Although I did need the help of the AA this afternoon ! Had just been down to somewhere in Uxbridge and was on my way back, having made good time with the prospect of being back early enough to get other stuff done. Was just approaching Beaconsfield services on the M40 when I noticed the steering had gone heavy, which immediately made me think blown pipe somewhere in the hydraulics, as I've had issues with this Xantia with this in the past. Then I noticed the charge light was on, bu66er, thats the accessory belt then !! Made it the 3 miles or so to the services, popped the bonnet and sure enough the belt had come off and was wrapped around various pulleys. Called the AA and they were there in 40 mins, good stuff ! AA man extracts remains of belt, which had slit itself in two lengthways, felt all the pulleys and found the lower fixed tensioner pulley was all wobbly. When it was removed it was found completely dry and had obviously been running without grease for a while, how it hadn't welded itself up I don't know. All I can say is, I had noticed a slight whine over the last few weeks
AA man could only find a new pulley near Oxford, a 40 mile drive ! Got there and found that the pulley was in fact just the centre bearing without the pulley, that is a separate part !!! After trying to remove the pulley from the old bearing on the van without success we went begging around a few local garages, one of which loaned the AA man a bench, big vice, punch and hammer !! 15 mins of brutality and it was off. New bearing into pulley and we were off back to the services. Pulley in, belt on, all good, on my way at 6.15pm, I had stopped at 1.15pm !! If only that damn pulley had been a complete assembly, why do they do that ?!!
Well at least I didn't need to get relayed back and have to sort it out tomorrow !
I'd say a little beyond the call of duty but an absolute star! Delighted the story had such a happy and successful outcome 
