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

[CitroJim]

Those new springs looks a bit thinner to me Matt... Or is it just me?

At least you have loads of length for the spring compressors to do their job. With Mick's C4 fronts of few coils it was quite tricky...

[MattBLancs]

Yes the gauge of the steel is thinner on the new ones. The extra length did make installation more difficult 6 I had to loosen the front mounting bush at one side - I picked the drivers side (right) then wished I hadn't!
1 it was well seized in the bush/bracket.
Nut: off without issue. A close fitting tube, chunky punch and walloping the exposed end of the bolt, first with 4 Lb hammer then a few good goes with the sledge hammer = not a budge! Ultimately, small breaker bar on the T55 torx on the other end broke me some rotational movement. Free? Nope! More walloping but on the move at last!

2 the bloody fuel tank is in the way!

Moving, but towards a dead end!

There's the full width of the bush , of extra bolt length, still to go and that point!

Loosened the 4 bolts (2x 16mm, 2x 13mm head, both same thread size!) and dropped bracket away from the car. But not quite enough to clear the tank. Dropping axle limited by brake flexi hose. Tilting the wheel end of the axle upwards, raising the whole thing upwards (with the jack - it's a heavy lump!) just about got the bolt out. And it fits the other way, hurray!!

Extra clearance got the two springs in place no problem (passenger side without removing front bush bolt, enough flex to get the spring in as is.
Clearance at that side to actually get that bolt out = loads, only exhaust anywhere near! Interesting to see if that is also seized in place. Both bushes looking pretty tired, so I'll be here again soon I think.

[MattBLancs]

Driver's side rear arch paint job

Just ahead of getting arch liner back again. Liner put back with "my signature" penny washers from numberplate plastic and standard M6 nut. Lots of copper grease on stud so hopefully it will undo next time.

You might notice a bit of silver on brake disk centre, I painted an area of the underbody with silver aluminium paint where there was a daft gap between two heat shields!

Not a heat shield but better able to reflect the heat

Next up heat shield under rear silencer, one bolt hole had fatigue around the (large integral washer M6) fastening and a second (of the 4) wasn't far away.

Heat shield also found to be cracked:

Cracked aluminium

So, in the hope I'm correct that it doesn't actually get that hot, I've used glue gun to fasten a few strips of bent thin steel (ex wiper blade I think. Certainly second hand and out of my scrap pile) like so:

Steel glued to aluminium

Might not work but will see how it goes.

Next, spare was found to be quite perished! Strangely is the outer sidewall (which sees the sun when in use obviously, but faces upwards when stored as spare, it wasn't like that when put in place as I'd not have used it as spare in that case!) inner sidewall looks ok. Anyway, there's another matching alloy with tyre in a non-perished condition, so that is now the spare.

Date stamp 2019 but is suffering!

Finally has a quick look at the towbar bodgery, I mean wiring! This has always been in the way of the wheel brace and towing eye getting stowed away correctly, so thought work a look.

Spaghetti

Not great! Blob of duct tape hides a crimp spade terminal in a single pin of a large (original) terminal. Think this is the live feed to run the show (and may explain why certain trailer functions Vs ignition switch position are a bit odd!!
Slightly tidier but will have to have another go another time (belly was rumbling!)

[Huskyxantia]

Great job there Matt just had a catch up you have been pretty busy. Ive been tidying up my Citroen zx estate almost completed coach painting i will post some photos soon . Keep up the good work with your fleet . Ive got a 308cc to nurse soon !

[CitroJim]

Gosh Matt, what a job that was and a huge well done on getting it done! Good work

[CitroJim]

Great job there Matt just had a catch up you have been pretty busy. Ive been tidying up my Citroen zx estate almost completed coach painting i will post some photos soon . Keep up the good work with your fleet . Ive got a 308cc to nurse soon !

Looking forward to seeing the pictures Husky

[MattBLancs]

Just putting this good information here for easy reference:

On the first vehicle, there's no 5134G4 part number listed at all Matt. Here are the 2 diagrams referring to the rear torsion bar and hub, - but note on the Torsion bar diagram there is no item (3) listed for this vehicle. Let me know the item(s) from the relevant diagram.

Rear Torion Bar


Rear Hub


Heat Shield



The only Heat Shields present for the exhaust system are those shown (except for a small one on the catalytic converter / DPF Assembly).

Second Vehicle

Aerial



Notes:
(5) Tailgate washer pipe includes an aerial harness in the assembly.
(20) Aerial Amp is for AM / FM1
(21) Aerial Amp is for FM2

FM2 Aerial is imprinted onto the rear screen.


If fitted with DAB, the aerial is 'J'

Towing



There is a specific Electrical Harness showing for this vehicle with your build date (others are not compatible), so: TOW BAR WIRING LOOM 13-TRACK, part: 1611864380, £209.23 should be correct.

Comes with a 13 way socket, and Generic Trailer Relay Unit

Features:

• This harness is particularly suitable for providing the lighting supply to trailers or cycle-carriers on tow bars.
• This harness has been developed to incorporate all of the vehicle special features.
• It also provides an electrical supply to the fog lights and reversing lights.
• Comes with a 13-way socket to correspond to the trailer socket.
• It incorporates all the features needed for good compatibility with this vehicle and is SAFE, RELIABLE and EASY to fit.
• In addition to deactivation of the parking aid when the vehicle is towing, this wiring loom incorporates the blown bulb detection function.
• The functionality of the harness will be obtained by configuration of the BSI (fitting by the network is imperative).

This is the only toolbar listed for the vehicle with this wiring harness:
1608472480: SWAN’S NECK TOWING BALL, £239.38

And a link back to the specific post on the long thread: viewtopic.php?p=807547#p807547

[MattBLancs]

Good news on the towbar front, my heart sunk when I read this:

Owners manual

From the good info Marc shared it seems the aftermarket has got carried away and grouped GTi and GT-Line together.

The GTi has fancy twin tailpipes:

GTi, from eBay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295542088766
Which must get in the way.

The GT-Line has ....

All the show...

Spoiler: show

but none of the go!

[MattBLancs]

Sorry, terrible pictures as had to whack brightness and contrast up for the gloomy under car Vs brilliant sunshine!

[GiveMeABreak]

Matt - have provided a further response regarding that rear torsion bar, back on the parts thread:

Here

[dylan26__]

Hey Matt, have you checked out or contacted powerflex for trailing arm bushes? They make poly bush replacements. Highly recommend them if you can't find anything oem

[MattBLancs]

Hey Matt, have you checked out or contacted powerflex for trailing arm bushes? They make poly bush replacements. Highly recommend them if you can't find anything oem

Not a bad idea at all, I did come across a russian? Site that had some possibly suitable polyurethane trailing arm bushes. This one:
https://polypro.com.ua/en/katalog/citro ... 2006-2013/
Actually that result is off a search for 5131G4

I need to have a measure of the existing bush, if it looks like dimensions are a match then a couple of these (£11.85 each)
RTS Trailing arm / Suspension arm bush https://m.autodoc.co.uk/rts/12972471

Is probably what I'll try. This would be not Heavy Duty but I can take it easy going to the tip

[MattBLancs]

I've used a powerflex lower engine mount before (as then could fit it in situ without driveshaft removal) and did use one of their "universal range" bushes to remake a 406 upper engine mount torque reaction arm bush, but nothing suspension related tried as yet.

[MattBLancs]

Oh I didn't say:
The 308 SW on its longer springs, I was worried about increased rear ride height= sat nicely when dropped back onto its wheels
Test run tomorrow, "customer feedback" from my wife expected later.

Need to find the other 308 SW (the new blue one) 's OBD port as realised it will likely tell me if it's aerial is having a problem (on the basis it's pretty new, so like the C5 will have its own flipping ECU listing on DiagBox!)

[MattBLancs]

The Parts Asia site (all be it treat with a dose of salt) does list this elusive bush, with another part number:
5131H7

Spoiler: show

enormous link:
https://catalogs.ssg.asia/peugeot/?lang ... aWVyPT0%3D

Which Autodoc does list multiple results against:

Autodoc = 5131H7

As far as I can see, all seems to be:
Inner diameter 12mm (or 12.1 or 12.3)
Outer diameter most 72, a couple of stragglers state 71.2,
Then gets interesting "width 50mm" different item: "height 82.5" a couple unstated, next "width 83.5", "82.5"
The 50mm seems to be the odd one out. Not sure if 83 Vs 82 is just a typo