Evolution: Xantia Hydractive Suspension Regulation - Info

[aerodynamica]

Smashing Chris, it sounds like the Hydractive is doing what is was originally meant to do now. It's exciting stuff though - I want this too!

[white exec]

Marc,
Wiki, no problem. Leave it a couple of weeks in case more edits are needed.
C.

Mike,
Very important point. I have now edited this into the text. Thanks.
C.

[CitroJim]

Chris, that is a most excellent write-up

[aerodynamica]

Smashing write up - I'm douby keen on doing this mod.

[raynoon]

Excellent work Chris, I can foresee a shortage of these Xantia valves....

[Jan-hendrik]

I can foresee a shortage of these Xantia valves....

I don't know about that. The mod is one only the real hard core will be going for. I myself am intrigued, but I must say my XM has been behaving very well the past half year, so I am not that in a hurry Besides, scouring scrap yards is something I enjoyed in the 70s, but is no longer on my list of favorite pastimes. And of course the supply of Citroens to this part of the world stands in no comparison to that of Europe. I am looking forward to read the stories of members here who are going to do / have done the grade up!

[white exec]

I was lucky here, I suppose, in that most of the Malaga scrapyards prefer to have their 'staff' pull the items off, rather than have joe public mucking about, probably with inadequate tools.

Although I had to visit seven or eight yards befire I found one with an appropriate Xantia, at least all I had to do in each case was ask whether they had a 1999 or later Xantia, and went armed with the RP number.

Maybe someone here, if they find some of these, could obtain some additional ones, and offer them for sale.

I'm looking forward to reading about someone else doing this changeover, especially on an XM. Hint, hint...

Some more road-testing:
Have done several more excursions (across all types of road) in the XM now, and must say that the ride is simply the best we've ever known on the car, even from new. This seems to be the case not just across humps and changes of road height, but also in general, and at motorway speeds when undulations and joint-ridges are encountered. The car now actually 'wafts' on the motorway, which is something I would not have expected from looking at the technicalities of the conversion.
We did a 33km trip from Sayalonga to Puente Don Manuel (check it out on Google Maps) last night - for a favourite curry - and the fast and curving main road, with a good few dips and changes of level as you crossed some bridges, was a real pleasure.

[GiveMeABreak]

So just to clarify - it it likely that this mod has been carried over or at least been the basis for later developments leading to the Hydractive 3+ systems? From your feedback Chris, I'm getting - not quite the wafty ride of the old CX / GSA, but certainly not as hard and rigid as the XM was without comfort spheres?

[white exec]

I think it was carried over, Marc.
If you look here
http://www.citroenkerho.fi/xantia/pdf/t ... kaopas.pdf
the section on Hydractive 3+ shows a suspension regulator with internal feed and a spring.

[GiveMeABreak]

I did have a copy of Gabor's guide, but am glad you've provided the link Chris, ta muchly, some more bedtime reading!

[CitroJim]

I did have a copy of Gabor's guide, but am glad you've provided the link Chris, ta muchly, some more bedtime reading!

It still remains the 'bible' for me, an excellent document and essential reading for any hydraulic Citroen owner...

[white exec]

Agree, Jim - Gabor has produced some first class descriptions and working documents.
Not sure whether you will have seen it, but take at a look at the post The Circuit Diagram Project, on the club-xm site, in Self Help. Here, he has redrawn the complete wiring diagram for the 2.5, in superb colour, and with a clarity that just isn't there on the original Citroen diagrams. Several months of work involved, with help from other XMers.

[CitroJim]

Now making the XM wiring diagrams clearer and readable is a job well overdue Chris and well done to Gabor for doing this

The originals are a nightmare. Why they did not draw them in the Xantia style - which works well - is totally beyond my understanding!

[GiveMeABreak]

They're not that much improved even today - I've seen much better efforts by third parties on the wiring diagrams - having colours is so much easier - and of course it helps not getting them wrong in places too like the stock SEDRE ones. 10/10 to Gabor for making the effort.

[raynoon]

Anybody got a set of these hydractive valves for sale?