Rock hard rear suspension Xantia Activa(aka-ungrateful SOAB)

[Xaccers]

But Google+ requires to know and log every scrap of your person

..

You mean of "a" person, surely? Just use completely false details - my name is all that's accurate on my Facebook account, absolutely nothing else is! For example, ! Facebook thinks my date of birth is the same as an old sort code I used to have for a long closed bank account.

Does anyone truthfully answer security questions? I answer all mine with complete nonsense.


Sent from my GT-I9505

Giving a false date of birth is actually illegal in the UK Mike. It was brought in ages ago to tackle paedophiles pretending to be kids.

[Stickyfinger]

OR ??

turn it off and Go here

[Northern_Mike]

Google+ is nothing like Facebook (thank goodness), it's actually useful for starters.

Please could you give us one example of it's usefulness? I'm sorry, I find it just as dim as Facebook.



Sent from my GT-I9505

I can give you several:
Google docs - create, edit and share word and excel documents.
Hangouts - not just for messages between people (via data and SMS), but also group discussion. I'm a member of several hangouts between different groups of friends relating to different topics/issues.
Groups - full of useful information, from science, art, cars, tv shows, books, you name it there's a group for it. A lot of help with my Raspberry PI came from one of the Google+ groups.
Drive - online storage of files for sharing, including photos which is handy when you want to post to the forum.

So everything I can do with Microsoft/Onedrive/usenet without selling my soul to Google?

Sent from my GT-I9505

[Northern_Mike]

But Google+ requires to know and log every scrap of your person

..

You mean of "a" person, surely? Just use completely false details - my name is all that's accurate on my Facebook account, absolutely nothing else is! For example, ! Facebook thinks my date of birth is the same as an old sort code I used to have for a long closed bank account.

Does anyone truthfully answer security questions? I answer all mine with complete nonsense.


Sent from my GT-I9505

Giving a false date of birth is actually illegal in the UK Mike. It was brought in ages ago to tackle paedophiles pretending to be kids.

Erm no it's not. I'm sure that government officials wouldn't advise people to if it was..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20082493" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If giving out security information that might help others, please can people check it's accurate?

They could use Google..

[Xaccers]

So everything I can do with Microsoft/Onedrive/usenet without selling my soul to Google?

Sent from my GT-I9505

And to think I'd actually decided not to add "Of course you being you they won't be of any use"

Microsoft introduced Office online simply because Google had it. It's much more prone to technical issues (we push Office 365 at work and it's a PITA), and forces you to have a Microsoft account, and MS are far more insidious than Google.
OneDrive (previously Sky drive until Rupert Murdock's company threatened to sue them) is one of our biggest bug bears, quite often it will be inaccessible, sharing regularly stops working, and lets not forget Microsoft's record for not backing up user data.
Usenet is not private so leaves you open to so many spam bots and data miners, not designed for hosting files, can't tell you who's read what you've posted, is dying a slow death, has certain areas which are restricted due to agreements in the US, can't be used with SMS.
Due to the high amount of paedophile content, along with pirate files, Usenet is heavily monitored by media and government agencies, and the easy thing for them is due to the replication nature of usenet even if your server doesn't host any alt. groups, what you post will be replicated onto servers that do host them.
But hey, if you'd rather be tied to MS and open to security vulnerabilities with usenet, that's your choice.

[Northern_Mike]

So, none of Google's services force you to use a Google account, Google groups isn't propagated throughout usenet onto usenet servers that are not particularly secure. Wow.. I didn't realise....

If you wish to sell your soul to Google, no one's stopping you. Let them scan all your emails for keywords, know who's in all your pictures and groups of friends. Let them tie it all together. Doesn't bother me.

We ban *all* external personal file sharing sites at work. Being security conscious, it's what we need to do. They're simply not accessible. That said, I've used Skydrive since it's introduction and never, ever had an issue accessing it from ipad, android or Windows clients.

Sent from my GT-I9505

[Xaccers]

So, none of Google's services force you to use a Google account, Google groups isn't propagated throughout usenet onto usenet servers that are not particularly secure. Wow.. I didn't realise....

If you wish to sell your soul to Google, no one's stopping you. Let them scan all your emails for keywords, know who's in all your pictures and groups of friends. Let them tie it all together. Doesn't bother me.

We ban *all* external personal file sharing sites at work. Being security conscious, it's what we need to do. They're simply not accessible. That said, I've used Skydrive since it's introduction and never, ever had an issue accessing it from ipad, android or Windows clients.

Sent from my GT-I9505

I think you'll find I actually suggested signing up to a google account. They only scan your email if you use gmail, for keywords which are only relevant to you to help pay for the service they provide. Of course you may be one of those people who believe they employ thousands of spotty teenagers to take an interest in you specifically Mike, but I'd put money on it that your life isn't interesting enough for that. Do you believe that MS don't also scan your emails or record your Bing searches? Anyone who's used Internet Explorer in enhanced security mode will know that nearly every MS website links to their ad servers, recording what you're doing.
With the Circles in Google+, why do you need to add anyone? You can use the Google+ groups without having anyone in your circles. You don't have to tag anyone in your photos, nor do you have to share them with anyone.
Being security concious you'll have an offline email archive in place right? To keep a record of all emails sent or received even if people delete them from their mailbox. Well that archive system indexes all those emails, how do you know the archive company isn't selling that information on? While big companies such as Google are open to government inspection, I bet the archiving company you use never would be.

The thing is Mike, you asked for examples of Google+ being useful, I provided several, to which you've agreed are useful as you use several similar services provided by other means.

[wurlycorner]

Anyway, back on topic

I've been pondering on this overnight... now need to study the hydraulic and suspension system drawings in more detail to see if my ponderings are correct...

Basically, I think the whole rear suspension on the car is horribly misbehaving and that is in turn throwing everything out.

My thinking is that at it's actually the rear ram that's lifting the rear of the car at low ride heights. This would explain the sluggish response to changes in ride height, serious rear wonk at low ride heights and the rock hardness of the back end. I think I need to go right back to basics on the damn thing...

Couple of questions please;

• Does anyone think it is actually possible for the rams to 'lift' an end of the car?
  Is it possible to have a height corrector that works at full height but generally does nothing else in between?
  just to confirm, when changing any of the rear spheres on the car, the only thing you need to do afterwards is some citerobics and bleed the rear brakes, right?
  Is it common on Xantia's for the intermediate height setting (at the front) to not really be discernable from high? (I ask because this isn't uncommon on CXs, but not sure if Xantia's are better behaved/more civilised )

Nb: I forgot to say previously, the car has also been hydroflushed at some point while I've had it. This made no difference.


I'm thinking what I really need to do is to disconnect the activa control rods (so that part of the system is doing nothing and just assumes the car is level) and then start checking over the standard suspension operation, without the active part doing anything at all and get that set up perfectly, then test out the hydractive part and then reconnect and start on the activa part.

The only problem with that plan is that it really requires the car to be on a ramp

[Hell Razor5543]

I would do the citrobics and bleed all of the brakes, just to be sure that air hasn't got into places it isn't welcome.
On Gracie there does not appear to be any difference from service height and intermediate height on any wheel.

I don't know about 'choosy' height correctors, but CitroJim has a detailed set of strip down instructions for them;

http://www.eastment.net/hcrefurb/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Xaccers]

• Does anyone think it is actually possible for the rams to 'lift' an end of the car?
  Is it possible to have a height corrector that works at full height but generally does nothing else in between?
  just to confirm, when changing any of the rear spheres on the car, the only thing you need to do afterwards is some citerobics and bleed the rear brakes, right?
  Is it common on Xantia's for the intermediate height setting (at the front) to not really be discernable from high? (I ask because this isn't uncommon on CXs, but not sure if Xantia's are better behaved/more civilised )

1. Yes. Take a look:


2. If the pip on the side of the manual control link is not centred in the square cut out in the height controller arm it can stop it working in one direction. This is what happened with Juliet, the rear was being held up slightly, then there would be a bang as the pip was forced out of the square hole giving full control to the auto-height linkages and she'd have a lovely soft ride, then I'd go over a bump and the pip would match up with the square hole and hold the back up a bit again.

3. The rear activa block has a bleed nipple on it if memory serves, I've never risked touching it in case it's rusted solid and snaps off.

4. Intermediate is normally no different to full high, I suppose due to the linkages loosening up over the years and being less accurate.

[Mandrake]

Iain, that you can hear the electriovalve singing is no guarantee it is actually doing the job.

Switch off the engine, close all doors and wait 30s for all electrovalves to switch off and go silent and then open a door. Leave it open for a few seconds and then close it again. This will cause the suspension to switch to soft mode and operate the electrovalves.

Listen closely and you will hear them click when it goes to soft mode, then sing and most tellingly when they switch back to hard mode you'll hear a big click. So listen for click - hum for 30s and then big click.

If you don't hear the big click at the end and the singing just tails off the electrovalve did not switch and the most often found cause for this is the need to carry out the Hydractive Diode modification, details of which can be found on here.

Not quite correct Jim, or at least slightly incomplete.

If the diode has failed the electrovalve (actually the control block) will still click when it goes from hard to soft - but it will click twice instead of once. (From soft to hard it will be silent though)

This is because there is half a second of full 12 volts applied during the hard->soft transition before the square wave kicks in. The diode being faulty only causes trouble when the square wave is present but not during the initial 12v phase.

So when it tries to switch to soft it will click and move to the soft position for half a second but then click (a bit more quietly) and move back into the hard position again even though the ECU is commanding soft.

The double click is actually a good sign that the diode is faulty...also this double click is often the cause of sudden unexpected "jumps" in height as the control valve is closed most of the time it should be open but will open for half a second when the ECU tries to go from hard to soft causing a sudden pressure equalisation.

[wurlycorner]

Wurly ... I am finding your posts constructive, i've got a couple of inactive Activas myself. Can i suggest that you consider a blog rather than raising each issue via a separate post as they're all related to one car. It's a lot easier to read and keep track of that way.

Hi, thanks, glad I'm not just talking to myself
I do have a profile thread up for the car, keeping track of what's done. Basically, when I've done work to the car or when I know what's been done to solve a problem, I'll post up in there, but I'm putting discussions about particular problems in their own thread so the profile thread stays 'concise' and all the posts about my fruitless stabbing around in the dark/trying things and failing etc. (and OT discussions) that may both of which go on for pages stay out of that and just cover one problem at a time! (maybe )

Hoping that also makes sense?

[wurlycorner]

2. If the pip on the side of the manual control link is not centred in the square cut out in the height controller arm it can stop it working in one direction. This is what happened with Juliet, the rear was being held up slightly, then there would be a bang as the pip was forced out of the square hole giving full control to the auto-height linkages and she'd have a lovely soft ride, then I'd go over a bump and the pip would match up with the square hole and hold the back up a bit again.

I don't hear any banging, but I do think I should take a good hard look at the pips, just in case

3. The rear activa block has a bleed nipple on it if memory serves, I've never risked touching it in case it's rusted solid and snaps off.

Thanks - yep, it does.
Russek says this is to be used as part of the process of de pressurising the Activa system before working on it, doesn't mention (unless I've missed it) that you use it for anything else. I had wondered about opening it up in a random experiment when the system is charged to see what happens It doesn't look in too bad condition on mine (tempting fate, obviously).

I really could do with getting the thing on a ramp if I'm honest - it's gonna be very difficult doing all this otherwise.

[Old-Guy]

Thinking aloud:

Your Activa's rear suspension is "rock hard". If you've got no appreciable rear suspension movement with a vigorous bounce test this isn't a matter of being stuck in 'hard' mode; there would still be the same travel but stiffer springing and damping. Ordinary Xantia suspension is in between Hard and Soft.
Logically there are only three things that can cause this:
1. Flat spheres (thus no 'springs')
2. Suspension stuck in HIGH (trailing arms locked against the rebound stops)
3. Suspension stuck in LOW (trailing arms locked against the bump stops)

If the rear height control seems OK then it has to be flat spheres?

Shame you're the other side of the country - otherwise you'd be welcome to try rear spheres from the VSX (old but working).

[wurlycorner]

Thanks, appreciate the thoughts;

1. Rear suspension spheres are something like 4-6 years old (I forget when exactly I changed them). Potentially could be flat, but I think I'd be very unlucky if they were both completely flat after that short amount of time (given the car has been off the road so they've effectively been 'shelf stored'). The last time I changed them was actually because I had made the same assumption - they must be the problem? (they were knackered, but it actually made no difference)
The centre 'anti-sink' sphere is now brand new, so my thinking is that even with the rear spheres flat there would still be some 'bounce' as that sphere took up the return flow from the cylinders?
2. Suspension is definitely not stuck in high
3. Suspension is (most of the time) low on one side, but it's not sat on the bump stops on either



Thanks for the offer - yeah it's a shame there's not a member closer that could come and join me in thrashing the ungrateful thing with a branch!