Sphere problem

[Eddie Nuff]

Hello fellas, I'm in need of a bit of help regarding the "Anti-sink" sphere.

I've had hydroflush in my S2 Xantia for the past 4000 miles in preparation for fitting new spheres. The hydroflush drained out of the rear brake nipples with ease, the three spheres (bought new from AEP) under the bonnet were changed with no problem. Even the rear corners came off with just a little persuasion. The middle sphere, on the other hand, is a different matter.

The nut on the feed pipe was seized and took some freeing, and although the sphere took time to come free it came off clean. Put the new sphere on and connected the pipe to it, started the car and raised it to high and LHM came flooding out of the pipe in a rage. Dropped the car back down and took the sphere off. All seems well, so connected them back together - same result. The fluid is rushing out when on high and only stops permanently when the car is on low.

My thoughts are that either the pipe is not seating into the sphere for some reason, or the pipe is split. I'm in need of a fresh pair of eyes as I'm getting nowhere fast with this. Is there a procedure for fitting the middle sphere back onto the car re the brake pipe?

Any thoughts, good or bad, are welcome.

[Hell Razor5543]

Silly question. You did fit a 4.5mm LHM tube seal (assuming there are only 6 spheres in total) onto the pipe before fitting the new anti-sink sphere, didn't you? It is possible to forget, as it normally stays in the old sphere when you withdraw the pipe. With care (and a long, thin pair of tweezers) it is possible to recover and re-use the seal.

Something to make life easier in the future is to also fit one of the old square section 'O' rings onto the anti sink sphere before fitting it back onto the bracket. It does not do any sealing (that is what the tube seal does), but it prevents any rust from binding the sphere to the bracket.

[Northern_Mike]

Did you replace the seal on the pipe? It sounds to me like it's missing or not seated properly?

It's little tubular seal that pushes onto the pipe before you put it into the sphere. When you remove the pipe the old seals can stick inside the sphere and go unnoticed..

[Eddie Nuff]

And there's the rub. It's seven years since I replaced these spheres and haven't done any inbetween so my memory convinced me that the seal was integral to the sphere. I've checked the old sphere and the seal is still intact but won't budge. I could refit the old sphere for now but will just get a seal and see if that sorts the problem.

Citroen, GSF, AEP or does it not really matter?

[Mandrake]

The old seal will only be stuck because the threads will have imprinted some grooves in the rubber. A pair of fine needlenose pliers will get it out. Failing that put a right angle bend (about 1-2mm long) on the end of a straightened out paper clip, push a very small screwdriver down the edge of the seal, run it around the edge then hook the seal up from the bottom with the bent paper clip. (A dental tool with a bend on the end is perfect for this but not everyone has one of those )

Unless you're very unlucky the seal will be perfectly reusable. I've always just reused the anti-sink sphere seals...

[c.morewood]

I use a suitably sized screw to get the seals out.. just screw it in gently and if it doesn't free straight away try a rocking motion

[Eddie Nuff]

Silly question.

Yes I did forget the seal.

Middle sphere fitted together ok after some persuasion. Suspension rises and falls as it should but the nsr corner sphere weeps. I've taken it off three times, checked the fit and the seal, all seems well. I've even nipped it up with the tool and the result is the same.

It has been suggested that there could be corrosion on the strut fitting but all seems to be ok. Any ideas what the cause is or how to remedy it?

[KennyW]

Eddie,

Have a look at my sticky re the suspension and look for Chris Morewood's thread re the dowty seals I have done it and it is a good cure for the leaking sphere which is due to corrison on the lip of the hydraulic cylinder.

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=48254" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kenny

[Eddie Nuff]

Interesting read.

After reading that lot I took the rear spheres off fearing the worst but was surprised to find the cylinders in decent condition.


So what to do with brand new spheres, seals, and a leak? Considering it's a Citroen, when you've done the obvious and logical, do the not so obvious and completely illogical - swap 'em over!?

Why not? Nowt to lose and I've tried everything else. So I dowsed the seals in LHM, fitted them to the opposite cylinders and re-fitted the spheres . . .

. . . and voila - no leak!

Sent the suspension up and down a few times and nothing - not a drop. The ride is pretty good but not as good as I hoped for (maybe that's riding around in the XM for a week), so probably a lot more air in the system so going to bleed over the next couple of weeks a bit at a time.