Re: Xantia Rear Suspension

Adrain

I've noticed that the rear brake pads have little wear, even after 2/3
years of use. I guess this is all related to the sphere pressure. The
car does take a while to pump up in the morning, but this has always
been the case since I bought the car in 2000. The car has never really
braked well without the engine runing.

thanks for the advice.


Adrian wrote:
(bermudez007@xxxxxxxxx) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying :

The spheres have never been touched from new.

On an 11yo car? <whimper> They're about 8 years overdue for replacement...

Which sphere should I replace or should I just do all the rear ones?

ALL OF THEM! ESPECIALLY THE ACCUMULATOR...

OK, the accumulator acts in a similar way to the battery in your electrics.
If that sphere is flat, then you have :-

1. No reserve of pressure if the engine cuts whilst you're on the road -
which means NO BRAKES. AT ALL. It's not like a normal car where you just
lose the servo. You Will Have No Brakes At All.
2. Nothing to dampen the pressure pulses from the pump - which can crack
the regulator housing.
3. A pump which is working FAR harder than it needs to. And which will fail
sooner.

And - just to add another reason... If the front spheres are flat, then the
rubber strut tops are working FAR harder than they need to - because, apart
from the tyre sidewalls, they're all that's giving you any suspension. If
they let go - AND THEY DO - especially on a car that's been run with flat
spheres - you may well find your front struts doing this :-
http://web.telia.com/~u43116231/damage2.htm
(Yes, that's an XM not a Xant - they both do it)

The rear anti sink sphere sound promising.

That's the *least* important to change. Do 'em ALL. Seriously. They're not
expensive - £20 each or so. You will not believe the difference.

I thought the suspension is suposed to go extra bouncy if its faulty,
not rock hard?

When the spheres are flat, you have NO suspension other than the tyre
sidewalls. The bouncing is *because* it's rock hard and just bobbling from
bump to bump.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: 88 jetta
    ... brakes still lock-up on me. ... release the pressure on the right front disk after about 10 stop signs. ... You stop the car, crawl under it, open the bleed valve on the caliper ...
    (rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled)
  • Re: Had an Accident, can anybody help me figure out what happened?
    ... I never let up on the pedal, I just kept putting more & more pressure ... The car should have stopped before it did. ... Your car has anti-lock brakes. ... The tires have about 4 to 5k miles on them. ...
    (alt.autos.toyota)
  • Re: N-1 "Stabilization Screens" (Wuz: Re: shuttle LOX line vs Saturn V LOX lines)
    ... their spacecraft are reverse bathyspheres, with the pressure on the _inside_ pushing outwards. ... So spheres and sections of spheres make good shapes to take the pressure while maximizing internal volume with minimal external surface area and structure weight. ...
    (sci.space.history)
  • Re: 1983 W123 230 TE bouncy suspension
    ... Replace the spheres again, before you destroy the rear struts. ... whenever I hit an uneven road. ... at the rear of the car about 4 years ago when I first bought the car. ...
    (alt.auto.mercedes)
  • Re: Strange ride on 300td - new shocks?
    ... The spheres are sealed balls..... ... With the car off. ... Push down on the front. ... That doesn't sound promising. ...
    (alt.auto.mercedes)