Xantia Front Suspension

[onthecut]

Just a quick question, as I'm sure I've spotted one or two Xants tucked on the lists on here ! I have a S2 and I have reached a point where the front ride height has gone from being erratic to apparently permanently full height. Thought I'd cracked it straight away when I got under and found the nylon link bar had fallen off. Replaced that, tried numerous different positions for the link setting, but no difference -- full height. The valve itself must be good as the manual lever will drop the car to low, so I'm guessing it's the spring loaded contraption that's at issue. Anyone been there, done that and fixed it ?

Mike.

[Dean]

Hi Mike

Yes been there done that with mine, the plastic dogbone pops off if the mechanism gets seized or stiff on the height corrector carrier assembly, best bet is to take the height corrector off with its carrier assembly and give it a damn good clean and grease, with a new unworn dogbone all should be returned to normal.
Sorry no pictures though if you have a flick through the frenchcarforum there is lots of info on it.

D

[Peter.N.]

Sorry Mike you've got the wrong forum I would agree with Dean, the height corrector is stiff, squirt it with WD40 several times over a period of two or three days and it should loosen up.

Peter

[citroenxm]

NO THE HEIGHT CORRECTOR IS NOT STIFF.... it always gets blamed...

its the two levers that A. the manual lever rod is connected to... and B the nylon link is attached too..

Pop the rod off.. 1x 8mm nut and then with pleanty of wd on the pivot of the arm and a LOT of wriggleing back and forth untill its free... however if the car moves with the manual lever my guess is the other has siezed - a little more awkward to get at but pop the link rob back off and do the same with the other... they should both be really free and slack... you will fhen get a better responding suspension..

pay very carefull attention to how the arm sits inside the other... if it pops out with movement it needs to importantly go back exactly the same way!!

MAKE SURE THE CAR IS ON STANDS AND SUPPORTED WELL!!!!!!!

Paul

[onthecut]

Thanks guys for the detail. Will probably have a go at removing the whole assembly so I can get a clear run at it on the bench. I wonder why they changed to this contraption -- the earlier ones, along with the XM set up seem to work fine. I'm also bemused why it should seize -- the car is in regular use, carrying varying loads, so I would have thought it would all be kept free.

Just as an aside, had to replace front lower arm front bush -- nearly fell over at local auto shop parts counter -- £0.98 plus vat and it doesn't appear to be made from cheese !

Mike.

[Dieselman]

Thanks guys for the detail. Will probably have a go at removing the whole assembly so I can get a clear run at it on the bench. I wonder why they changed to this contraption -- the earlier ones, along with the XM set up seem to work fine. I'm also bemused why it should seize -- the car is in regular use, carrying varying loads, so I would have thought it would all be kept free.

They can just sieze due to lack of lubrication and rust causing binding.

My first XM suffered a seized front height corrector linkage and it was new and in daily use.

Ensure you grease the linkage when servicing the car, nobody does.

[Dean]

Thanks guys for the detail. Will probably have a go at removing the whole assembly so I can get a clear run at it on the bench. I wonder why they changed to this contraption -- the earlier ones, along with the XM set up seem to work fine. I'm also bemused why it should seize -- the car is in regular use, carrying varying loads, so I would have thought it would all be kept free.

Just as an aside, had to replace front lower arm front bush -- nearly fell over at local auto shop parts counter -- £0.98 plus vat and it doesn't appear to be made from cheese !

Mike.

I dont know why they went over to it either, it only does the same job as the xm setup. Ive done all three on the activa now even though that gets regular use, the main pivot seems to get sticky with old hard grease or dries out and binds through lack of lube, at least they are easy ish to get off though.

D

[onthecut]

Hmmmm.

Unbolted and unpiped assembly and took it out --- pivoting levers fine; valve assembly effectively solid. Have had it in vise and got some movement in it (not much), reassembled --- still no height modulation. Over the years I've had XMs, I have never had any grief with these corrector valves, so don't actually know by how much they are supposed to move, or over what part of their movement the functional part is. I have lying around somewhere a new corrector valve for XM rear --- any ideas on how different these things are. If it's close in terms of function, I might give it a go. Aletrnatively, if anyone has a known good one they are interested in selling !

MIke.

[robert_e_smart]

They are easy to strip down and clean up. I have had a couple of Xms now with non responding height correctors. A good clean in Petrol works wonders.

[Dean]

Agree'd, the fluid acts as a bit of a damper too so when the valve comes off the car you wont get much movement out of it, take it apart and give it a good clean out, no need to replace it, if you want to go mad new seals and dust covers are available from citroen @ £4 each too but most of the time they are fine to re use.

D