OOpppsss Xantia Suspension Problem....

[kentc5]

oohhhh well I was at a friends on Saturday to look at his new car.
I lifted up the suspension on the Xantia to show him something about the car... I cannot remember even with the shock that followed lol while the car was lifting I heard a clong noise from the rear... I said I do not like that!!! my friend said it is normal to hear the odd noise here and there.
I said I DID not like that noise!!! lol

Put it back in driving position!! the front will go back to normal ... the rear no change ... full UP!
I said OH NO!!! I don't need this now, I have 120miles to drive back home

Put the suspension all the way down ... front and rear went down to the floor... ok back to driving again.
And ... rear staid down low... while the front did go back to normal!!
So the rear is all the way UP or all the way DOWN nothing in between! lol.

Raised the car all the way... and put it on a couple of jacks, went underneith eeehhmm the little cap that goes in the heigh corrector from the anti roll bar.Came of the spring mechanism of the height corrector.
I said that is ok ... pop it back on and then it will be OK. Put it on... and it popped off on the next exercise up and down!

AArrgggg ... did not have time for this lol

Up the car goes on the jacks again.... under the car... and soon realised that the cap is not the only thing that popped off!! but the ball the cap goes on to! is come off with the cap. Dettached it self from the metal mechanism!
So what is appears is that the cap has never came off from it's place but the ball piece has come off the spring loaded plate. So popped it off the cap which was rather tight!
My friend took out his welding machine... and there we go welding the ball back to the plate! I tell you not an easy job to do! and it seems the metals are not that compatible between them!

Finished welding and then put the cap on!

Taadddaaa fixed it! it still works with no problems! But from what I gather that little ball if it comes off, then I will need to change the whole height corrector mechanism? right?

[Timmo]

is this the part that broke???
http://www.eurocarcare.net/rear-suspension/529117.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Xaccers]

You need to clean and lube the corrector linkage turrets, they've seizes causing the part to break.

[kentc5]

No it is where I marked on the drawing attached... that cap goes in a metalic sphere... which spehre is permanently mounted on the metallic plate.
That mount worked it self loose... and worn out, so the sphere was popping off all the time.

It is a shame I cannot find it on the drawing, or anywhere picturted as I am quite sure it does come with the complete height corrector assembly not with the arm that mounts on the anti roll bar

[CitroJim]

Yes, the corrector arm loosing it's ball is quite a common occurrence. More often at the front though...

If the ball is not worn then it's quite OK to re-rivet it back on to the arm and perhaps even (gently) welding it to make sure it stays put.

It's more likely the dog-bone is hair-line cracked in the ball-cups rather than the ball itself being work excessively. I'd definitely renew the dog-bone.

[kentc5]

Well the ball is welded there... so no where to go for it now... even hammering will not take it out lol.
The dog bone is really tight on it took persuation to make it pop off so it seems in a good order

Now will need to check the fron suspension at some point

[6speedmanual]

I had this failure on my front Height Corrector.

Fixed it by replacing the factory fitted ball (which is held in place by being peened on the opposite side of the plate)

with a ball with a threaded shank. This is held in place with a nut on the back.

The part is actually a throttle linkage ball joint. obtainable from various places on ebay.

The weld-in-place fix obviously works too, but access to make a clean and neat weld to a very small area cannot have been easy.

Oleopneumatique - Merde Alors!

Peter

[citronut]

the cause of either ball or the doggy bone failing is the height corrector linkages/turrets seizing up,
in welding the ball back on you will find the other ball will shear of of the arm fixed to the clamp on the anti roll bar will break next,

the only way to sort it long term is remove the linkage cradle anf free off the turrets so they are floppy loose,

[kentc5]

The funny thing is that I have lifted the car 3 weeks ago and oiled up greased up the height corrector ... it does seem to be working fine, it does not stick anywhere.

If I remove it ... I assume I will loose LHM fluid etc... is it a messy job?

[Xaccers]

Pretty sure you can remove the linkages without undoing pipes, could be wrong though.
Remember to depressurise before removing pipes.
Basically get the car up on high, put axle stands under the rear jacking points, put car on low, let it settle and the rear should be up in the air. Open 12mm bleed screw on the regulator by the front accumulator sphere 1 - 2 turns and no more.
Stop the engine, nip up the bleed screw.
The manual linkage is connected to the control rod by a small 8mm bolt in the clamp on the end of the rod.
When you put it all back, make sure the pip on the side of the manual linkage is in the middle of the square hole in the arm that comes out of the actual height corrector when the lever is set to normal height position.
Might be worth replacing the rear accumulator/anti sink sphere while under there too.

[citronut]

yes Xac you can detach the cradle and leave the height corrector in place without undoing any hydraulic pipes,

so no you wont loose any citro blood

[kentc5]

Will give it a go .... once the weather is bettr