removing a tough accumulator sphere

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:58 am

There's another DIY solution:

http://citroen-foorumi.com/index.php/to ... 66151.html, third message. Remove the dots from the letter "e" in Citroen to make the link work - this forum software is apparently trying to be a bit too clever and adds them.

B-Hive · Post by **B-Hive** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:31 am

So it has not some off yet..the chain wrench snapped and cannot find a heavier duty alternative (or for that matter a replacement where i live)..the new ram seal i have installed as plan B and it seems to be holding fluid...but still sure that there was to much flow from the RAM..

BTW..like it was suggested here I didnt have to remove the whole Ram (thankyou) , but in difference to the advice given I did need to remove the main big bolt entirely in order to move the ram enuf the slide the old boot off and the new boot on..

So plan B has worked.. just need a solution now to plan A..getting the accum sphere off..hoping to avoid drilling it,,,and I cannot weld/do not own a welder so thats out as well

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:35 pm

Did you check the tool shown in the previous post?

Attempting a direct link to the pic:

http://citroen-foorumi.com/index.php?ac ... ttach=3261

No welding required, and the sphere remains intact.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 1:49 pm

i certainly wont be useing that method, as i am not going to whacking or levering my spanners thank you very much

although many years back i had used a large motor bike chain round the sphere with the other looped end fed through the eye of a very big ring spanner, which did the job,

regards malcolm

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:05 pm

citronut wrote:i certainly wont be useing that method, as i am not going to whacking or levering my spanners thank you very much

You hit the bolt, not the spanner.

I haven't used that either - according to the poster it was made for a certain C5 sphere removal where there was no room for a motorbike chain, and the proper tool was for some reason not available. Easy to make even though you had no access to a welding machine or other machine tools besides a drill.

B-Hive · Post by **B-Hive** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:07 pm

rmattila wrote:There's another DIY solution:

http://Citroën-foorumi.com/index.php/to ... 66151.html, third message. Remove the dots from the letter "e" in Citroën to make the link work - this forum software is apparently trying to be a bit too clever and adds them.

Unfortunately I don't speak Heguslonakiiasnst so all I had to go on were those ambiguous pictures of the apparatus ...

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:22 pm

2BXORNOT2BX wrote:Unfortunately I don't speak Heguslonakiiasnst so all I had to go on were those ambiguous pictures of the apparatus ...

The pictures are supposed to be quite self-explanatory (they're not commented in the text in any language): a strip of approximately 3 by 25 mm steel bar is wrapped around the sphere and tightened with a bolt. The bolt then provides a hammering point which arguably makes the hammering method a bit easier than by using a chisel directly on the sphere.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:53 pm

why do they fit the spanner between the pinch clamp, it certainly looks like they either intend to use the spanner as a lever, or hit it with the hammer

regards malcolm

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:03 pm

citronut wrote:why do they fit the spanner between the pinch clamp, it certainly looks like they either intend to use the spanner as a lever, or hit it with the hammer

Beats me. There were two pictures, one with the spanner and another one without it. I guess you could use the spanner as a lever to turn the sphere once you have first knocked it loose by hitting the bolt end with the hammer, but that doesn't sound very practical either.

And, as I said, no explanations were given on the use of the tool.

I've never tried that myself, but might consider making one for a very tight accumulator sphere, if I didn't have the proper tool and there were problems getting the chisel to bite.

B-Hive · Post by **B-Hive** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 4:18 pm

it's not budging ...fortunately the new ram seal is tight enough to curtail the leaking,,but I will need to revisit the accumulator sphere removal sooner than later...thinking chisel and hammer too messy and hit and miss..might take it to my local man and save considerable effort,,,

Discoil · Post by **Discoil** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:42 pm

2BXORNOT2BX wrote: where i live

If you live near to me I will lend you my own made up removal tool. Was made a long time ago and a possible copy of another make.

The long handle is approx 25 mm square and the tool has never let me down.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 12:36 am

2BXORNOT2BX wrote:..thinking chisel and hammer too messy and hit and miss..

Chisel & hammer is very definite and moves it straight away IME.

In fact on mine it was more convenient than a tool because my aircon pipes are below the acc sphere so a long chisel in one place was easier to access.

I can tell you that it hardly marks the weld on the sphere if that's what is worrying you about the procedure. Once it moves you can usually unscrew by hand or if still tight you can use the chain wrench without much risk of breakage.

Start with the chain wrench of Halfords style and you'll almost certainly break it. (A strap wrench is much stronger.)

B-Hive · Post by **B-Hive** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:39 pm

Way2go wrote:
2BXORNOT2BX wrote:..thinking chisel and hammer too messy and hit and miss..
Chisel & hammer is very definite and moves it straight away IME. In fact on mine it was more convenient than a tool because my aircon pipes are below the acc sphere so a long chisel in one place was easier to access.

I can tell you that it hardly marks the weld on the sphere if that's what is worrying you about the procedure. Once it moves you can usually unscrew by hand or if still tight you can use the chain wrench without much risk of breakage.

Start with the chain wrench of Halfords style and you'll almost certainly break it. (A strap wrench is much stronger.)

in my thinking, chisel and hammer is last resort and destructive..I obviously have the wrong idea entirely ,,,but in my minds eye i cannot see bashing away at the sphere with hammer and chisel would be of great effect. if not for anything else but lack of any leverage impact thet is most likely required ...I'm happy to be be further encouraged and informed otherwise

rmattila · Post by **rmattila** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:26 pm

Went outside and tried the starboard side front spheres of a random BX with the chisel:

http://www.rmattila.com/images/remontit ... _small.avi

The chisel could have been a bit duller - this one left a small mark on the sphere - but I wouldn't call that "bashing away", rather "administering controlled impacts to a specific location on the sphere equator".

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:42 pm

its not a method i would try and as said earlier never had to either,

all that said it will work if you get the chisel to bite into the weld with a slight glansing blow, and to drift the sphere round,

regards malcolm