New suspension spheres!

[aerodynamica]

Ok, not new but regassed. I sent my front corner spheres to Pleiades for recharge and they did a champion job and returned very quickly. Repainted too.

I am delighted with the ride quality now - a new front center sphere and now regassed corner spheres, new rear center pair. If only I could actually remove the rear corner spheres I'd have sent them too but that is for the future...

Some pointless photos of my childlike excitement:

Fitted with temporary LHM spheres - Xantia hydractive corner fronts. Interesting difference in ride with these.

My spheres returned..

Quite a difference between a Hydractive 2 Front 45 Bar sphere and the C5 Hydractive 3+ equivalent.. The damper hole on the H2 is 0.7mm and I measure the H3+ one as 1.45mm

Pressure tested to confirm: they're now 50 bar as they should be. They were down to 29 bar before sending off. These are the factory fit spheres and therefore worth regassing being multi layer diaphragm type. 2008 C5 so they've gone from 50 to 29 bar in 14 years.

Fitted back in.. front suspension bled

Marked 50 on as the pressure. I wonder how long they'll last..

..And! the drive home was incredible - unbelievable magic carpet ride and still good enough cornering. It's incredible how much of an effect the corner spheres add to the overall floatiness. Generally the car is riding better than ever now.

Speaking to Martin at Pleiades, he tells me that in the past you would buy a set of spheres from them that were regassed and take yours on exchange but now there are so few C5 spheres that you have to get your own pair back. Sign of the times really and a shame. Must've been great in the late 80s with all the sphere regassing and the sheer cross section of old and new hydraulic Citroens around..

[KennyW]

Excellent news, maybe worth doing my spheres.

Kenny

[cit-rotti]

Only original balls with the 3-layer membrane should/could be refilled.
A very good solution.
The suspension will be even better if these original balls are filled with a slightly higher pressure of approx. 5 - 7 bar.
New original balls always have a higher taring pressure of approx. 5 bar - so that the customer is particularly satisfied.

[aerodynamica]

Excellent news, maybe worth doing my spheres.

Kenny

It's worth it Kenny and their turn around time was quick. I still think the C5 has the best ride of any hydro citroen including the CX and GSA and I've had 4x CXs and GSA. 2x XM, 4x Xantia, 2x BX and An ID19B.... And that's when the spheres were not even perfect. It's even better now It's got 5 out the 7 spheres done.

It's almost like they'd finally nailed it and then..... stopped production

[aerodynamica]

Only original balls with the 3-layer membrane should/could be refilled.
A very good solution.
The suspension will be even better if these original balls are filled with a slightly higher pressure of approx. 5 - 7 bar.
New original balls always have a higher taring pressure of approx. 5 bar - so that the customer is particularly satisfied.

Yea I had my XM front 500cc sphere increased to 75bar instead of 70. It made a difference in soft mode.

I did once fit 75 bar CX front spheres to my 1982 BX16TRS and when pushing the car down at the front it seemed plush, soft suspension. Driving was, however really harsh. I wondered about this for a while then realised the 75 bar pressure (BX front should be around 55b) was too close a value to the fluid pressure holding up the car and as a result the gas volume in the spheres was too high and didn't allow the wheel to drop into potholes. I learned a lot that day. I guess the marginal increase in pressure would make a good effect so long as you're restrained in your choice.

Strangely, when I changed the front suspension cylinders of my 2.0l CX to the thicker 2.5l type and fitted GTi front spheres (slightly stiffer damper, same pressure + volume) the ride actually improved! I think because it was less likely to strike the bump stops on the twisty backroads here..

[maciejz]

Ok, not new but regassed. I sent my front corner spheres to Pleiades for recharge and they did a champion job and returned very quickly. Repainted too.

I am delighted with the ride quality now - a new front center sphere and now regassed corner spheres, new rear center pair. If only I could actually remove the rear corner spheres I'd have sent them too but that is for the future...

Some pointless photos of my childlike excitement:











..And! the drive home was incredible - unbelievable magic carpet ride and still good enough cornering. It's incredible how much of an effect the corner spheres add to the overall floatiness. Generally the car is riding better than ever now.

Speaking to Martin at Pleiades, he tells me that in the past you would buy a set of spheres from them that were regassed and take yours on exchange but now there are so few C5 spheres that you have to get your own pair back. Sign of the times really and a shame. Must've been great in the late 80s with all the sphere regassing and the sheer cross section of old and new hydraulic Citroens around..

Hello! I want to change central front sphere too, same Citroen C5, I have this central sphere on the left side in my 2.0 HDI RHR 2009 Citroen C5 (we are driving on right side in Poland). How to change it most easily?

[Kees]

@Maciejz:.
For the center sphere on the left side, you have to remove the left drive shaft and the 6mm bolt beneath the subframe with hold the airco tube.
Then with a long chisel you can hammer it loose.
It's not really difficult.
Greetings,
Kees.

[aerodynamica]

@Maciejz:.
For the center sphere on the left side, you have to remove the left drive shaft and the 6mm bolt beneath the subframe with hold the airco tube.
Then with a long chisel you can hammer it loose.
It's not really difficult.
Greetings,
Kees.

I would be cautious trying the method with a chisel because the mounting frame for the front firmness regulator is an aluminium casting with 3x rubber flexible mountings. I managed to snap this mounting on mine trying a similar method. The service method is to lower the front subframe to remove the full assembly and remove the sphere from the assembly off the car (C5 spheres can be very tight).

You might have success this other way but take lots of care.

[Kees]

@aerodynamica:
As i said before, i did this a few time by different cars!!
This sphere is not very tight as the other sphere on the car.
The only reason that you have to use the chisel is, that there is not enough room for your hands or tools.
Believe me with 2 or 3 hammer blow, the sphere become loose.
Greetings,
Kees.

[maciejz]

Thank you very much!

Do you have any tips for lowering subframe? I will be doing it for the first time.