Sphere Sourcing

BX Tech talk
Post Reply
Dominic
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 1:59 pm

Sphere Sourcing

Post by Dominic »

Must grasp the nettle and replace/re-gas all 5 spheres on the TZD. Anyone had good/bad experiences with particular suppliers? I suspect that I've been running round on the existing knackered ones too long for them to be resuscitated, so new ones are on the cards, but prices differ so dramatically, I'm a bit lost. Any advice gratefully accepted.
Dom
91 TZD
02 Picasso HDI
'12 DS5
83 Moto Morini 500
70 Fiat 850 Spider
Anything that turns money into noise...
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by mat_fenwick »

Westroen seem to be generally well recommended; I've had good service and no problems when buying from them.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
citsncycles
Over 2k
Posts: 3224
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:14 pm
Location: Dursley, Gloucestershire

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by citsncycles »

Where are you? My local specialist is happy to test and regass / replace spheres - they've regassed both the GS and BX, and when one of mine was scrap they regassed a 2nd hand one and fitted it.

If buying new anyway, I think I'd follow Mat's advice.
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
User avatar
Tim Leech
Over 2k
Posts: 15565
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: Various
x 141

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by Tim Leech »

I must have bought 30 from GSF and never had an issue.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
mds141
Over 2k
Posts: 5288
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:26 am
Location: Lancaster
x 9

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by mds141 »

mat_fenwick wrote:Westroen seem to be generally well recommended; I've had good service and no problems when buying from them.
..that_ Where are you located. Westroen will test your spheres and fit them for free.
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.

1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
User avatar
Way2go
Over 2k
Posts: 7279
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:15 pm
Location: RCoBerkshire
x 2

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by Way2go »

Tim Leech wrote:I must have bought 30 from GSF and never had an issue.
Agreed, GSF have always been good on mine :D (unlike their strut returns :evil: ). For their price it doesn't seem necessary to faff around with recharging of spheres.
1991 BX19GTi Auto
citronut
Over 2k
Posts: 2781
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:55 am
Location: EAST SUSSEX UK
x 1

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by citronut »

Amtex spheres from GSF are good they are new not re/coned, be cautious as there are some company's selling spheres as new when they are factory re/coned

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
MULLEY
Over 2k
Posts: 8406
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by MULLEY »

I've used GSF & Westroen, i prefer Westroen as they have a much better warranty & they are genuine re-conned citroen spheres rather than amtex etc... But if you see some v-cheap spheres on e-bay etc...why not take a gamble :) or try the re-charging route instead if there is someone localish to you that can do them.
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
citronut
Over 2k
Posts: 2781
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:55 am
Location: EAST SUSSEX UK
x 1

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by citronut »

MULLEY wrote:I've used GSF & Westroen, i prefer Westroen as they have a much better warranty & they are genuine re-conned citroen spheres rather than amtex etc...
although Amtex spheres are brand new so i would prefer them to re/con, as you don't know for sure the condition of the bladder in re/con units

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
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by mat_fenwick »

I've been fine with either, although perhaps felt a smoother ride last time I changed them when I fitted Westroen spheres. It's so subjective though, as that could purely be down to the ride having deteriorated further before changing, or just my memory playing tricks!

Benefit of GSF is that they're new, but may have sat around for a while so pressure could be lost (if indeed it does escape during storage). On balance I prefer knowing pressure is spot on when I buy them, but I'm sure you'll be fine either way.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
Tim Leech
Over 2k
Posts: 15565
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: Various
x 141

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by Tim Leech »

Just check the date stamp on spheres if you buy them from GSF, you normally find the standard BX hatch spheres are normally very new as I imagine they sell them more often then say a set for a 16v or 4x4.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
User avatar
nige
Confirmed BX'er
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 6:43 pm
Location: Inverness Scotland
x 2

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by nige »

i went direct to the local Citroen dealer and did some pretty good haggling! Cant mind what i got them for now as it was a good few years ago but i got a good discount cos i bought all 5. My local autsopares shop did recon ones .. they were a con.. the only thing good about them was the paint job
all i want for christmas is a dukla prague away kit

The fleet:
1992 Citroen BX 19TXD
1972 VW Camper
1969 Triumph Spitfire MKIII
1984 Kawasaki Z750
2002 Ibiza Seat
User avatar
MULLEY
Over 2k
Posts: 8406
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Re: Sphere Sourcing

Post by MULLEY »

citronut wrote:
MULLEY wrote:I've used GSF & Westroen, i prefer Westroen as they have a much better warranty & they are genuine re-conned citroen spheres rather than amtex etc...
although Amtex spheres are brand new so i would prefer them to re/con, as you don't know for sure the condition of the bladder in re/con units

regards malcolm
They pop a medical camera scope inside the sphere to check that the rubber bladder isn't damaged & they give a 3yr warranty, not bad for £30 a sphere in my book & even better when they fit them for you for no extra cost :)

I've fitted Amtex without any issues as well, & they were only a few quid cheaper than the westroen one's, but only had a 1yr warranty.
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
Post Reply