Xantia Spheres

Without seeing the spheres it is impossible to say, but the Xantia spheres will be the same to look at as the GS/GSA spheres.

If they are recon spheres they may look a different colour simply because they have been repainted.

There are 2 x different types for the Xantia, one is for the LX and SX models and the other is for the VSX with the hydractive suspension, fitting the wrong type will not have devastating results, but it's not correct.

There are a lot of recon spheres on the market, some good and some bad, I have taken some off the front of a Xantia before only to discover that one was a BX front and the other was a Xantia rear, although both labled as Xantia front.

Personally I will only fit either new genuine new spheres or Pleiades recon units.

Regards Slim

Perhaps I was wrong then about where I'd seen them before. (could be BX) Mine is a Xantia SX and is hydractive as far as I understand from reading the description of hydractive, it doesn't sink when the left standing or you have to have the engine running to lower the suspension from high lift. (am I correct there)

Slim, If you wouldn't mind, have a look at the photo "Full View"

Neil.

I cannot tell anything by that photo !

You need to photograph the damper, under the large yellow cap at the threaded end.

If your car is the SX model then it is not hydractive, hydractive suspension was only fitted to the VSX and later the exclusive models, these cars have a sport switch, enabling the driver to select a sport suspension mode.

Anti sink was fitted to all Xantia's in about 1994

The anti sink cars have a 6 + 2 pump and anti sink valves fitted.

Take another photo and I will tell you what the sphere is from. What I can tell you is the sphere is definatly a recharged sphere, as it has a replacement filler plug under the smaller yellow cap, about 10 years ago, a Dutch company were selling charging rigs that used this type of filler plug, a lot of people bought them and jumped on the band wagon of selling recharged spheres, some OK and some were dismall, but you pays yer money and take a chance.

Personally, I wouldnt use it.

Regards Slim

Neil.

Sorry I forgot to say, Pleiades sell the correct spheres for the car for as far as I can remember =A316 each with a 2 year warranty.

Regards Slim

its not Hydractive if it does not have the button with the orange light near the height control and 2 extra spheres under the car. All post-94 xantias have an antisink system.

neil (neilp_67@hot_mail.com (remove_s)) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No, VSX and Exclusive Xants were the only ones to get Hydractive.

Hydractive has an extra sphere each end which is cut in and out of circuit according to whether the suspension should be soft or needs to be firmer. There's a button next to the height control for "Normal/Sport" (Hydractive II) or "Auto/Sport" (Hydractive I)

Thanks for all your help, I'm going to take them back. I'll learn one of these days to ask these sort of questions before buying the parts. I used to have a tame garage guy I could ask who was Citroen trained and had his own business but he retired last year. (more often than not I'd buy parts from him)

Neil

Sorry I forgot to say, Pleiades sell the correct spheres for the car for as far as I can remember £16 each with a 2 year warranty.

Regards Slim

Thanks for all your help, I'm going to take them back. I'll learn one of these days to ask these sort of questions before buying the parts. I used to have a tame garage guy I could ask who was Citroen trained and had his own business but he retired last year. (more often than not I'd buy parts from him)

Thanks for all your help, I'm going to take them back. I'll learn one of these days to ask these sort of questions before buying the parts. I used to have a tame garage guy I could ask who was Citroen trained and had his own business but he retired last year. (more often than not I'd buy parts from him)

Thanks again to everyone who responded, the job is done now and the floating sensation is back.

Neil

Aint it just amazing what a couple of green balls will do !!

Now you just need to to the other 4 cos if they havent been done on a

Regards Slim

The 2 rears were done end of last year. I know there is the main accumulator, is there another.??

I'm not so good at changing the ones underneath its not easy to lift the car with the pressure out the system.

What does a fault accumulator do, or not do as the case may be.

neil (neilp_67@hot_mail.com (remove_s)) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Antisink sphere, tucked away behind the rear subframe. That's the *real* bugger to do, but it does need to be changed - it comes into play on the rear brakes, as well as making the rear ride properly.

hmmm, interesting. I had 350kg+ of sand in the back of my xantia a few times over this weekend and it rode /beautifully/ :o)

think I might swap the rear spheres for some cheapo regassed jobbies and get the anti sink sphere done. as well as a flush, obv.