Getting the smoothest, Softest, boatiest ride in a BX.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:45 pm

Stinkwheel wrote:INHO, the only cars that give proper big Citroën ride are ............

All D's and all Mk1 CX's. The changes for other models and the non double wishbone suspension, sportier spheres etc etc mean that the others simply cannot live up to them.

Are the 'comfort' spheres that are so widely talked about still available on the continent? (i know that almost no one in this country has any clue when you ask for them) I suspect that would be the closest to 'full waft' mode you could get

Come take a ride in the beige beauty, and I will wager you would change your mind

anaconda · Post by **anaconda** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:52 pm

Just spoke to Westroen who suggested a number of options:

- Check that the front BX spheres are '500s' as these give a softer ride and were changed later on to smaller '400s'.

- CX spheres can be used on the BX and would give a softer ride

- He also said that Xantia spheres are likely to give a softer ride as the Xantia is a heavier car and tranferring these spheres to the lighter BX would give a better ride.

They dont have any comfort spheres available, so I'll look elsewhere. However it seems that a pair of BX 500s on the front with CX spheres on the rear might do the job.

The first thing to do though is buy a BX!

anaconda · Post by **anaconda** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:54 pm

Roverman wrote:
Stinkwheel wrote:INHO, the only cars that give proper big Citroën ride are ............

All D's and all Mk1 CX's. The changes for other models and the non double wishbone suspension, sportier spheres etc etc mean that the others simply cannot live up to them.

Are the 'comfort' spheres that are so widely talked about still available on the continent? (i know that almost no one in this country has any clue when you ask for them) I suspect that would be the closest to 'full waft' mode you could get
Come take a ride in the beige beauty, and I will wager you would change your mind

I drove a D Super for years (sold it last year) and it was soft but not as good/soft a ride as the BX id owned.

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:20 pm

Come take a ride in the beige beauty, and I will wager you would change your mind

Id love to at some point, trying the ride comfort in others BX's is great fun

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:21 pm

I drove a D Super for years (sold it last year) and it was soft but not as good/soft a ride as the BX id owned.

You guys must have some seriously floaty BX's

Post by **Defender110** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:50 pm

Stinkwheel wrote:INHO, the only cars that give proper big Citroën ride are ............

All D's and all Mk1 CX's. The changes for other models and the non double wishbone suspension, sportier spheres etc etc mean that the others simply cannot live up to them.

Are the 'comfort' spheres that are so widely talked about still available on the continent? (i know that almost no one in this country has any clue when you ask for them) I suspect that would be the closest to 'full waft' mode you could get

I don't think any BX has had the magic carpet ride other Citroens are famous for.

Post by **Defender110** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:59 pm

My understanding is the BX has a more simplified version of the infamous magic carpet suspension + the BX is a much lighter car than the others Citroens with the fluid suspension and so they are unable to soak up the bumps the same??????

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 6:31 pm

The XM had a better ride than any BX I've been in. And Kermit's Xantia must be pretty close to it now that it's sorted.

Having said that I like the way the BX 'engages' with the road. Very rewarding. Until you hit a pot hole mid corner that is.

anaconda · Post by **anaconda** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 6:57 pm

Philip Chidlow wrote:The XM had a better ride than any BX I've been in. And Kermit's Xantia must be pretty close to it now that it's sorted.

Having said that I like the way the BX 'engages' with the road. Very rewarding. Until you hit a pot hole mid corner that is.

The general rule of thumb in theory at least seems to be that the earlier modern Cits had the softest ride - the DS and CX. However reading this thread convinces me that owners can influence/ set up their more modern cars to achieve any ride they desire. Yours is another example . Not only that but for whatever reason differnt examples of the same model can develop a character of their own at least as far as suspension is concerned.

If I can reproduce the ride of my last BX, which as mentioned was softer than any DS ive driven, id be well chuffed.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:03 pm

Can't remember the name of th chap i spoke to at Wetherby this year, but myself & 2 other guests went for a little drive in his recently re-gassed sphered BX (can't remember what one's he'd fitted) & it was the most floaty soft thing BX i'd ever been in. I think it was a TGD Auto, it was so soft that even booting it made the rear hunker down & the front rise

He was the one that mentioned that he always put the car in low when parking up so as to preserve the pressure in the spheres, so on average he only has to re-gas them every 9 yrs

& when they were checked they had loads of pressure still in them, but he likes the floaty ride so they were topped up, infact i think he overpressurised them? Since then i now routinely drop the suspension, so we'll see if they last longer than the usual 3-4yrs.

Might be worth joining French Car Forum as i suspect he's probably on their rather than on this site.

anaconda · Post by **anaconda** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:24 pm

MULLEY wrote: but he likes the floaty ride so they were topped up, infact i think he overpressurised them? Since then i now routinely drop the suspension, so we'll see if they last longer than the usual 3-4yrs.
.

Westroen siad something similar today, that if you over pressurise, or at least go over the normal pressure with the spheres they will give a better ride. Seems to defy logic to me...Id imagine higher pressure would stiffen the ride, but not the case apparently.

citsncycles · Post by **citsncycles** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:38 pm

If I understand sphere construction correctly, there is a central diaphragm with gas one side & LHM the other. I'm not sure what the proportion of each would be in a normally charged sphere at normal ride height, but it's possible that overcharging the sphere would set the diaphragm in a more optimum position at this height, as well as increasing the available travel for the diaphragm.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:46 pm

Thinking about it logically, when spheres age through use, they lose gas pressure & therefore gas volume decreases & the ride gets firmer, so by overpressurising i guess it would have the opposite affect & be softer as per above.

B-Hive · Post by **B-Hive** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:15 am

I was amazed to discover that my recently acquired 87 TRi has the most amazingly supple and sorted ride. Driving it home on the highway, I couldn't help but think of the similarities to my old CX.
It has the smaller Mk2 spheres that had been idle for over two years, so yes most impressed. It seems alot of it comes down to not just the spheres but a well tuned and sorted hydraulic system. In terms of ride and feel it ate my old Mk1 TRS for breakfast...but, as I'm looking to get ultimate, I think I will install some bigger and fresh Mk1 spheres into the TRi.

As for my Mk1 GT, it already has the larger spheres, but again been left unused for 5 years, they're still nice and compliant but firmer than they should be. However after a quick neighborhood blast today the handling is soooo sharp and really suits the GT as it is nearing being my everyday driver.