Comfort Spheres?

[Smarty2]

Anyone had any experience with comfort spheres at all, is there a noticeable difference in ride quality? My C5 tries to emulate a coil sprung car and I was thinking of trying these.

[Peter.N.]

I have not been able to locate any for the C5 but the XM ones certainly soften the ride. How old are your present ones?

Peter

[Smarty2]

Hi Peter, 2004! I.H.F.S make them http://www.autersa.ch/downloads/katalog ... 0-2011.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Peter.N.]

Thanks for that, I will try to remember for future reference. I have just fitted a pair of Lizarte rears and still have very little movement, the whole suspension seems stiff, suspecting the advent of another job I put a spirit level on the rear wheels and guess what - they are leaning in at the top no other sign of arm bearing failure - not a sound. I sold my 2.2 estate this morning, I'm begining to think I sold the wrong one.

Peter

[Citroenmad]

You can also get comfort spheres for a C5 from AEP parts. They are normal spheres with the damper hole drilled larger, which is reducing the damping rather than increasing gas, that is what gives a better ride.

Anyway, with less damping comes a better ride, if under-damped!

I've had a C5 with these on, while it did make the ride much softer it didn't suit my driving style so they were changed for normal ones. The C5 doesn't have the suspension travel to pull of very soft spheres, but if your more sedate than I am you shouldn't find many problems.

For the best ride make sure your C5 is sitting at the correct height and that the rear arm bearings are healthy.

The greatest ride improvements will come from putting on a smaller anti roll bar, as this is where the C5 really falls down. Having driven a C5 without an ARB (not advised!), it was very very soft on individual bumps.

[Smarty2]

You can also get comfort spheres for a C5 from AEP parts. They are normal spheres with the damper hole drilled larger, which is reducing the damping rather than increasing gas, that is what gives a better ride.

Anyway, with less damping comes a better ride, if under-damped!

I've had a C5 with these on, while it did make the ride much softer it didn't suit my driving style so they were changed for normal ones. The C5 doesn't have the suspension travel to pull of very soft spheres, but if your more sedate than I am you shouldn't find many problems.

For the best ride make sure your C5 is sitting at the correct height and that the rear arm bearings are healthy.

The greatest ride improvements will come from putting on a smaller anti roll bar, as this is where the C5 really falls down. Having driven a C5 without an ARB (not advised!), it was very very soft on individual bumps.

Interesting, so what would happen when I put it into sports suspension mode with these spheres fitted? Also re the travel, the C5 has a limiter to stop it bottoming out on the rear end.
And the smaller ARB's are they custom made or are they off the shelf items? And I assume a competent garage can fit them and also would that mod affect insurance?

[Citroenmad]

I didn't realise yours was the H3+ version of the C5. In that case, I would replace the corner spheres with standard ones (if they are low on gas) and fit the centre soft spheres with comfort spheres. Having been in a C5 with this set up, it did work well. A good ride but body control when you need it.

By limiter do you mean bump stop? Yes, but it will still reach top and bottom of the travel on undulating roads without too much hardship. You only really get a thud and the mudflaps touch the ground, however make sure the bump stops are in good condition, one C5 we had they had rotted away totally. Running out of suspension travel doesnt make for a good ride. Xantias, XMs, CXs and so on all had a lot of suspension travel (more so on the older cars) to make the ride more effective and allow softer spheres to be used. C5 is very Peugeot and so the suspension is limited, relitively.

I have not looked into the smaller ARB diameter myself, however I have heard of it being done. As an example an estate diesel ARB would be swapped for a saloon petrol one, typically thinner and so softer.

[Smarty2]

Thanks for pointing out that parts company, it appears they do the comfort spheres for my version. just over £200 for four.
I read somewhere about about the anti bottoming out and indeed it is an automatic feature on the rear suspension I have noticed it on speed bumps over and under a certain speed whereby it goes from soft to horse and cart mode.