Citroen Xantia Front Suspension Arm Rear Mounting

[Guest charles]

Citroen Xantia 1.9td N reg When replacing the front suspension lower arm rear mounting I am having difficulty getting them in the correct position. befor fitting on car I do have a Haynes manual but this is not too clear. Can someone help or is the only option to replace the whole lower arm. Thanks. Charles.

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Hi Charles.

 

The part you refer to is sometimes known as the "d" bush, so called because it resembles a d, flat side up with the bush in the "Eye". What you do is look under the car when it's at normal height and on its wheels and note the angle that the wishbone (suspension arm) is at. This is the angle that you should try to emulate when driving the bush onto the arm. Basically the angle at which the suspension is "at rest" which will not pre-stress the bush unduly.

 

They normally fail by the steel centre of the bush becoming detached from the rubber and then wearing the resulting hole oval until there is too much play and it becomes an MOT failure. What to do is remove the arm after checking out the "at rest" angle as above. Then remove the remains of the old bush centre sleeve. It can be filed or carefully ground down until almost "through" then use a small cold chisel to split it off. (Up its length, not against the pin) Clean up the pin and drive on the new bush so that it's as near as you can get to the "at rest" angle.

 

As they say in all the manuals, "Re-assemble in reverse order" ensuring all bolts are correctly tightened and Bob's yer uncle! (Fanny's yer Aunt!)

 

Cheers. Hope this helps. :)

[Guest charles]

Hi Charles.

 

The part you refer to is sometimes known as the "d" bush, so called because it resembles a d, flat side up with the bush in the "Eye". What you do is look under the car when it's at normal height and on its wheels and note the angle that the wishbone (suspension arm) is at. This is the angle that you should try to emulate when driving the bush onto the arm. Basically the angle at which the suspension is "at rest" which will not pre-stress the bush unduly.

 

They normally fail by the steel centre of the bush becoming detached from the rubber and then wearing the resulting hole oval until there is too much play and it becomes an MOT failure. What to do is remove the arm after checking out the "at rest" angle as above. Then remove the remains of the old bush centre sleeve. It can be filed or carefully ground down until almost "through" then use a small cold chisel to split it off. (Up its length, not against the pin) Clean up the pin and drive on the new bush so that it's as near as you can get to the "at rest" angle.

 

As they say in all the manuals, "Re-assemble in reverse order" ensuring all bolts are correctly tightened and Bob's yer uncle! (Fanny's yer Aunt!)

 

Cheers. Hope this helps. :)