C5 Rear Suspension

[ataxidriver64]

Hi could any body stear me in the right direction for a picture of the rear axle, used to be able to get on that citroen service site, but not any more, what i am after is info and parts for replacing the bushes/bearings, got a bit of knocking and bangiing coming from the rear and lead to believe they need replacing, and anyone got any idea what sort of job it is.

Thanks Alan

[coastline taxis]

Jack up the rear of the car, remove rear wheels, and place axle stands under the rear suspension beam. Place suspension in the LOW position to remove suspension pressure. Ensure all pressure is gone from rear suspension before further dismantling.

 

Undo rear caliper (2 x 17mm bolts) and unclip brake pipe from arm. Tie caliper out of the way in order that brake pipe is not damaged. (Do not remove or loosen the long 8mm nut and bolt that holds that pads in, leaving this in place will prevent caliper from leaking fluid)

 

Remove U-clip that secures rear suspension arm pin to arm using pliers. Pull the long metal rod from the suspension cylinder back, keeping it inside the rubber gaiter.

 

Undo the 2 x 13mm bolts securing anti roll bar to the arm.

 

Using long bar/rachet, undo the 24mm nut and bolt securing the arm. Remove the arm from car.

 

Mount arm in vice.

 

Using suitable socket (I used a long 14mm socket) and hammer, knock through the metal spacer tube..

The remains of the arm seals, bearing cage and spacers usually fall out, if not prise them out with a pry bar or large screwdriver..

 

Remove the pivot protector (plastic inner tube) . (sometime they come out easily, othertimes you have to resort to bashing them out)

 

 

Knock off the bearing outer-ring using something like a hard metal pipe or drift. If it does not shift I suggest Mig welding round the remains of the bearing collar inside the arm. If you do not have a welder, clean carefully inside the arm with WD40, sandpaper, then attempt to hit them out once you can see where they are. Clean inside arm with oil and a cloth, ensuring all dirt and rust is removed. Lightly grease inside the arm.

 

Insert new arm bearing shells at both ends, greasing them thinly and tap into place using 24mm socket and hammer. Fit and grease new bearings.

 

Assemble the metal spacer tube and roller-bearing, plus the oil seal thrust bush at one side.

Don't forget to insert the shim (See diagram, 514327) between bearing and thrust bush. Fit this part to the outer side of rear arm.

 

Then fully grease the new bearings. Fill plastic spacer tube with oil/grease.

Insert half assembled spacer and bearing into arm, and build up the bearing, seal etc on the other side.

Refitting the rebuilt rear arm in reverse procedure to dismantling.

13kgf/m is the suggested torque for the 24mm bolt.

Don't forget to bleed the rear brakes if you have split the rear caliper

 

 

If your not sure put it into garage and go on the drink for the day safe in the knowledge that the car will be done once the hangover has gone

[ataxidriver64]

Jack up the rear of the car, remove rear wheels, and place axle stands under the rear suspension beam. Place suspension in the LOW position to remove suspension pressure. Ensure all pressure is gone from rear suspension before further dismantling.

 

Undo rear caliper (2 x 17mm bolts) and unclip brake pipe from arm. Tie caliper out of the way in order that brake pipe is not damaged. (Do not remove or loosen the long 8mm nut and bolt that holds that pads in, leaving this in place will prevent caliper from leaking fluid)

 

Remove U-clip that secures rear suspension arm pin to arm using pliers. Pull the long metal rod from the suspension cylinder back, keeping it inside the rubber gaiter.

 

Undo the 2 x 13mm bolts securing anti roll bar to the arm.

 

Using long bar/rachet, undo the 24mm nut and bolt securing the arm. Remove the arm from car.

 

Mount arm in vice.

 

Using suitable socket (I used a long 14mm socket) and hammer, knock through the metal spacer tube..

The remains of the arm seals, bearing cage and spacers usually fall out, if not prise them out with a pry bar or large screwdriver..

 

Remove the pivot protector (plastic inner tube) . (sometime they come out easily, othertimes you have to resort to bashing them out)

Knock off the bearing outer-ring using something like a hard metal pipe or drift. If it does not shift I suggest Mig welding round the remains of the bearing collar inside the arm. If you do not have a welder, clean carefully inside the arm with WD40, sandpaper, then attempt to hit them out once you can see where they are. Clean inside arm with oil and a cloth, ensuring all dirt and rust is removed. Lightly grease inside the arm.

 

Insert new arm bearing shells at both ends, greasing them thinly and tap into place using 24mm socket and hammer. Fit and grease new bearings.

 

Assemble the metal spacer tube and roller-bearing, plus the oil seal thrust bush at one side.

Don't forget to insert the shim (See diagram, 514327) between bearing and thrust bush. Fit this part to the outer side of rear arm.

 

Then fully grease the new bearings. Fill plastic spacer tube with oil/grease.

Insert half assembled spacer and bearing into arm, and build up the bearing, seal etc on the other side.

Refitting the rebuilt rear arm in reverse procedure to dismantling.

13kgf/m is the suggested torque for the 24mm bolt.

Don't forget to bleed the rear brakes if you have split the rear caliper

If your not sure put it into garage and go on the drink for the day safe in the knowledge that the car will be done once the hangover has gone

Wow didnt expect that, thanks i take it these bits are citroen only parts, great site and thanks again Coastline, and why do you dislike 2.2 hdi, mine is auto and pulls like a train lol.

[coastline taxis]

Dont dislike them they are briliant for the taxi trade bags of power and very economical. The down side that puts me off is the cost of the particle filter when they have to be replaced as i just cant see the point of having it on the car yes it catches harmfull particles in the filter. Then it does a regeneration and burns it all off and pumps the fumes out of the exhaust into the enviroment its trying to save or when the filter has to be replaced the old one is probaly buried in a landfill site. But im going to have to accept them soon as there creeping into most cars now. other than that there great. And yep the bearings are dealer parts only.

 

What milage is on yours as weve only done 1 in 5 years as they just dont seem to go

 

 

 

Now ive no doubt that im wrong somewhere over the filter and await the wrath of the planet savers

[ataxidriver64]

Dont dislike them they are briliant for the taxi trade bags of power and very economical. The down side that puts me off is the cost of the particle filter when they have to be replaced as i just cant see the point of having it on the car yes it catches harmfull particles in the filter. Then it does a regeneration and burns it all off and pumps the fumes out of the exhaust into the enviroment its trying to save or when the filter has to be replaced the old one is probaly buried in a landfill site. But im going to have to accept them soon as there creeping into most cars now. other than that there great. And yep the bearings are dealer parts only.

 

What milage is on yours as weve only done 1 in 5 years as they just dont seem to go

Now ive no doubt that im wrong somewhere over the filter and await the wrath of the planet savers

I have had the car a 2001 estate and is used as a taxi, for approx 18 months now and covered 35000 miles the car has done 174000,when i bought it i found out the system had only just been seviced so think i have around 15000 miles before fluid and filter need looking at.

Only planned to have it for 2 years, but will see how things go.

[Randombloke]

Dont dislike them they are briliant for the taxi trade bags of power and very economical. The down side that puts me off is the cost of the particle filter when they have to be replaced as i just cant see the point of having it on the car yes it catches harmfull particles in the filter. Then it does a regeneration and burns it all off and pumps the fumes out of the exhaust into the enviroment its trying to save or when the filter has to be replaced the old one is probaly buried in a landfill site.

 

The particulate filters are recycled when returned. The main issue is that they convert particulates (small to large pieces of soot) into carbon dioxide which is not likely to irritate lungs or cause respiratory problems. Lumps of carbon to CO2 - CO2 can be processed by plants and turned into oxygen. Plants can't do the same with soot.

 

I have a 2.2 HDi C5 with such a filter and a 406 with the last generation XUD11(2.1 12 valve turbo diesel engine) which has no filter. When I'm driving at night being tailgated then floor the throttle to get away, with the 406/XUD engine I seem a cloud of soot in the following headlights. When I do the same in the C5, nothing.

 

When the 406 goes to MOT, soot/smoke is between 1.2 and 1.5. When the C5 goes to MOT, they cannot measure the soot/smoke. The reading is too low.

 

When I ride my motorcycle through the Blackwall Tunnel I emerge from the far end gagging from diesel soot and the smell of unburned petrol.

 

They are expensive and not sorted 100% but the value is there to see.

[ataxidriver64]

hi coastline, i dont suppose you know which bits i requier do you, the rear suspension has gone from loud bangs to squeaking now, so must be roller bearings dried up at a guess, car is on 183000 now and intend to keep it on the road as long as possible.

thanks for your help, ataxidriver

[Johndouglas]

If you join the Yahoo C5 site, you'll find a file on the site showing an exploded view of the rear arm bearings and a list of parts.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/C5-L/

[ataxidriver64]

Hi thanks for the info, managed to get back on the citroen site and roughly priced up what is needed, any what is involved with changing these parts and the price, i was thinking of maybe just changing the whole rear subframe, managed to find one off a car with only 60,000 miles on it for £170, aslong as i can do everything with out actually splitting brake/susspension pipes it looks like 4 bolts holding every thing on.

So has any one taken that route, and any advice would be helpfull.

 

thanks ataxidriver64

[coastline taxis]

Go for it if you split a suspension pipe then just repair it fill up the fluid and the car will sort itself out. Its a bit more thasn 4 bolts mind. just from memory

Exhaust off

anti roll bar disconected

all pipes off/moved out of way

battery disconected.

 

Also something about the axle colour sure its blue for a saloon car and green for a estate will check monday for you

[ataxidriver64]

Go for it if you split a suspension pipe then just repair it fill up the fluid and the car will sort itself out. Its a bit more thasn 4 bolts mind. just from memory

Exhaust off

anti roll bar disconected

all pipes off/moved out of way

battery disconected.

 

Also something about the axle colour sure its blue for a saloon car and green for a estate will check monday for you

 

Hi thanks coastline, i did check on citroen service, and it seemed that all C5s used the same parts for rear axle assembly, as in it doesnt give you an option of model of car.

I just want to get rid of the squeaks on knocks coming from rear susspension as its letting the car down, and really doing my head in now.

Thanks

[coastline taxis]

Just had a quick check and its the anti roll bar thats colour coded not the axle. Give it a go its a fairly straight forward job