Front won't come up,back won't go down!

BX Tech talk
Post Reply
Nigel Bickle
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:46 pm
Location: west sussex

Front won't come up,back won't go down!

Post by Nigel Bickle »

I've finally disinterred my 1990 4*4, after around 7 years in store(I know!).

I've enjoyed driving the ordinary Gti so much that I decided to resolve the 'issues'' with t'other.

Its now running fine, no leaks yet.
However, front is scraping the ground, arse is way up in the air, which happened the minute I shifted the (very stiff) height adjuster to high - just wont alter.
Leave it 2 days -backside comes down, but goes straight back up the minute it starts.

Is it the height adjuster thingy-between the seats- and if so how do I get at it? What needs hitting with a club hammer?

Would jacking the front high (too take the weight off) help -or levering the wishbones down-before I fire it up?

I'm reasonably mechanically orientated -but not BX savvy.

Pre-exisiting issues revolve around clutch & exhaust -typical on these....

Cheers
BX Gti,
HY van
User avatar
Oscar
1K Away
Posts: 1091
Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 5:07 pm
Location: Driving a ZX

Post by Oscar »

Get it up on ramps/axle stands and make sure it can't fall on your head. Then get under it and smear grease all over the height correctors (small drums covered with a rubber diaphragm fore and aft - the front one is at the back of the engine, the rear one by the rear axle), and grease all the height lever linkages while you're under there.

Then get it off ramps and give it 15 minutes of Citrobics - engine running, down to minimum height, back up to maximum, repeat.

If that fails, ask someone more qualified than me!

Good luck!
(Red BX 1.7TZD ("Well, it is a style icon" - Tom Sheppard)) "Was", Tom, "was"
Adrian E
BXpert
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 2:32 pm
Location: Surrey, UK

Post by Adrian E »

If it won't respond to any command from the lever inside the car, it may be you've managed to break something in the linkage under the car - if you undo both height correctors completely where they attach to the antiroll bars, one end will reach for the skies, the other hit the floor - can't remember if it's the way round you've got, but sounds very much like a possibility.

If the linkage was siezed and you managed to free it off, it may be you've managed to push the height corrector adjustment round on the roll bar? In which case resetting the height correctors (following the extremely important advice NOT to get under the car unsupported!) may sort your issue.

Do note that setting the ride height correctly does need the car supported on its wheels, ideally on a proper vehicle lift. A tiny tweak of the height correctors can have the car bouncing up and down on your head!
citronut
Over 2k
Posts: 2781
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:55 am
Location: EAST SUSSEX UK
x 1

Post by citronut »

the reason the lever becomes very stiff to move is usualydown to the rear link pivot, which hangs from the rear axle beam and the rod from the in car lever hooks into, just follow to the rear the rod which runs both directions to front and rear from the hight lever,

free that link of at its pivot point as it runs up and down a thread,

then you will need to free off the mechanisum at/around the front hight corrector, which you will find at the front end of the a rod,

the H/C's very seldom give any trouble at all and its usualy down to the linkages being seized

regards malcolm
curent ride
K reg BX 17TD TZD est
also own
K reg D special

no longer have
H reg CX saffari 2.5 TRI (now gone to Malaysia)
R reg xantia 1.9TD est (gone to meet its maker)
User avatar
JayW
1K Away
Posts: 1590
Joined: Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:40 pm
Location: Now listen here you mullet...
x 13

Post by JayW »

As the linkages are fixed and there's no freeplay in them (so as to keep front & rear synchronised) then either the front linkage is broken/disconnected or (as Adrian suggested) has slipped on the rollbar.

As also mentioned, HC's rarely give trouble themselves.
I have zero patience for your tedium.
citronut
Over 2k
Posts: 2781
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:55 am
Location: EAST SUSSEX UK
x 1

Post by citronut »

i have found on several ocations the front H/C external mechanisum/linkage to stick if not greased,

regards malcolm
curent ride
K reg BX 17TD TZD est
also own
K reg D special

no longer have
H reg CX saffari 2.5 TRI (now gone to Malaysia)
R reg xantia 1.9TD est (gone to meet its maker)
Nigel Bickle
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:46 pm
Location: west sussex

Post by Nigel Bickle »

Ok thanks.
I'll get it up in the air as soon as the weather improves and give it a damn good scrub/greasing.

Appreciated.
BX Gti,
HY van
Post Reply