Xantia Front Pad Change

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tim leech
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Xantia Front Pad Change

Post by tim leech »

Hi Guys

After being a little disappointed with my local Citroen Specialist (the bill was rather more than I had imagines and they messed up the height corrector) I am aiming to start doing as much work myself from now, but will continue to use my trusted Barry Annells and Rob Moss

I want to change the front pads on my Xantia 2.0 Desire, I have done them before albeit some years ago on a Rover but I have heard tales of winding caliper pistons back and having to set the handbrake up with special tools which fills me with fear! [-o<

is it something a home mechanic with a decent set of mainstream tools can do?

I have the correct Citroen pads now.

Thanks!
1994 XANTIA 1.8i SX 132k, From new, Slumbering
1991 BX TZD Turbo, 192k Batttered/Awaiting Resto
1991 BX 19TZi Auto 93k Factory A/C
1991 BX 16 TGS Athena (project), mechanically sorted just a bit scruffy!
1985 BX 19GT 57k beige wonder
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chinkostu
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Re: Xantia Front Pad Change

Post by chinkostu »

The caliper swings out for the pads, you can wind the piston back in using a square section or a screwdriver sideways. Not sure which way they wind, think its anticlockwise.

Not 100% on the handbrake unfortunately
Stu

Cars
1995 Xantia 1.9TD SX in (faded) Red
2003 Fiesta 1.4 Zetec in GREEEEEEEN
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Re: Xantia Front Pad Change

Post by RichardW »

It's easy enough for a competent person to DIY. You can wind it back with a screwdriver of similar, but given that you can buy a windback tool for a twenty quid, I would - in fact I did...!! eg loads on ebay

If you need discs as well, you need a T55 torx bit to extract the caliper bolts.

Jack up and support, remove the wheels
Assuming this doesn't have the big Bosch brakes, then remove the small R clip from the bottom retaining pin, and drive the pin out.
Unhook the handbrake cable, and wiggle it back out through the eye in the caliper (not as easy as it sounds...!)
Unclip the brake pipe from the strut, lift the caliper till it is free of pads (might need a bit of persuasion), the pull it inwards off the top pin. You can now twist the caliper round and rest it on the subframe or somewhere.
Lever the old pads out of the caliper bracket, and give it a good clean
Clean the caliper, and then wind the piston back in - Xantias both go clockwise. You need to push at the same time, which is where the tool makes it much easier.
Fit the new pads to the caliper bracket, with copper slip on the ends, copper slip the backs of the pads where the contact the caliper
Grease the slide pin, and carefully slide the caliper back on, the tilt it down over the pads - make sure that pip on the back of the inner pad drops into the slot in the piston face
Drive the retaining pin back in - making sure that it catches the caliper on the way past and refit the R clip
Reconnect the handbrake cable, and pop the brake pipe back into the strut making sure it is not twisted
Do the other side
Start the engine and apply the brakes a couple of times gently, then give then a couple of good hard pushes, this should adjust up the handbrake.
Drop it back down, and take it for a test run to check all is OK.

If it's got Bosch brakes, then there is a 13mm nut at the bottom rather than the pin, but otherwise it's the same.

If you need to do the discs, then you need to remove the caliper bracket (2 off T55 bolts accessed from the inboard end), then the two small torx screws on the disc face. Knock the disc off the hub, clean the hub face thoroughly, and give them a smear of copperslip before popping the new discs on. If the discs are stubborn you can remove them using the engine - get the disc screws out first, and check the discs will come loose before you remove the pads. If they won't, then start the engine, engage 2nd, and stand on the brakes - this will pull one disc off. Now fit 2 wheel bolts into this hub to hold the disc, and do it again to pull the other side off. Easy!

You may well find that the handbrake cables are broken where the go round the strut - replacement is not that hard.
Richard W
tim leech
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Re: Xantia Front Pad Change

Post by tim leech »

Thanks Richard

That sounds doable, need to sort the height corrector first!
1994 XANTIA 1.8i SX 132k, From new, Slumbering
1991 BX TZD Turbo, 192k Batttered/Awaiting Resto
1991 BX 19TZi Auto 93k Factory A/C
1991 BX 16 TGS Athena (project), mechanically sorted just a bit scruffy!
1985 BX 19GT 57k beige wonder
citronut
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Re: Xantia Front Pad Change

Post by citronut »

as Richard says above but on refitting the pin make sure the tiny hole the R clip ( not always R shaped ) is facing towards the front, otherwise you will not get the R ( not always R shaped ) clip back in,

also on winding the pistons back make sure one pair of the slots are horizontal when the caliper is in its fitted position, this shod then be in the correct place for the pip on the pad to sit in the rearward facing slot
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
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