Where to buy Xantia spheres in 2022 ? (in Scotland)

[Mandrake]

Hi All,

Last time I bought any spheres was in 2014 from Citroen Services in Rutherglen - they used to supply IFHS spheres, had listings for the spheres on their website and it was possible to collect them over the counter.

Not anymore as far as I can see! Bought out by Cam Auto's and not doing Citroen stuff anymore, and certainly no listings like they used to have.

So where are people getting their spheres from these days ? Is it still even possible to buy them now that the youngest Xantia is 21 years old ? (Makes me feel old too! )

I'm just looking for an accumulator sphere and Anti-sink sphere at the moment, the latter in particular as my garage always grumbles about the rear brakes not working as well as they should be, that and the fact that the rear brakes seem to need bleeding periodically suggest the anti-sink sphere has popped and is bubbling nitrogen into the rear brakes, so a new anti-sink sphere could make quite a difference to the rear brakes especially given that it acts as a brake accumulator for the rear brakes.

Later on once the MOT is passed I may look at getting three new rear suspension spheres as well but can't justify them just now. (Front's are fine and are all the long life types)

[Hell Razor5543]

I have used AEP Direct in the past, and had good service from them. If you contact them make sure to add the vehicle reg, so they can be sure they are supplying the correct spheres (otherwise they will contact you for the reg, delaying the transaction).

[TZDunnit]

Pleaides in Sawtry Cambs
Chevronics in Hitchin herts
Mail order
Any good motor factors should be able to source
I got mine through GSF

[Mandrake]

I have used AEP Direct in the past, and had good service from them. If you contact them make sure to add the vehicle reg, so they can be sure they are supplying the correct spheres (otherwise they will contact you for the reg, delaying the transaction).

Now that you've jogged my memory it was actually AEP that I bought my spheres from. I thought AEP and Citroen Services were the same ? At least they're both in Rutherglen...

Unfortunately their website says "no products found" for Sphere's for my car so they may not stock them anymore.

I got mine through GSF

How long ago ? Looking now they only list ONE type of Monroe sphere and don't even say which sphere it is or even list an OEM equivalence number...

Not looking promising from these two sources.

[admiral51]

Simon have a closer look at AEP website they do list a lot of spheres available for most Xantia.
Try having a look without putting your reg in first at the spheres list and see if you can narrow it down a bit more by engine size etc
Or just send them an email they have always been very helpful when i have used them in the past, guess there are not that many 3.0 V6 Xantia's about compared to standard models

Colin

[aneesh84]

Last time I bought eurorepar spheres from citroen. They were cheaper than the citroen branded ones.

[Mandrake]

Simon have a closer look at AEP website they do list a lot of spheres available for most Xantia.
Try having a look without putting your reg in first at the spheres list and see if you can narrow it down a bit more by engine size etc
Or just send them an email they have always been very helpful when i have used them in the past, guess there are not that many 3.0 V6 Xantia's about compared to standard models

I'll have another look at AEP.

Last time I bought eurorepar spheres from citroen. They were cheaper than the citroen branded ones.

No Citroen dealer for probably hundreds of miles from me now - the one in Glasgow closed down!

[aneesh84]

You can also have a look at the german based site https://www.autodoc.co.uk/

I just checked that they had spheres for my xantia. But they usually take 1-2 weeks to ship.

[Armidillo]

Just had a look at AEP, and it does seem a pretty depressing state for those of us with 20+ year old cars. Firstly I searched by model, selecting engine, year etc. The "Steering and Suspension" heading would show a sphere sub-heading, but there was never any product.

Then I noticed that on the blue bar (near the top of the page) there were 3 buttons - "HOME", "Suspension Spheres", "Car Parts". Seems to imply that spheres remain a real speciality for AEP, and clicking on "Suspension Spheres" opens a mouth-watering list of Citroen models, ranging from BX to C6.

However selecting a car I was interested in (such as XM - Hydractive - Petrol - Saloon etc.) would reveal at best a very incomplete list of available product - maybe an accumulator, or perhaps a front or rear suspension sphere. Sadly, although Activa, Hydractive and Non-hydractive options for Xantias are listed, I could not find any mention of the Xantia V6...

Cheers (or more precisely tears and fears)
Alec

[aneesh84]

I found all spheres for V6 available on autodoc for a reasonable price.

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/sus ... -3-0-i-24v

[TZDunnit]

I was advised by AEP Glasgow a few years ago that they no longer stock and cannot supply Spheres, seems past suppliers are no longer interested in keeping stock of something that has little demand so becomes more of a specialist kinda thing.
Could you get yours regassed?
Again more specialised and prob out of reach.

[jamescarruthers]

I’ve not used them personally but heard these guys are okay and mail order.
http://westroen-spheres.co.uk/

At least they will take the time to make sure you get the right spheres I’m the right place for the right car. I imagine less interested places will not try particularly hard.

AEP have a good reputation so as others have said, a phone call may resolve the lack of showing stock for your 3.0 Xantia.

[Mandrake]

Does anyone have a list of the original Citroen part numbers for the spheres for cross referencing ? (1997 Series 1 Xantia V6) Those autodoc listings are a bit confused, for example they show a "suspension accumulator - rear axle" but the picture is the anti-sink sphere, and some brands of "spheres" show pictures that aren't even spheres.... In Citroen nomenclature a "suspension accumulator" is the hydractive centre sphere and the anti-sink sphere is a "brake accumulator".

They do list OEM numbers which I could cross reference but my sphere datasheets don't cover the V6 as they are only up to the 96 model year. *

* Although accumulator sphere and anti-sink sphere may be the same for all models ? In which case I have the following data:

Main accumulator

Desmopan 96 154 588, 400cc 62 bar
Urepan 95 451 376, 400cc 62 bar

SC/MAC sphere (anti-sink)

Desmopan 96 145 672, 400cc 50 bar
Urepan 95 451 376, 400cc 50 bar

However Autodoc seem to use a different numbering system like "OEN 5293.03 — CITROËN" ! is one a part number and the other an ordering number ?

[aneesh84]

The part numbers can be checked on this site by clicking on "Front Spring" or "Rear Spring".

https://www.ilcats.ru/citroen/?function ... anguage=en

Is your car Activa? (With Active anti roll spheres)

[aneesh84]

The anti sink sphere is 529303/529304

https://www.ilcats.ru/citroen/?function ... anguage=en

Here is the autodoc link
https://www.autodoc.co.uk/febi-bilstein/1880142