Difficulty In Replacing Rear Spheres, Help!

[red_dwarfers]

Bought myself a chain and a strap wrench today to replace the rear spheres on my Xantia 1.9TD. They look well past their best and when it came to loosening them they wouldn't budge, I used a fair sized ratchet and all.

I'm presuming that i'm either doing something wrong or they have seized.

If they have seized, what should I do?!

[Guest Colin Hunter]

You aren't doing anything wrong. They can be VERY tight due to their exposed position under the car. Spray a bit of WD 40 or similar on the join and leave them for a wee while. When you come to undo them, put the suspension on HIGH and loosen them by 1/4 turn ONLY. Then put the suspension on LOW and de-pressurise the system by opening the bleed screw on the front of the accumulator by about 1/2 a turn. You'll hear a hissing as the pressure drops off. Unscrew each one in turn and replace the "O" ring in the housing before spinning the new sphere onto the housing. You shouldn't need to tighten it any further if it goes "home" properly against the face.

 

You might need to get an assistant to hold the housing with a suitable wrench so that you can get a better go at it.

 

Cheers, Hope this helps :D

[red_dwarfers]

Had another go at it late this afternoon after spraying it with WD40 last night, had the suspension up high with the engine switched off, car bricked up for safety before anyone says anything!

After giving the chain wrench a bit of encouraging with a few solid blows with a hammer something was moving the tinest amount but I stopped because I heard a hissing sound everytime I hit it with the hammer.

I've got a horrible feeling that this isn't the sphere but something to do with the housing/pipework, but then again I could be wrong

Heres a picture:

 

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h109/red_dwarfers/sphereprob.jpg

 

The bit that I've outline is something which looks like it prevents the sphere housing from going so far that it does any damage which makes another part of me think that it was the sphere :D

 

If I do go on and break something, i would have to get hold of some new pipework and presumable the whole housing, with the tight budgets im working with I would like that to be a last resort...

 

Im looking for a second opinion on this!

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Hi Again.

As I said before, it may be advantageous to get an assistant to hold the housing part with a suitable wrench so that you don't exert too much force on it. You will avoid any damage that way.

 

Cheers

[bobpm45]

What I found out from a mechanic in the know , was that by cracking the sphere a quarter of a turn while it was on the high setting , was because it held the housing more securely than trying it when the system was depressurised , and preventing the bracket from being damaged . Then when it was cracked open , the system could be depressurised to allow safe removal of the sphere .

[red_dwarfers]

Cheers Colin,

Got a second wrench around the housing and after a few sharp blows, the sphere came loose.

 

The old spheres were certainly knackered, it feels like a boat floating on water now!

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Glad to hear you got it sorted. The difference is truly magical! Only problem is, when you change one end, you generally realise the other is knackered too!

 

Cheers. Happy tinkering! :)

[Guest Nigel2008]

Glad to hear you got it sorted. The difference is truly magical! Only problem is, when you change one end, you generally realise the other is knackered too!

 

Cheers. Happy tinkering! :D

Don't want to upset anyone here but my rear spheres have always been replaced at normal road height. whilst your under the car give all of your suspension pipes and the height corrector a goodbrushing with waxoil, if your on a budget and can't afford waxoil try melting a couple of candles in some white spirit, but be careful its very flammable brush this on before it solidifies in the cold weather it will exclude the air from the rust and kill most rust within seven days as not as effective as waxoil but it will sure help your MOT next year, the test stations don't like the look of any rust on suspension pipes or threaded connectors and although quite cheap to fit yourself even chaeper to kill the rust.

 

Regards Nigel