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C6 Spheres -- How long lasting ?
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onthecut   
Fri Oct 14 2016, 06:22pm
Joined: Sep 20 2016
Member No: #2793
Location: West Mids
 As I'm gradually reassembling the car, I've been looking at the sphere that lives in the RH front wheelhousing and as it's likely original I'm wondering whether it's worth changing before I reassemble all the wheelhousing bits.

In XM and Xantia days spheres were a pretty regular topic, along with conversation about the clicking at the accumulator as the sphere came up for renewal. C5 onward they seem to be much less talked about. I can see they are obviously a different pattern; have they got a dramatically improved lifespan ?

If it is worth changing, is it worth going for a genuine one (app. £130) or aftermarket (app £40) and if aftermarket, which brand / supplier ?
If changing any of the spheres, is it prudent to disconnect the power supply to the pump ?

Mike.
gmerry   
Fri Oct 14 2016, 06:37pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 My front spheres failed at 3 years old: my unproved theory is that creases developed in the diaphragms because the car sat for 11 months between manufacture and sale.

Monroe replacements were very short lived.

The Sphere Shop ones are pretty good (4 years later).

Regards
G
Tjensen   
Fri Oct 14 2016, 09:03pm
Joined: Jul 17 2012
Member No: #954
Location: Bergen
 Not changed any (6 years, 115 000 km). Maybe its time ? The front hydractive is the first to die ?
onthecut   
Fri Oct 14 2016, 09:16pm
Joined: Sep 20 2016
Member No: #2793
Location: West Mids
 Thanks for the info.

Hadn't heard of the Sphere Shop. Assuming the one in the wheelhousing is an accumulator, have you had to change that ?

Mike.
gmerry   
Sat Oct 15 2016, 06:49am
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 The sphere shop is the online sales portal for IFHS spheres, see here - Click Here -


The 3rd sphere under the wing (drivers side in the UK) is not an accumulator but rather acts to change the stiffness and frequency (and roll stiffness) of the front suspension. Its under control of the suspension ECU.

All the front spheres are under tremendous stresses and leakage potential across the diaphragms. Say with 50 bar pre-charge for the corners, the weight of the car (approx. 70% of the kerb weight) adds to the nitrogen pressure probably up to circa 80 bar.

regards
G
Tjensen   
Sat Oct 15 2016, 08:10am
Joined: Jul 17 2012
Member No: #954
Location: Bergen
 There is a different internal construction of the IFHS variants ? I have the 3 front spheres from IFHS and should possible change to them + new LDS
cruiserphil   
Sat Oct 15 2016, 03:00pm

Joined: Jan 24 2010
Member No: #38
Location: Celbridge
 Mike,
You could consider recharging your existing ones. Pleiades offer this service which some forum members have used and seemed to be pleased with. With the help of a friend's lathe we opened a compact sphere from the front of a 2004 C5 and internally it was still immaculate.
Best regards,
Phil C.
 

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