Xantia Rear Suspension Cylinder Failure

[rory_perrett]

As covered in another thread, on Monday the sphere seal housing in the nearside suspension cylinder failed resulting in my Xantia estate bleeding to death 3 miles from my destination but unfortunately 140 miles from home. The circumstances of its failure was that we were off to a 3 day job, 4 in the car and a far bit of stuff in the back. On a minor road, over a bridge at about 40 mph and the next thing is the rear mudflap is scrapping on the ground. Pulled over and there was a river of LHM running out from behind the rear wheel. Anyway, long story short, the car was transported home by the RAC and this morning I fixed it with a replacement cylinder.

The one I removed looks generally rather rough.



But the cause of the problem is the chunk missing from the housing lip.



Looking at the photo, especially to the right of where the chunk is missing it looks to me as if it has had some work done on it sometime in the past. It looks like it has been linished or something.

Compared with the replacement one off my spare axle



it looks very bodged. I'm wondering if it has been welded up in the past. I was considering welding up the damaged one and re-machining the seal seat but now I'm thinking that perhaps that it is not worth the effort.

PS, used the last 4 litres of "cheap" LHM+ I had in stock, anyone spotted any good deals at the moment as I need to restock.

[KennyW]

Rory,

My seal seat went and I carried the Chris Morewoods procedure by removing the rim to level with the rest of cylinder and then fitted a dowty seal it works very well and no leaks since.

Worth keeping the cylinder as they are getting harder to find.

Kenny

[lexi]

Poor castings on some of them likely. That and the fine edge with road salt, all conspiring against us.
Buying a new one, I would want a careful examination on the casting before handing £160 plus. Welding could be hit or miss too. You need a good match with the rod filler type and castings are tricky when the quality is not good, ie cheap mass produced , like these cylinders.

[c.morewood]

I've still got some Dowty seals if you need some Rory, £12 each thats just cost price.
I'm glad to see you got the cylinder off without too much effort with the retaining pin.
Doesn't it always happen at the wrong time though.
Merry Christmas

[qprdude]

Looks like the old one has been welded and linished at some point in it's history.( you can tell by the pin holes) Not an easy job on cast, and always the possibility of the weld pulling away from the cast. Even with proper preheat, decent rods and post heat wrapped in glass fibre it's more of an art than a science. I used to braze cast for a better fix. Glad you got it fixed though. Happy New Year to you all, up there in Kemnay.

[Stickyfinger]

ATM I am looking into this.....................plug all holes and dip/pour over and ?? a wrap of some form for protection....top off with Dinatrol ??.....will need to test it and see, that will require a heater of some form.
http://www.seba.co.uk/product-category/ ... GwodbK4I7Q

Wax Coating - Protecta-Cote

Protecta-Cote is a hot dip, strippable coating designed to protect tooling and other metal items such as: -Cutting tools -Hand tools -Engineering gauges -High precision components Protecta-Cote gives long term protection against corrosion, physical damage and rough handling during storage and transport. It is easily removed before use leaving a rust free clean surface.

[qprdude]

I think a lot of milling cutters and lathe tools are delivered in that stuff. I know we used a similar product which came in 4x4 " blocks. We put it in a white metal melting crucable and dipped cutting tools into it to dispel any coolant from the tool and keep it like new. Don't know how it would work on a car part though, as cold conditions and vibration used to crack it.

[Stickyfinger]

There are also rub on type waxes which may be just as good. I will test a number of types over the winter I think.
It would be good to see "the best way" and "best product" for our specific need.

100% the best way from the off is to keep those areas clean of debris thus dry.

[lexi]

Yes AL, a coating of anything to stop ally corrosion and also any reaction from rusty metal oxide from spheres.