Spheres changability?

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cavmad
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Spheres changability?

Post by cavmad »

Can someone please confirm whether the spheres for all hatchbacks and estates are the same?
The reason I ask is I recall someone saying 16V ones are different but I have some mint spheres on the 1.6 hatch and the diesel estate where as the TZD (hatch) ones appear shot. As a money saving object (and providing it doesn`t compromise safety) I`d like to fit (or have fitted) the ones from the estate or the petrol hatchback.
Also as I believe they are charged with N2 do they have to be removed in a certain manner and will they then want recharging when re-fitted?
Thanks in advance,
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AlanS
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Post by AlanS »

Scroll down here and that might answer a few questions.

http://www.peter-wells.com/data/SphereDimension.html

There's always someone ready to screw around with spheres so you're not Robinson Crusoe.

I've been hitting the Home brew drinking what is usually called "Nuclear Lager" for reasons I won't go into, and it's almost 11 pm, so I'll let someone else tell you how to R & R spheres.


Alan S :twisted: :P :P :roll:
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Post by jeremy »

Basically they're all different - estates have different rear ones, TD's are different from N/A diesels etc.

There are charts all over the place. Jon did put one on the GSF site (downloads section). Others are published by manufacturers such as Al-Ko.

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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

I thankyou folks. I`ll catch a look at the links later and try and weigh the job up.
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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

The TD ones usually give a firmer ride. But they'll all fit, if like me you just want a soft ride, swap them over from your other estate.

Lower the suspension to the bottom and you may be able to unscrew them by hand, if not, you'll need some kind of chain wrench.
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mnde
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Post by mnde »

ken newbold wrote:Lower the suspension to the bottom and you may be able to unscrew them by hand
:shock: Yeah, if your name happens to be Geoff Capes or Popeye! :wink:

Mark.
M

Post by M »

Vera the TizzyDee had estate spheres (now gracing Mr. B's TGD) lovely soft ride, but could be rolly polly into corners (or was that the missing rear wheel :twisted: ).

The Xantia now has 1.9TD Estate rear spheres on the back and its softened the ride up no end from the HDi saloon ones (same as 1.9TD saloon really). Debating whether to swap the fronts as well or whether that will make it too rolly polly wallowy barge like.

All depends what you want - I want comfort over sportyness any day of the week (esp Sundays).
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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

It's not unknown to find XM estates running on CX estate rears :oops:
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Post by Stewart (oily!) »

A mate in the trade fitted BX comfort fronts to the rear of a Xantia at the insistence of a cheapskate customer, apparently the result was more than soft, he telephoned me to tell me about it and could hardly speak for laughing :D :D
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

I suppose a mixture of softness and handling would be best as I plan some enthusiastic driving in it but like a soft ride.
Prior to reading the links kindly posted in response to my question above do I need to de-presure the spheres somehow prior to removal and is there a chance of having a nice green liquid face when remving them? I`m thinking overalls, goggles and gloves and then an oil filter wrench or similar to remove spheres with.
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Vanny
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Post by Vanny »

just whip it off and duck!

With the suspension in low, the pressure is released from the struts and thus the pressure in the spheres removed. I think the haynes recommends undoing the pressure release screw?

The ones on the 1.6 look pretty new so should come off fairly easy, i suspect the ones on the TZD might take a little more effort, but if i remember to pick up some bits i might make you a sphere tool to remove them with.


As a point of interest, dead spheres tend to have a huge amount of lhm in them when they finally unscrew, dues to the loss of pressure behind the diaphram. More oftne than not the LHM comes out fizzy as well!
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Post by Dollywobbler »

Was toying with the idea of fitting softer spheres to my 16v - it's hardly magic carpet ride! Then I decided to get rid of the car instead...

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Post by Vanny »

comfort spheres + Mi16 = bloody insanity

The BX16v's herritage is that of a production version of a damn fine race tuned engine, it is a performance car, its not meant to float down a road but eat it up. Its not meant to climb the highest kerbs but stay on the road and parked in a garage! Clearly shown by how much smaller the 16v spheres are, not to mention the obvious pressure differences!
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