Citroen XM Forum

My niece and her boyfriend have a S2 Xantia 1.9TD and I suspect the spheres need doing. The ride isn't as comfortable as a XM on normal setting but I understand that's normal anyway. But if you move it to the next height it's very bouncy as if the spheres are flat.

In normal height it feels about the same as a standard car's suspension. But I drove it one night with 4 passengers in the car and it didn't feel right, hard to explain but it just didn't feel quite safe.

They bought the car with no history, so no clue when the spheres were last done but I would expect they're way overdue.

I've suggested they book it in with Martin at Pleiades in Cambridgeshire, will he be able to tell which ones need replacing and do them there and then. Is there a way of checking ourselves which ones need doing. Any idea how many there are on a 1998 Xantia?

Car is in North Wales, is there anywhere else a bit closer than Pleiades that could do them?

I would suspect that the ride height is wrong and its hitting the bump stops on the high setting. If its non hydractive its easy enough to test the spheres by bouncing each corner with the engine running, the front should move at least 2"-3" and the rear 4"-5" should be the same both sides.

Peter

Ride height has an enormous effect on ride..

Test quickly on a Xantia with your fingers. Three should fit between the top of the tyre and wheelarch at the front and one at the rear when the car is set to normal.

The intermediate high setting almost always causes either the front or rear to rise to maximum height and thus cause a rough ride. I've yet to see a Xantia that works properly at the intermediate high setting...

Northwales you say, thats Pauls(CitroenXM's) turf. i know he is really busy with his new job at the moment but maybe worth dropping him a PM as he has the right tools to get it done easy enough.

It will be a 6 sphere car so about £150 for a new set of spheres plus fitting.

There is also Westroen in manchester IIRC.

TBH the fitment and replacement of spheres is such a doddle, if you can do an oil filter you can do spheres Just drench the rear mating faces with WD40/plusgas every day for a few days before to help break the seal on them

Test quickly on a Xantia with your fingers. Three should fit between the top of the tyre and wheelarch at the front and one at the rear when the car is set to normal.

Do you have a 'finger rule' for the XM too? Just curious

Jan-hendrik wrote:

Test quickly on a Xantia with your fingers. Three should fit between the top of the tyre and wheelarch at the front and one at the rear when the car is set to normal.

Do you have a 'finger rule' for the XM too? Just curious

Not off the top of my head Jan... I'd have to go and give mine the finger

And really I can't trust that mine is dead right so a far more experienced XM person would be better to determine a finger rule...

If the driveshafts are parallel to the road the front will be about right and the same with the rear suspension arms.

Peter

Thanks for that, Peter

On an XM, the chrome door trims should just intersect the top of the front wheel rim as the line follows through to the bumper. The rear is then obvious as the bottom of the sills should be level.

Dieselman wrote:On an XM, the chrome door trims should just intersect the top of the front wheel rim as the line follows through to the bumper. The rear is then obvious as the bottom of the sills should be level.

For this rule I don't have to look under the vehicle then
This photo indicates things look fine for me - not that I had a reason to doubt that.
I must add though the engine was not running, but had just been switched off before the picture was taken.