Xantia wishbone bushes replacement frequency

[addo]

I've had cause to revisit this topic lately. Some interesting points:

At normal ride height the bush - if set as per the diagram - is being twisted up (about 23-24mm at the ball joint end). However the torsional allowance for above standard height settings is then less demanding on the bush.

I cut some hardwood blocks to aid a bodgy setup, one that just rests under the forward eye's "ring" is 38mm thick, while the P bush spacer is 17mm thick.

I expect to add more comments to this, but having snagged and broken the front strut leak off union at front sub frame rear, repairs will need to take precedence over journalism!

[harryp]

addo, hope you have managed to repair your leak off union.....
Sorry to be pedantic but ref your last post and your "blocks", this puts the arm at a slight upward angle at the front - I had assumed that it was horizontal - or is that where we are all (?) going wrong??? Can I take it that the lower ball joint end is on the bench? Sounds as if a simple jig will sort this out for good then?!! (though just the blocks will save a bit of time)
Would you please confirm?? Ta! Regards

[addo]

Touch vinyl, the LHM is staying inside the system at present.

My replacement P bushes are faring modestly. They show damage, but they are treated brutally. I had more trouble fitting the front eye bushes, and they were obviously (hindsight speaking) damaged a little when being hit in as they are now showing some failure.

Ball joints are due again; I got some good mileage out of my Taiwanese cheapies though.

[Old-Guy]

I found an easy way to make sure the alignment (of the small round bush) was correct: before doing the through-bolt up tight to clamp the inner sleeve, I jacked up the strut (relief valve still open) on the bottom of the disc (handbrake on), then used a cheap laser spirit level and a steel rule to adjust the jack (standard Xantia) to achieve the required position before tightening. IIRC the laser level was about a fiver (batteries not included ) and I've used it for a variety of alignment and measuring jobs, particularly when a very long straight edge is needed.

[fangorn]

What about the FRONT bush, the on with no clamp ? Should it be installed in certain position ? I mean there are three "holes" in the rubber, should they be in certain position with the wishbone arm ? A diagram or picture would be nice

[fangorn]

What about the FRONT bush, the on with no clamp ? Should it be installed in certain position ? I mean there are three "holes" in the rubber, should they be in certain position with the wishbone arm ? A diagram or picture would be nice

I got no aswer to my question so I decided to install the bus as seen in this picture. I thought that MAYBE knot on the wisbone arm is some kind of mark
In the picture the bush is yet not pressed in so it can look weird,,,

[sparksie]

Hi Fanghorn

Those "top hat" shaped bushes are not usually critical, though in some applications they can be.
Having done a post-mortem on mine (they're cheap, so not worth saving used ones!), I'm confident the Xantia ones are of the non critical variety.
They're tougher than usual for this type of bushing, having a third metal component between the inner and outer surfaces. The only thing to be careful of is not to tighten the center bolt until the suspension is at normal running height.
Hope that helps

[fangorn]

Thanks sparkie. Now I just wonder if I'll manage to install the back bushes with the clamp in proper position,,,

[sparksie]

Yeah.
Can't help with that.
I got the only one I've done wrong!
Check several times as you go if, like me, you're belting it on with a big hammer.
Mine got out of line as it was going on, by a very small amount, but it translates into a pretty big difference at the end of the arm!
I was aiming for level (not knowing about the 8mm below!) with the frame and I ended up with about 20mm above. I made a half hearted attempt to fix it, but with no suitable drifts available on the day, I couldn't shift it!
Good luck with yours

[fangorn]

Normally I`m not the lucky one but let´s hope this time I´ll succeed

[Xantia Boy]

Hello!

I've just joined the forum after having had problems with my Xantia's wishbone bushes & thought I'd offer my experiences and ask for some advice. My Xantia is a 1993 ("M" reg) 2 litre automatic, with 170,000 miles on the clock, which I love! it's always passed the MOT with no problems but failed this year as the suspension arms had excessive play in them. In other words, the bushes were worn! The failure was on the Monday before Easter & we needed the car to go away over the Easter break and so I contacted my local Citroën parts supplier, Quickco of Borehamwood, who told me there was a 6 week delay in getting the genuine suspension arms parts, which seemed unreasonable, so I contacted a local motor factors, who supplied me with a patented set, manufactured by Q.H., which my local garage fitted, together with new drop link arms and gave me an M.O.T. pass certificate by 5 p.m. Maundy Thursday-phew! RESULT!!

Unfortunately less than 3 months later my suspension system has developed an ominous clunking sound, which upon investigation has been diagnosed by my local garage (the same one who fitted the arms in the first place) as movement in the near-side rear bush. The circular pin at the rear end of the suspension arm, which sits in the metal sleeve of the bush is moving forwards and backwards relative to the metal sleeve of the bush (I hope this makes sense!) BUGGER! Although I drive a high mileage I don't hammer the car so I can't see why they've failed!

I'm going to search for genuine Citroën ones tomorrow and have the number of a local helpful Citroën garage. My local garage, although not Citroën dealers ARE very good mechanics and have an excellent reputation locally.

Am I doing something terribly wrong? Have I learnt the hard way that Citroën parts ARE better or did the garage fit them incorrectly?

Any thoughts?

[c.morewood]

"The circular pin at the rear end of the suspension arm, which sits in the metal sleeve of the bush is moving forwards and backwards relative to the metal sleeve of the bush "

Are you sure thats the case? The bush should be so tight that it has to be cut off with a grinder. Ive never seen an inner bush fail .. the outside of the P, and the rubber yes, but not the inner bush
It could be that be one of the bolts holding the "P" bush in place is not quite tight enough.. I had that problem as I couldn't tighten up the old set tight enough as the edges had worn away ..that resulted in a clunking sound but quite difficult to find as everything looked well until a bit of pressure was applied turning or braking.
lgot a new bolt from the factors and put the correct torque on it ..no more clunking.
Hope this helps.. Good luck in fixing it.

[Xantia Boy]

"The circular pin at the rear end of the suspension arm, which sits in the metal sleeve of the bush is moving forwards and backwards relative to the metal sleeve of the bush "

Are you sure thats the case? The bush should be so tight that it has to be cut off with a grinder. Ive never seen an inner bush fail .. the outside of the P, and the rubber yes, but not the inner bush
It could be that be one of the bolts holding the "P" bush in place is not quite tight enough.. I had that problem as I couldn't tighten up the old set tight enough as the edges had worn away ..that resulted in a clunking sound but quite difficult to find as everything looked well until a bit of pressure was applied turning or braking.
lgot a new bolt from the factors and put the correct torque on it ..no more clunking.
Hope this helps.. Good luck in fixing it.

Many thanks for your advice. I spent some time with the car up on the garage's ramp and with the mechanic driving it around yesterday afternoon. He eventually replicated the noise I had been hearing by applying a bar to the rear of the "P" bush and pushing the end of the suspension arm forwards. He was able to move it and the pronounced "clunk" was audible. He did suggest a weld could be put on the end, thus preventing the 2 metal parts moving relative to each other, but the space was too confined. To be fair, I wouldn't describe this as a dangerous but it's annoying to hear it. Before we checked the bushes we checked the torque settings on the bolts; all were correct. It is odd that these bolts fit the way they do, since safe practice would be for the bolts to point down and the nuts to attach from below, so that in the extremely unlikely event of the nut & bolt undoing, the bolt would stay in place, offering some level of security to the suspension, as opposeed to simply dropping out on the road. That said, I suppose the Citroen engineers didn't want anything to catch on the road surface when the car was pumping itself up, so by putting the bolts in as they did it presents a smooth surface to the roadside.

[Xantia Boy]

Hi Fanghorn

Those "top hat" shaped bushes are not usually critical, though in some applications they can be.
Having done a post-mortem on mine (they're cheap, so not worth saving used ones!)
They're tougher than usual for this type of bushing, having a third metal component between the inner and outer surfaces. The only thing to be careful of is not to tighten the center bolt until the suspension is at normal running height.
Hope that helps

That's the problem I have had with mine! It's this metal sleeve in between the inner and outer ones that's causing mine to "clunk." I'll remember to set the wheels on the road before tightening the bolts on this rear bush next time!

[fangorn]

Just to inform; I changed the bushes last summer and now after 40 000 kilometers they all are still tight and no play anywhere [emoji3]


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