Citroen Ebay listings..

On car sales at present. Looks to be an Asian re-incantation ?

www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/1955-citroen-traction-avant-familiale-manual/SSE-AD-6960737/?Cr=0
 
So many anomalies ! 4 speed, hydraulic suspension, auto clutch gearbox, 1.5 ltrs, apart from cosmetics,wheels, etc..Kept in "original " condition ???
If you look it appears to have a foot operated park brake as well. The gear-lever looks like hydraulic change !!
Vietnam has a very cheap labour rate which may well have been the reason this car exists. It looks to be either a Big15
or a Normale?
 
It is a M.Citroen "thing" that all the spheres have the same thread size. Thus any situation where the sphere is NOT wedged into a subframe
( like the back of a CX for example ) and relies on the cylinder to take the loadings it will be possible to "install" any sphere. Of course the diaphragm material ( vegetable, mineral or synthetic compatible ) pre loaded pressure and volume need to be taken into account.... hence we see welded spheres on Ds and SMs. I was told the British Leyland mob did not keep a standardised thread mount with things like hydragas Allegros, hydralastic Landcrabs and MGs needing different displacer/spheres. And from my reading such things are becoming difficult or impossible to source even in the UK.
I think I am correct in this...if not someone will be sure to correct me.
 
So many anomalies ! 4 speed, hydraulic suspension, auto clutch gearbox, 1.5 ltrs, apart from cosmetics,wheels, etc..Kept in "original " condition ???
Just looking a little closer the images of this car, it seems to have four wheel disc brakes, D series door mirrors, D series seating, non traction wheel stud pattern and Jaguar rear lights. A pity there are no under bonnet shots. Fair bet to say its not a traction engine.
 
Xantia front spheres fit GS also (they a 5 bar less which gives a softer ride, but work fine)
Hmmmmm....

The simple statement above embodies a widely held misconception regarding the function of spheres.
The essential quality of a sphere is that it is a reserve of VOLUME.

I realise that this should be the subject of a new thread about hydraulic suspension....... however, here it is!

The pressure in the suspension cylinders, of a hydraulically suspended Citroen is the result of the car's weight on the suspension.
If the pressure thus generated (which I shall call load pressure), is greater than the sphere precharge pressure, then the sphere will partially fill with fluid, until it's gas pressure equals the load pressure.

The car's designers selected a precharge pressure that will provide the widest range of suspension travel, during which the load pressure increases, and the sphere gas is compressed (or the load pressure is reduced, and the sphere has expands). Also the designer is aware that the car will carry a variety of loads, and will have adjusted the sphere precharge pressure recommendation to accommodate this.

IF you use a sphere with lower precharge pressure, the only effect is to reduce the effective volume of the sphere, (because it will be partially filled with non compressible liquid, to achieve load pressure), and thus reduce useful suspension travel, specially when carrying a heavier load.
It does not in any way affect ride "softness", except that the reduced sphere useful volume will make it feel harder on large bumps, as the rate of the sphere is increased.
Of more effect on ride quality is the stiffness of the damper valve discs.
The designer has also selected these for the car mass and ride quality.
So if you use a sphere designed for a different car, it is likely that the damper valve stiffness will be felt, and sphere precharge will not.
If a reduction of precharge pressure is felt, it will be harder not softer.
 
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