reduced suspension movement possible. With the age of the cars there's normally no noticable difference between this and high.
High: Suspension struts are fully extended, nitrogen in spheres is fully compressed, drive dead slow and only if you have to. Used for checking LHM level, keeping the rear struts secure just while you "crack" the rear spheres slightly loose ready to change them, putting a jack or axle stand under the car to lift it at that point by simply setting the car on low (really handy feature) so for instance if you wanted to work under the engine you'd go up on high then put axle stands under the front jacking points then put the car on low and it will tilt on the stands giving you plenty of room to safely work under the engine without the need to actually jack the car up. Cool isn't it?

It is a good idea to do citrobics regulary (say if you're sat in a car park waiting for someone).
Set the car on high, let it settle for a few minutes, then go low, again let it settle, then repeat. Do it about 5 times.
Also keep the height corrector linkages well lubricated.

[charentejohn]

I had heard the word Citrobics and figured that was what it was, I will do that once I have sprayed lubricant on the suspension arms. I have a great product which is 'spray grease' that should do the job as it sprays like wd40 but dries to runny grease.

Still not sure about the middle two settings, is it really unsafe to drive at any real speed on the 'thin line' setting. The car only seemed a little higher.
Just to confirm it is the middle two (thick and thin) lines and what they do. On the thick line the rear is just below the top of the tyres and on thin line they are just above.

I have seen a Xantia on the dual carriageway here running on high but did think it was not a good idea to do that, thanks for confirming it. Strange what people say as the bit about using low for motorways was on a few forums and reviews but once you pointed it out I checked more sites and this is indeed a 'workshop setting' for depressurising / maintaining the system.

[myglaren]

The bit about the low setting for motorways may be confusion introduced by the C5 suspension modes.
At speed, the C5 drops slightly (about an inch IIRC) to reduce drag and increase stability.

[Dommo]

You don't grease the suspension arms, it's the height corrector that you grease. Something underneath, one at the front one at the back. Mounted in the middle the anti roll bars.

There's a thread on here about greasing them but on my phone it's a pain to find

[myglaren]

You don't grease the suspension arms, it's the height corrector that you grease. Something underneath, one at the front one at the back. Mounted in the middle the anti roll bars.

There's a thread on here about greasing them but on my phone it's a pain to find

Here

[charentejohn]

Sorry I meant height correctors, good link to maintenance of them.

Can anyone confirm the meaning of the 2 middle height control lines ?
My car has basically low - thick line - thin line - high.
I can see a difference between the thick and thin line settings as the height changes but is this just a height preference or hard and soft as well ?

I have searched the net and my maintenance book but no luck, net searches can be tricky for such a question as to what to search for,

[Dommo]

Service low and service high should never be driven in. Use the thick line at all times unless you need to traverse a flood or something in which case the thin line gets used. The thin line pressurises the system more so the ride height increases to traverse tall things but never use it if at all possible.
I'll take a photo of my handbook in a minute.

[Dommo]

Taken from my Activa S2 handbook but is relevant to ALL Xantia's

[charentejohn]

Thanks, as they say a picture is worth a thousand words..........
I get it now, high and low are really both maintenance settings.
The middle two are the normal and Intermediate settings, with the latter being a temporary setting for rough serfaces.

Great urban myths v actual detail.

[c.morewood]

A quick question slightly off topic. is the Xantia supposed to rise and fall smoothly or in a series of jerky movements?

[wotwot]

Sorry also slightly off topic, but that page of the book shows a RED CAR, BROWN SEATS, BLUE PLASTICS, and BLACK HANBRAKE and gearstick cover .My god could they have mixed the colours anymore.

[Diabolical]

Sorry also slightly off topic, but that page of the book shows a RED CAR, BROWN SEATS, BLUE PLASTICS, and BLACK HANBRAKE and gearstick cover .My god could they have mixed the colours anymore.

Well spotted.

[Xaccers]

A quick question slightly off topic. is the Xantia supposed to rise and fall smoothly or in a series of jerky movements?

In theory it should be smooth, but with age, gunk in the height controllers, unlubed front struts, slightly sticking height controller linkages, it tends to be jerky/stepped.

[Dommo]

c.morewood ( ), you can lube the front struts which helps smoothen things out, put the car in service high, get in the front wheel arches and pull down the strut gaiters and spray with... Some lube... I can't remember which though! I know LHM is a good one to use but not the most long term of lubes. Someone else will come along and inform.

Check your strut tops while you're down there, although being an S2 (HDi) they're probably OK, and make sure you put the gaiters back on, which is a bit of a challenge sometimes, but ensure they go back on.