Citroen XM Forum

Hint... Some branches of Mitre 10 (NZ) sell 3mm black bungee cord which looks exactly like the stuff Citroen use to suspend the internal window.

xantia_v6 wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 07, 2019 7:29 am

Hint... Some branches of Mitre 10 (NZ) sell 3mm black bungee cord which looks exactly like the stuff Citroen use to suspend the internal window.

Thanks - sounds perfect!

To keep the cord length to a minimum, try various attachment points along the tailgate, to get just the right amount of flap lift, and no more.

White Exec wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 07, 2019 8:43 am

To keep the cord length to a minimum, try various attachment points along the tailgate, to get just the right amount of flap lift, and no more.

Good point - I did try another point to the hinge end but that didn't seem quite right.
Not having another hatchback, I can't quite visualise the way things are usually set up.
I'll have to remember C5 days - it worked quite well...

It's a slightly novel arrangement, in that the section to be lifted is very short, unlike some cars where a huge length of parcel shelf needs to be lifted. Attaching the strings further up, nearer the tailgate hinge, will reduce the amount of lift.

White Exec wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:49 pm

It's a slightly novel arrangement, in that the section to be lifted is very short, unlike some cars where a huge length of parcel shelf needs to be lifted. Attaching the strings further up, nearer the tailgate hinge, will reduce the amount of lift.

Novel is one way of describing it... I don't know why Citroen thought it would be a good idea to use a spring hinged parcel shelf...
I'll try out a few different positions.

ul9601 wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 07, 2019 6:07 pm

White Exec wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:49 pm

It's a slightly novel arrangement, in that the section to be lifted is very short, unlike some cars where a huge length of parcel shelf needs to be lifted. Attaching the strings further up, nearer the tailgate hinge, will reduce the amount of lift.

Novel is one way of describing it... I don't know why Citroen thought it would be a good idea to use a spring hinged parcel shelf...
I'll try out a few different positions.

The parcel shelf has the split design so that when the internal window is fitted and left in the lowered position, the end of the parcel shelf can still be lifted to give some access to the luggage space.

As you don't have the internal window, the best (but not easiest) modification would be to make a new one-piece parcel shelf which hinges up in its entirety.

I'll look into that option - Cheers

The two members' posts you were looking for are MTXM (Matthew), and raynoon (Ray).
Sadly Ray died last year, but was a regular contributor here, and his posts remain, many of which detail tweaks and experiments with his XM.

A caution about "Comfort spheres", which IFHS offer. These shouldn't be confused with the spheres which Citroen fitted and specified for non-Hydractive XMs, which were a different specification. One or two members have fitted Comfort spheres (very soft springing, and a low level of damping) to XM as an experiment, and usually report a boat-like ride, with a compromise of stability of handling.

For a good description of the ins and outs of hydropneumatic suspension, the various versions of it, and of sphere types, this is well worth reading, if you haven't come across it already...
http://citroen.tramontana.co.hu/en/the- ... ical-guide

I'll do a search and have a read - I assume Matthew and Ray had the equipment to play around with the sphere pressures and what not and managed to dial in to their satisfaction?
Is swapping parts for non-Hydractive spheres and tops considered a compromise, both in comfort and handling? I don't mind handling side of things, as it is not the kind of car I'd be racing around in (especially so with 2 litre carb engine)