Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

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MattBLancs
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

New car's awful oxidized wheels have pretty equally awful tyres so replacement of these is high in the list.

In the short term I am considering a wheel swap between the C5 and the new car.

viewtopic.php?p=728329#p728329

Has good information which suggests
C5 offset: 30 / 32
308 offset: 44
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NewcastleFalcon
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by NewcastleFalcon »

MattBLancs wrote: 13 Jul 2024, 17:21 A purchase has been made!
Not the one above (in the spoiler, with black wheels) but it's twin brother sporting original (diamond turned and hence looking a right state!) alloy wheels. Just completed the 70 - odd mile drive home (54mph average= busy M62 and M61) at 65mpg indicated! Road tax £20 on this example.
Well done Matt. Hope you enjoyed the process. I don't although when looking for a replacement for my Xsara Picasso, I did start a thread with the positive title of...
The pleasures of looking for a new car... (tongue-in-cheek!)
link viewtopic.php?p=486181#p486181
Thankfully the last few vehicles entering the Falcon Fleet have been opportunist, where I was in the right place at the right time.
Bargain basement Motoring and Bargain Basement Electric document it all.

Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
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MattBLancs
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

NewcastleFalcon wrote: 13 Jul 2024, 18:21 Well done Matt. Hope you enjoyed the process. I don't although when looking for a replacement for my Xsara Picasso, I did start a thread with the positive title of...
The pleasures of looking for a new car... (tongue-in-cheek!)
link viewtopic.php?p=486181#p486181
Thanks for the cross link, I've just had a read and will add in my thoughts to perhaps reawaken a good read with some new contributions.

Definitely don't enjoy selling (too sentimental in the first place and after the sale I tend to torture myself contrasting how little it sold for Vs how feasible fixing it would have been. As my automotive skillset has increased slowly over the years that comparison has tended to get less and less comfortable! I.e. "given some time, I could have fixed that" )

By looking up MOT history, I can see that every car I've ever owned (and sold) is almost certainly long since scrapped. None of them had more than one MOT beyond my ownership - none has massive fail sheets suggesting either parked in a ditch/tree or just scrapped as "not worth fixing" - makes me sad!
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MattBLancs
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

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Final image before I am off to bed
"think I might fit in ok here"
"think I might fit in ok here"
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Rough list of jobs (for when I've not got my 2 year old resting his sleepy head on my chest! :rofl2: ) for the blue 308
  • sat nav appears to think it's stuck in Wakefield and gave all sorts of nonsense instructions when set to take me home.
  • wheel swap to get rid of the awful tyres (and oxidized rims
  • investigate and likely replace driver's side(??) CV joint
  • source a replacement parcel shelf. Seems to be about £130 on eBay. Quite a step up from the last second hand one I bought - for the 206: £6!!
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MattBLancs
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Possible wheel options I'm thinking about

508, 16" ten spoke.
5x108, 7.0J 16", ET46
Normally have 215/60R16 tyres from 508 application.
Example:
eBay photo
eBay photo
From https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145068985776
Last edited by MattBLancs on 15 Jul 2024, 08:25, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Current tyres are
18" current
18" current
225/40R18

This excellent website:
https://tiresize.com/comparison/

Suggests the overall diameter of the 16" is greater than the 18" so a touch too much nice squishy sidewall!
Current Vs 508 16" and tyres
Current Vs 508 16" and tyres
Dropping to a 55 profile would be about perfect (will confirm availability of such a size)
Dropping to 55%
Dropping to 55%
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Further wheel investigation, not just online digging! Out with the tools:
C5 spare, 17" full size with a 225/55R17 tyre = considerable size increase over the 308 wheels (+6.4% 35mm says the tire size site). Tried it on front anyway= clears caliper with room to spare.
C5
C5
C5
C5
C5
C5
Offset noticibly different too. Will check the C5 steel offset as am sure it's marked. Edit: ET32
Et32
Et32
On that note, 308 current wheels are ET48
308 wheel spec
308 wheel spec
Next, I thought I'd see how far I could get on one wheel bolt as strangely the rest would not go in! :rofl2:
Other 308's (spare) wheel on later 308
Other 308's (spare) wheel on later 308
More seriously, thought this would give chance to check clearance of a 16" wheel Vs the large front brake caliper.

Obviously considerably tighter than the 18" with a full inch off the radius. But it does clear:
Clearance
Clearance
Clearance
Clearance
Clearance
Clearance
Clearance
Clearance
Last edited by MattBLancs on 14 Jul 2024, 23:11, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Oh look that lower caliper Allen bolt slider is missing it's dust cap.

Also on the to do:
  • Engine undertray (just bought, £49.99 eBay, new aftermarket)
  • Passenger side wheel arch liner will come off for a session with the hot staples:
    Liner cracked.
    Liner cracked.
  • rather unconvincing looking CV boot (and grease everywhere) suggests I've found my clacking noise.
    Boot-ish
    Boot-ish
    Currently researching new CV joints. GSF and euro both don't list a CV for the 2.0 308.
Other news, oh look a plastic sump.
Sump
Sump
Curing whatever the problem was with a cheap stamped mild steel version?? Guessing the least forgiving sump drain plug I've yet to encounter, fingers crossed not mangled in some way by previous service technicians.
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MattBLancs
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Oh and tired looking wishbone bushes, rear end of both front wishbones:
I'm bushed
I'm bushed
Me too
Me too
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Rear wheels off, I see the 308 electric handbrake won't suffer the snapping Bowden cables of the C5 electric setup as it has caliper mounted motors instead. So more unsprung weight.
Handbrake motor
Handbrake motor
Hey-ho beats a manual setup up that "just works" and only cost sub £20 if a cable snaps .

Rear suspension "beam" is pretty crusty - that'll get cleaned up and painted / undersealed.
Beam
Beam
Beam
Beam
Oh, crusty beam!
Oh, crusty beam!
Weirdly the three bolts holding the rear left passenger door catch into the door were all at most finger tight! So now they are nipped up.]
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MattBLancs
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Ah, missed a nice set of 17" 407 Coupe alloys here:
Cheap!!
Cheap!!
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by CitroJim »

Plenty to keep you busy there Matt!
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

CitroJim wrote: 15 Jul 2024, 05:26 Plenty to keep you busy there Matt!
Aye, and I've not shown you the "make it up as you go along" approach taken with respect to hub nuts!
Driver side
Driver side
Take a nut designed to be staked over, then add a random split pin.

Passenger side
Passenger side
Or just omit the split pin if feeling tired!

Think there is a big thick washer missing on both sides.
That "shard" suggests cross threaded potentially.

So some fun there to be had!!
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Re: Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Gosh these are quite dear considering second hand!
Tie down points - cheapest I can find
Tie down points - cheapest I can find
I'm lucky to have a set of 4, but two have lost the button and associated mechanism beneath which locks them in position. Think I'll make do rather than chuck £60 on a fully functional pair!!