c16rkc's mad house

Tell us your ongoing tales and experiences with your French car here. Post pictures of your car here as well.
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MattBLancs
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by MattBLancs »

Worth a message to the supplier? If proactive they might check any others they have for the same defect - save others the same conundrum hopefully

And who knows, they might even offer some money off or similar as a thank you. Can but hope!
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c16rkc
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by c16rkc »

Your comments all got me thinking, how odd to make such a change, and then I wondered if I had bought a genuine or pattern part.

I made the mistake of assuming it was a Genuine part, as I did not think the demand would be high enough for anyone to bother making pattern parts... but I was wrong!

This is what I bought:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185570691472

Came from Lichfield and was delivered in a few days, I assumed a British supplier... but... when you scroll down to the business address it's actually a Chinese company... most likely the same stuff I could have bough on Aliexpress... :lol:

So I had a look on Aliexpress, and I could have bought a pair for £100 less than I paid...

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006 ... xuPOusHspC

I can't beleive I didn't notice they were pattern parts #-o but hopefully they will still work the same :?

So... that probably explains why the recess is the wrong size on the part. But funny enough I'll tell then what I have found, you never know they may decide to supply a thicker washer to future customers :-D
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MattBLancs
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by MattBLancs »

I'd definitely message them, keen enough to offer 2 years warranty, so hopeful they offer good customer service.

Is that for a single strut? Loads of pictures of a pair of them and little to actually define what supplied (in fact "strut set" makes me more sure it was a pair??) :)
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c16rkc
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by c16rkc »

It is for a pair - I paid just under £400 for both fronts. Seemed pretty reasonable as one Mercedes ABC strut (their version of the hydroactive) would be £1,500 from Aliexpress... :shock:

Citroen parts are pretty reasonable all things considered.
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MattBLancs
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by MattBLancs »

By Eck!

Imagine there's a Merc forum somewhere along the lines of
"Has anyone tried converting/replacing ABC struts with these Citroen hydractive things?"

:rofl2:
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c16rkc
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by c16rkc »

Getting a bearing on things...

So I have another problem now... drivers side front wheel bearing... :roll:

Can anyone tell me if these can be pressed out with one of these below kits?

Or do I need to let a pukka garage do it on one of their big hydraulic presses?

I only ask because no one seems to have posted anything about replacing these online, so I wonder it its a bit more tricky than a suspension bush?
s-l1600.jpg
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184736658554 ... BM1tbkpYNj
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CitroJim
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by CitroJim »

My experiece is that wheel bearings are very snug in their housings after a few years Chris and take quite a lot to evict them...

Many years ago I recall reading in the Pug 205 Haynes - press out the bearings using a vice and sockets complete with pictures making the job look a doddle..

I tried and found it was anything but. I borrowed time on a hydraulic press and they needed almost 10 tons of pressure to release them. As they released they went off with a huge bang with scared my mate, who was watching with interest, almost half to death - he ran out of the workshop and hid :lol:

I then bough my own little 10 ton press and it's been one of the most useful tools in my workshop. It's done hundreds of Xantia, XM, Saxo, 106 and AX bearings over the years and assisted in rebuilding a few gearboxes...

So, short answer is no, I'm sorry to say that kit is not likely to be a guaranteed success. I'd spend a bit more and buy a press, you'll never regret it, I promise.

Mine in use...
20201229_095237.jpg
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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mickthemaverick
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by mickthemaverick »

Bit of a spooky here, this just came to my attention having just read this thread. May be useful to you Chris as it's not too far away from you: :-D

https://www.i-bidder.com/en-gb/auction- ... c800ebadce
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
Armidillo
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by Armidillo »

mickthemaverick wrote: 29 Nov 2023, 12:15 Bit of a spooky here, this just came to my attention having just read this thread. May be useful to you Chris as it's not too far away from you: :-D

https://www.i-bidder.com/en-gb/auction- ... c800ebadce
No bids yet - you might get it for cheap! Will 10 ton be enough? Just enough, according to Jim :) .
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CitroJim
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by CitroJim »

Armidillo wrote: 29 Nov 2023, 12:17
mickthemaverick wrote: 29 Nov 2023, 12:15 Bit of a spooky here, this just came to my attention having just read this thread. May be useful to you Chris as it's not too far away from you: :-D

https://www.i-bidder.com/en-gb/auction- ... c800ebadce
No bids yet - you might get it for cheap! Will 10 ton be enough? Just enough, according to Jim :) .
It could be a great buy! Yes, 10 Tons is normally enough but some need a little more... I've pushed mine so hard I've bent the bed and wrapped the pressure gauge needle around the end stop and bent it...

Particularly well rusted XM wheel bearings tested mine to the limit but it did the job eventually... So in short, 10 tons will do, especially if got cheap enough :)
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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c16rkc
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by c16rkc »

CitroJim wrote: 29 Nov 2023, 10:44 My experiece is that wheel bearings are very snug in their housings after a few years Chris and take quite a lot to evict them...

Many years ago I recall reading in the Pug 205 Haynes - press out the bearings using a vice and sockets complete with pictures making the job look a doddle..

I tried and found it was anything but. I borrowed time on a hydraulic press and they needed almost 10 tons of pressure to release them. As they released they went off with a huge bang with scared my mate, who was watching with interest, almost half to death - he ran out of the workshop and hid :lol:

I then bough my own little 10 ton press and it's been one of the most useful tools in my workshop. It's done hundreds of Xantia, XM, Saxo, 106 and AX bearings over the years and assisted in rebuilding a few gearboxes...

So, short answer is no, I'm sorry to say that kit is not likely to be a guaranteed success. I'd spend a bit more and buy a press, you'll never regret it, I promise.

Mine in use...

Image
Thanks Jim - in that case on this occasion I'll let the garage do them.

I keep saying that... and then doing the work myself anyway :lol: but this time as I do not have the equipment I think it makes best sense :-D

I am not sure I want to invest in one of those just now, but maybe one day :mrgreen:
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c16rkc
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by c16rkc »

mickthemaverick wrote: 29 Nov 2023, 12:15 Bit of a spooky here, this just came to my attention having just read this thread. May be useful to you Chris as it's not too far away from you: :-D

https://www.i-bidder.com/en-gb/auction- ... c800ebadce
Thank you!

Wow that may end up being a bargain... what a find!!
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MattBLancs
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by MattBLancs »

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134717964137?

Just a comparative, new cheap tat alternative, £146, claimed 20 Ton capacity.
Screenshot_20231129-204737-564.png
Hope whoever did the calcs for the capacity was paid more than the translator! :rofl2:
Armidillo
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by Armidillo »

c16rkc wrote: 29 Nov 2023, 13:52
mickthemaverick wrote: 29 Nov 2023, 12:15 Bit of a spooky here, this just came to my attention having just read this thread. May be useful to you Chris as it's not too far away from you: :-D

https://www.i-bidder.com/en-gb/auction- ... c800ebadce
Thank you!

Wow that may end up being a bargain... what a find!!
Suspect other prospective buyers are thinking
1) How will I get it home (how big is it, how heavy is it)?
2) Can I spare the space in the garage for something that big that realistically won't get used very often?
3) Is it happy with normal domestic power, or does it need something special (415V, 3 phase etc.)?
4) Is it safe, or could it kill me :lol: ?
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CitroJim
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Re: c16rkc's mad house

Unread post by CitroJim »

Indeed, good thoughts Alec. Even my little one is amazingly heavy...
MattBLancs wrote: 29 Nov 2023, 21:50 Hope whoever did the calcs for the capacity was paid more than the translator! :rofl2:
TANGE - that's my new word of the day :D Defined as 'The explosive result of trying to lift 20 tons with a little bottle jack' The figure is how far in mm the debris will fly...
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...