Project lowrider

[Jeth]

you might as well just of rotated the height correctors on the anti roll bars SOOOOOOOOOOO much less hassle..

The poing of my whole build is to get it low, with original suspension you get about 12cm ground clearance in lowest position, which is far from good for me.

Some of you were concerned about driveability, it handles well.

i wonder what sort of mess the xantia hdi you own might end up in..

Xantia is my daily driver/winter car, so it's not getting any mods. Apart from ICE.

[CGATCX25GTITURBO]

you might as well just of rotated the height correctors on the anti roll bars SOOOOOOOOOOO much less hassle..

The poing of my whole build is to get it low, with original suspension you get about 12cm ground clearance in lowest position, which is far from good for me.

Some of you were concerned about driveability, it handles well.

i wonder what sort of mess the xantia hdi you own might end up in..

Xantia is my daily driver/winter car, so it's not getting any mods. Apart from ICE.

From an engineering point of view, it looks potentially dangerous as generally cars sit on their supension, in your application the strut is above the shell. Just my thoughts of course.

[Jeth]

Yeah, it's just thath there isnt too much options for how to lower it.

[CGATCX25GTITURBO]

Yeah, it's just thath there isnt too much options for how to lower it.

The struts ripped out of the mountings look how slammed it looks now. Sorry I killed your family in my cool looking car

I'm all for modifying cars but saftey must come first, in this case, the only way... isn't the safest way. Again just my opinion. If you trailer it to shows ETC then thats fine but driving it on the road could be lethal. In one of your pictures the bonnet if lifted in the middle 'this is due to the strut height?' did the hinges crack the bonnet, if not in time they will, as the struts move in around in normal operation.

Would removing and re welding the nib at the bottom of the strut have the same effect? Dropping it into the hub so it didn't touch the drive shaft? I'm not telling you to do this, as I wouldn't know what implications that would have. The strut could be thicker in the clamping area it is limited at.

[citroenxm]

Well the last laugh won't be you. do some research on strut tops tearing away on xantia then see how you feel when you bonnet is snapped assuming its plastic because your bolts have sheard through shock or rust...

[Mandrake]

My concern isn't just with the modified bolt/spacer arrangement, its also the fact that the strut top mountings on BX and Xantia's just aren't that strong even from new. They rely somewhat on the cushioning of the suspension to isolate the rubber blocks and mounting frame from sudden shocks. When you hit a sudden bump or climb out of a sudden rise in the road most of the shock is absorbed by the gas springing.

Lower the suspension right down to the bump stops or use very hard (low gas) spheres and the dynamic stresses on the strut top increase dramatically to the point where even unmodified ones may fail prematurely. There is some evidence to suggest that the strut tops on Hydractive Xantia's fail earlier than non Hydractive, which is probably due to the hard mode stiffening up the suspension during cornering putting much more dynamic stress on the strut top. Likewise allowing spheres to run low on gas can be the final straw that pushes a failing strut top to let go.

Basically the strut top design wasn't intended for and isn't suitable for safe lowering or very stiff springing rates. It's nowhere near as mechanically strong as the double wishbone design of a CX/GS which could safely have the ride height lowered. (At least without mechanical damage, handling would still be ruined)

[addo]

Jeth mate, it sounds like you need to pack your toothbrush and hide away in the Ecuadorean embassy.

[Jeth]

Jeth mate, it sounds like you need to pack your toothbrush and hide away in the Ecuadorean embassy.

[Northern_Mike]

Jeth mate, it sounds like you need to pack your toothbrush and hide away in the Ecuadorean embassy.

Nah, at least Jeth is prepared to admit to what he's done

[citronut]

what is the point in having a hydraulic citroen and do away with what its about,

maybe you should chuck away the citroen suspension and swap it for pug 405, then lower that,

also lowering a cars suspension that nuch has got to alter the caster camber angle, which will seriously alter its handling ability,

try driving a 2CV with the suspension higher or lower than it is supposed to be, they are very dangerous and dont handle at all well

[addo]

I've done a bit of "homework" lately by way of watching YouTube clips of car accidents, as seen through dash cameras.

Yet am I to see one where an accident has definitely been due to a modified car. Most are simple incompetence; blind spots, excessive speed, stupidity in driving, poor loading. This tallies with my own experiences both as progenitor and recipient of impacts. I like to remind people that the old adage of "drive to the conditions" includes the condition of your vehicle!

[Jeth]

what is the point in having a hydraulic citroen and do away with what its about,

maybe you should chuck away the citroen suspension and swap it for pug 405, then lower that,

Why do people install air suspensions to cars? To lower it and to get it comfortable when wanted.

Whats the point of having 405 suspension when you can have hydraulics?

Im starting to feel that most of you think that if my citroen isn't comfortable, then i should drive something else

For christs sake i've modified a BX, which is REALLY suprising at my country and especially at my age (23), i've made it look like "me", yet you want me to swap it for a peugeot?

I really thought that people would've liked to see a BX which has been made something different, especially on a french car forum... Atleast i've kept it clean, and im not going to do any huge fiberglass bumpers or anything, keeping it somewhat original, inside and out, just lower. Why is that so bad?

try driving a 2CV with the suspension higher or lower than it is supposed to be

Been there done that.

[oneday]

i think the main concern is the way you have modified the front strut tops to lower it. it seems the general consensus is its not safe and you shold rethink it. it would also help with the bonnet line aswell. these are realy knowledgeable people that are commenting on this with years of citroen experiance, i dont think its a matter of not likeing what you have done its a safety concern.

[addo]

I hear he painted his letterbox the wrong colour, too.

[Hell Razor5543]

Hello Jeth,

I think it is safe to say all of the concerns are safety related. The design of the BX front strut tops is such that they support the weight of the front of the car. In their original configuration the weight is spread evenly around the bottom flange of the strut top, and the flange sits under the front wing, protruding into the engine bay. However, with your configuration the weight is being carried by six bolts. If they fail your car will drop, (and probably smash the sump) and the bonnet will be destroyed. This is the minimum that WILL happen. At speed the consequences are unthinkable. The link I have added shows a Xantia Activa that had a strut top fail;

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=42137" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think that (barring the safety concerns) what you have done is very nice, and has re-vitalised a nice car. The problem is only due to the strut mounting. Please be careful.

James