Converting Xantia strut tops

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lancia58
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Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by lancia58 »

I bought from a local garage strut tops 5271.E2 and 5271.E5 , later I found that these do not fit my car. My car strut tops
are 5271.F5 , 5271.F6. The 5271.E2 and 5271.E5 are for Activa and have a bigger bore pressure feed pipes.
Can the strut mounts be converted ? Is there an adapter to reduce the larger pipe bore ?

Thanks
Zohar
Last edited by lancia58 on 31 Jul 2017, 04:35, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by elma »

They can be drilled and retapped.
Noones tried an adaptor that im aware of, the restriction is probably unwise.
Have the modification done by an engineer or machinist, its not hand drill territory.
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by furriegurrie »

As I read it he needs an screw-in adapter as he has small non hydractive diameter pipes and the strut tops are for hydractive...could be milled I guess. Use loctite to fix the insert to the strut top to make sure it doesn't come loose or leaks.
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Post by Eddie Nuff »

Or sell them as Activa strut tops and buy the ones you do need!
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by elma »

Aah, sorry i got it backwards.
As furrie says an adaptor could be made on a lathe.
Fiddly little job though, probably easier to get the right strut tops.
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by Stickyfinger »

Note the OP's country.....shipping of such items would be the same as getting a machine shop to make inserts.
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by elma »

Its the skill needed though.
Someone with a lathe and pillar drill can make this if they have the skill
I can turn and I can drill bit i know my limits and could not make that part acceptably.
If the op knows someone who can make it then it's a good solution.
If not I expect the price to make only 2 would be prohibitive.
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by white exec »

I'm not certain, but there could be more to it than just the hydraulic thread/pipe size.
Do strut specs (size, taper....) vary between the models, as they did for XM?
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by elma »

Only the v6 is different. The rest are the same but with various size drillings for the hydraulic pipes.
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by white exec »

That helps.
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by lancia58 »

Hi

I guess machining of a screw-in adapter is not expensive, what worries me is how to make sure that it will be sealed i.e. no LHM leak from the adapter.

Zohar
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and lots of Rovers before that: 1935 Ten, 1947 Sixteen, 1960 P5 3-litre, 1966 P6 2000, 1972 P6 2000TC, and 1975 P6B 3500S
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by white exec »

The larger (10mm, Hydractive) screw-in unions could probably be easily plugged and threaded internally to allow the small-bore unions to be screwed into them. This would avoid any alteration to the new strut tops or the car's pipework.
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lancia58
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by lancia58 »

Hi Chris

In Israel it may not be easy to source these screw-in unions sine only two Activa's were sold here. Anyway that is a good idea and I think this is the way to go. I'll try to source them

Thanks
Zohar
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by white exec »

Anyone breaking a Hydractive XM or Xantia should have those screw-in unions from the front strut tops. They'll be left attached to the car's 10mm pipework, even if the strut tops have been removed.

If I remember rightly, the 10mm pipes are bell-ended (i.e. they don't have a Citroen rubber sealing sleeve), and just clamp metal-to-metal. An alternative 'adaptor' could be made up with a very short length of the original 10mm pipe end (with its bell end), and a suitably threaded item well brazed on to the other end, to take your car's small-bore pipe union. Working pressure will be up to 175 bar, so brazing needs to be good.

Try to copy Citroen's drilling and thread, so that the little rubber sleeve can be used. These tighten up as the pressure increases, and so don't leak:
Citroen hydraulic connections.JPG
Upper drawing shows fitting which uses an separate olive on the pipe.
Lower drawing shows a Citroen swaged-in olive; on this one, the small steel pipe protrudes a few mm beyond the rubber sleeve, and engages (at b) in a drilling in the fitting.
These arrangements were used for 3.5, 4.5 and 6mm pipework.
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Re: Converting Xantia strut tops

Post by lancia58 »

The 3.5 mm pipe end ( The one on my car ) bell may be too thin and the LHM will leak since if Activa's screw-in unions since are used ( bore is 10 mm )
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