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Sphere testing in Hampshire/South
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spbmssen   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 06:46am
Joined: Oct 19 2013
Member No: #1470
Location: England
 Does anybody know of an establishment with sphere pressure testing facilities in Hampshire. Preferably East Hampshire/West Sussex, but anywhere closer than BL Autos would be good!
Pete Boxall Citroen Care have been looking after me brilliantly, but he doesn't have the necessary contraption.

Like many of us sensitive C6 owners, I've convinced myself that my suspension is not as good as it should be. This might be because of rose-tinted memories of two CXs!

Although not uncomfortable, and all the corners of the car seem to compress equally when I lean on them, most bumps in the road, even little ones, are followed by a short rubbery wobble. It's not a wallow, much shorter lived and higher frequency. When sitting in the back at A road speeds (it's ok, somebody else is driving!) this translates into a tight sideways (roll) shimmy over bumps, again very short lived (sub-second). But each bump seems to become two, three or four movements of the car.

A journey in my wife's Leon reminded me that, even with stuff suspension, one bump should be ONE bump!

So, from scouring the forums I'm guessing sphere pressure is a problem. If anybody has got any better ideas please let me know!

In the meantime, where can I get them tested?

Thanks for a brilliant forum!

Paul.
Trainman   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 07:24am

Joined: Apr 12 2010
Member No: #86
Location: Penwortham
 Morning Paul,

If it's not urgent? and you're going to the National CCC Rally in July, I do know a chap with one he could bring along.

By the he way, I have a buddy that lives in your neck of the woods, he drives a Peugeot 607, silly man bought the wrong car.....
gmerry   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 08:33am
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Paul, there are a couple of different approaches here:-

A/ Drive in Service with spheres removed, tested and reinstated on the car or replaced with new quality spheres

B/ A variation on the above where the original spheres are recharged back to specification (Note, this might not work if there is excessive external corrosion, possibly affects rear stiffness spheres)

C/ Owner removes spheres and presents them to a sphere testing specialist who measures the pressures.

Obviously removal of the spheres requires access to good lifting facilities to get access to the rear spheres and the front stiffness sphere. Plus the suspension needs to be depressurised (via Lexia or the screws present on front and rear stiffness regulators).

A sphere removal tool especially designed for the saucer shaped spheres is required (Old Citroen Green Sphere tools won't work).

Something to think about is the cleanliness of the sphere testing tool: does it have filtration, what filthy old spheres have previously been tested which will contaminate the nice clean LHS on your own C6, has it been used on LHM spheres.


As you can see, there's a biot more to be considered than meeting a guy in a paddock with a sphere tester.

Regards

G
spbmssen   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 09:19am
Joined: Oct 19 2013
Member No: #1470
Location: England
 Steve, unfortunately I can't make the CCC, and I was kind of hoping for somebody else to do ALL of the work! It's a long time since I was happily replacing a rear engine mount on a CX on the drive and suchlike. As for your local mate, I'll lookout for a permanently disappointed looking guy in a 608. (Isn't a 608 like a C6 with all the good bits missing?).

G, I like the idea of A/ the best. I don't have any access to garage facilities myself except an ageing set of spanners.

Can it really be true that BL Autos are the only place in the country that can do it?!

Cheers, Paul.
Trainman   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 11:27am

Joined: Apr 12 2010
Member No: #86
Location: Penwortham
 Paul,

Just a thought there another website that's mostly about Xantia's/C5's worth a try, the page is - Click Here - they're very help chaps too
gmerry   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 12:05pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Paul, there is an alternative to using BL Autos. Just replace the spheres with new, especially for the 3 front spheres. Might be more cost effective.

I would only install Citroen or IFHS spheres (AEP Direct in Glasgow can supply but do not list the C6 spheres on their website).

Then your local garage could fit.

Regards
G
spbmssen   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 03:44pm
Joined: Oct 19 2013
Member No: #1470
Location: England
 Thanks for all the helpful replies.

I'm beginning to think that gmerry's suggestion of just replacing the things is a good one.

I found this website that supplies IFHS spheres (it's a .co.uk shopfront for a French company). Seems to be factory direct, so hopefully not ancient spheres off a dusty shelf.

There current prices are £44 each for the three front spheres (2 x 50, 1 x 70).

Has anybody had any experience ordering from them? Is that a decent price?

Cheers, Paul.
BruceB   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 05:24pm
Joined: Sep 13 2010
Member No: #234
Location: Hampshire
Paul Clarke wrote ...
Pete Boxall Citroen Care have been looking after me brilliantly, but he doesn't have the necessary contraption.


He really is superb, isn't he!
Jodyone   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 05:28pm
Joined: Mar 24 2013
Member No: #1240
Location: Cornwall
Paul Clarke wrote ...

Thanks for all the helpful replies.

I'm beginning to think that gmerry's suggestion of just replacing the things is a good one.

I found this website that supplies IFHS spheres (it's a .co.uk shopfront for a French company). Seems to be factory direct, so hopefully not ancient spheres off a dusty shelf.

There current prices are £44 each for the three front spheres (2 x 50, 1 x 70).

Has anybody had any experience ordering from them? Is that a decent price?

Cheers, Paul.


What's the company? If they're trustworthy I'll get some, that sounds cheap.
spbmssen   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 05:41pm
Joined: Oct 19 2013
Member No: #1470
Location: England
 Oh, yes, silly me. I meant to post the link to the sphere supplier's website. I wasn't deliberately keeping it all to myself.

The French site is: - Click Here -

There is an English(ish) version at: - Click Here -

It took me a while to work it out, but you have to find the part number using the PDF catalogue link, then put that part number in the search box, top-right.

As a short-cut, the front suspension sphere is C 650 FH, and the front regulator is C 670 FR.

Since I originally posted, they seem to have gone up to £47 pounds each. Strange. Anyway, I'm going to punt £150 for my three fronts, and see if anything gets posted.

I'll let you know what happens. They seem to say 14 days for delivery.
spbmssen   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 05:53pm
Joined: Oct 19 2013
Member No: #1470
Location: England
 BruceB,

Yes, it's so nice to have a guy who not only knows his Citroens, but is willing to spend as long as you like talking about what he's doing/done to your car and why.

I felt a little bit exposed having bought my C6 from a dealer in Kidderminster(!), and really didn't want to have to spend my days driving down to Yeomans or another main dealer, so I was very relieved to find such a friendly, helpful and reliable local garage.

Cheers, Paul.
gmerry   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 07:46pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Paul, I paid the same price for the IFHS spares from AEP Direct in Glasgow. Only thing is you will need to use the telephone. I've found in the past that most of the French Motor Factors would happily ship parts to Tahiti but not across La Manche.

Anyway, IFHS spheres have been good so far. I was not impressed by some other aftermarket spheres.

Regards
G
Jodyone   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 08:18pm
Joined: Mar 24 2013
Member No: #1240
Location: Cornwall
gmerry wrote ...

Paul, I paid the same price for the IFHS spares from AEP Direct in Glasgow. Only thing is you will need to use the telephone. I've found in the past that most of the French Motor Factors would happily ship parts to Tahiti but not across La Manche.

Anyway, IFHS spheres have been good so far. I was not impressed by some other aftermarket spheres.

Regards
G


Hi gmerry-

I called them a couple of months ago on your recommendation, and they couldn't find any C6 spheres at all, and had no record of having done so, even though I had them searching for quite a while. Ultimately they said they simply couldn't help. Was it a while ago that you bought yours? (I'm not trying to imply you're a fantasist!!)
gmerry   
Wed Apr 30 2014, 08:59pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi Jodyone, front spheres ordered from AEP April 2013, delivered May 2013. All fresh stock (manufactured within 2 months of order). See my post 11th April 2013

Sorry about their amnesia.

Regards
G

PS, order them by the IFHS part number
spbmssen   
Thu May 01 2014, 07:09am
Joined: Oct 19 2013
Member No: #1470
Location: England
 OK, I've bitten the bullet and ordered them. It looks like, since they have an 'English' webpage and have accepted my order, that they are happy shipping over the channel.

Payment was via PayPal, so if I have any trouble with them at least I have (a tiny little bit of) comeback.

They say they are ordered direct from IFHS factory, so we'll see about the best-before date!

Thanks for all the useful discussion here. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers, Paul.
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