S1 Handbrake Cable Woes

[Rhothgar]

Hi Guys

I've stripped the centre console out only to find that the balancer is not beneath them on a S1 Xantia!!!

I have an hour and a half to get this job sorted before my mate's garage closes.

Anyone online who knows where the balancer is located on a S1. It must be under the cowlings underneath somewhere but the cowling are all secured by star washers?

I've searched the forum but no-one appears to have had any issues with S1's.

Thanks in advance.

[RichardW]

It's the same on MK1 as MK2. There is a primary cable which terminates in a connection box under the heat shield on the car on the NS. You can carefully prise off the star washers to pull down the heat shied to get 'access' to the balancer. Mostly done by feel! There are holes in the face and you need to put a finger in and wiggle it about to free the cable (one goes down the other up IIRC) which will then allow you to pull the cable out. They usually reattach them selves when shoved back in.

[Rhothgar]

All done.

I only did cables on S2 in September. Can't believe I couldn't remember that the console didn't need to come out.

The only good bit of design on a Xantia apart from the aesthetics is the fact you can just push the handbrake cables in and they engage automatically it seems.

Makes me think you could just use cable cutters to cut the cable in half, remove the outer, push the inner towards the rear of the car to disengage from the balancer. It might save trying to unbolt the balancer cover which is a right nightmare to do.

I like the way you highlighted 'access'...