Anti-Roll Bar and Half Axle Removal

I'm still doing preparation work that will ultimately allow me to paint the chassis and engine bay. Next up is removal of the anti-roll bar and the half axles (the units that the suspension arms are connected-to).

There are two threaded sleeves on the ends of the anti-roll bar. These link the bar to the pivots that operate the front suspension cylinders. The sleeves are held in place by two substantial clamps. 

The sleeve is within the two clamps

It is very wise to take measurements of the length and set up of the sleeves as there correct adjustment when refitting is crucial to the proper operation of the suspension and steering. Removal and set-up instructions are in manual 814 at Operations D.410-00 and D.434-1 and in the earlier manual 518 at Operation DX.410-1. Be aware that the lengths of the two sides are deliberately meant to differ. By 1mm...With the grease nipples removed from each joint, I took a basic measurement of the overall length from the two flat spots - just in case. My measurements varied by 2mm - but that is probably due to my lazy choice of measuring tool!

I tried to take measurements of the length

I loosened the clamps on the sleeves. Note that as well as being different lengths, the sleeves are different in anther significant way. The longer threaded sleeve on the left hand end of the bar has two opposite threads: as you rotate the sleeve to remove it, it will push the two ends of the rod apart until they separate. The shorter sleeve on the right hand end of the bar has a conventional thread on both ends: as you rotate the sleeve it will move along onto one or other end piece until the other end piece is released. The sleeves have a fine thread (to allow for small adjustments) and so take a while to unwind....

I took more measurements....

Next I disengaged the anti-rattle springs. If they haven't already fallen off at some point in the past.....You can just about see the tabs that hold these to the chassis from the top. If the engine is removed!

The tab is folded over the seam 

Make sure your car is properly supported on jack stands or similar. Don't take any chances working under your car. All set? Right, once you are down there, you will see that the springs hook around the anti-roll bar.

Hard to see: anti-rattle spring

With the tab bent back,from under the car you can wiggle these around and disengage them from the anti-roll bar.

One of two anti-rattle springs

While underneath I also loosened the connections on the rods that link to the front height corrector and the light-dipping cable. These had special Citroen bolts (not hex-headed) but can be replaced with standard bolts. The rod on the left connects to the front height corrector. Though most later cars will, I don't think all cars have the rod on the right hand end. It is part of the light levelling function.

Connecting rod clamps on the right - with special headed screws

Lastly, the clamps and bearings at each end of the bar were removed. The two caps are specific to the ends of the bar - don't muddle them. Also note that the two 'U' clamps on each end are different shapes deliberately. It's not that one has become bent....

Removing an anti-roll bar clamp

Careful - as in addition to the plastic bearings, there are shims (spacers) within these that are easily missed. 

Shims in the anti-roll bar clamps

Once the clamps are disengaged the anti-roll bar can be removed. It comes out from the left hand side and takes a bit of wiggling and manipulation. But it's very satisfying when it slides free.

Anti-roll bar removed

Removing the anti-roll bar left me free to remove the half axles. The suspension cylinders were easily removed. Just two bolts either side at the top.........

One of two bolts holding a suspension cylinder

....and a split pin at the bottom.

A split pin hold the suspension cylinder to the pivot

And so with everything else out of the way, removing the half axles was simply a case of removing three bolts and a nut each side. 

Half axle - mounting bolts

Half axle removed

Now I could see what I was up against: years of dirt and grease.

Lots of cleaning ahead.....

Front Hub Removal

Ultimately I am planning to repaint the whole visible engine bay area with some form of chassis paint. All the nooks and crannies of the engine bay and suspension mounts were covered in engine oil, LHM and road grit. A leaking front suspension boot added to the mess. This had started to drip and spread LHM under the engine area. 

I could probably get away with painting the underside of the car without removing the front suspension, but painting the engine bay and tusks really meant getting the suspension and pipework removed....

Engine bay - January 2020

The front height corrector, and other pipework, are hidden away behind a cover at the back of the left hand front wheel arch. 

Some of the pipework in front left hand wheel arch

They pass through various holes in the chassis and find there way to the area of the hydraulic reservoir and front brakes. 

Pipes and hoses in the engine bay

I'd already removed many of the pipes in that area over a year ago......It's far to complicated to write up which ones were removed and in what order. If you do it, take LOTS of photos of the routing of the pipes, their joins and their clamps.

Rats nest of pipework

Ready to now continue the work, I first removed the wheel hubs from the suspension arms, so that I had better access and more working room. they would have to come off at some point anyway as I plan to rebuild the suspension arms. I removed the drive shafts last year. You can read about that HERE.

The factory tools for ball joint splitting are cupped ball joint separators and you might struggle to find equivalent ones big enough for this job. Citroen make a different tool for separating the track rods as the angles and clearance are awkward

Tool 3312-T in use

Sealey and Laser make similar tools but these are cripplingly expensive. Especially if only used rarely. I shopped around and found a bargain priced Sealey tool and managed to use that.

In the absence of a cup separator, the usual solution is to resort to a lever-type separator. They are widely available. But that is also their downside: they vary greatly and you might struggle to find a suitable one. 

Sealey tool VS3804

Examples of ball joint tools

Part of the problem is the thickness of the two fingers that go around the ball joint pin. Often these are too thick to go between the hub and the arm. Even where they are slim enough, you might find the gap between the fingers is too narrow to allow the tool to go around the ball pin. The scissor action might not provide the clearance to go over the end of the ball joint pin. If that wasn't enough, they might simply not be strong enough for the job and break.

Note the massive size of this tool!
(photo credit: Citroen ID/ DS Club Nederland)

The alternative is to use 'shock tactics'. Quite literally. All you need is two hefty hammers, a good eye and straing nerves. There is some risk to this approach so do it only if you are prepared to accept those risks. Starting with the top joint: loosely replace the nut back on the pin to protect it's threads. The technique is to hit the two opposite sides of the eye that the ball pin passes through - with two large hammers and at the same time. HARD. As the pin is still in place, there is negligible risk of distorting they eye shape but the coordinated blows causes the eye to distort 'ripple' and the shock wave loosens the pin. Gravity and the weight of the hub and lower arm cause them to drop - freeing the pin. That's the theory anyway......

On the bottom joint, gravity is working against you. The weight of the hub and top arm are pressing the pin more tightly into the eye. Using a cup or scissor splitter on the bottom joint means that the tool also needs to lift the weight of the hub as well as push against the pin. Many cheap and small tools are simply not up to the job and need some help.

The tool is struggling to 'lift' the hub
(Photo credit: unknown)

The trick here is to lift the weight of the hub. With the nut loosely fixed to the ball pin of the top arm, you need to find a way to prop up or lift that top arm - and so lift the hub....You might be able to do this with a jack, or even by wedging a piece of wood between the arm and the ground. Avoid the temptation to put anything inside the hub 'doughnut' or risk damaging it.

With the weight lifted, in the absence of a splitter tool the same 'shock tactics' technique can be used to loosen the bottom ball joint pin. In this scenario, as well as simply lifting the weight of the hub, putting a little extra force on the upper arm to push it up, helps. BUT you need to avoid the situation where you are effectively jacking up the car from under the suspension arm - for fear of bending the arm. As before, hitting the two opposite sides of the eye that the ball pin passes through - with two large hammers and at the same time - causes the eye to distort fractionally  and the shock wave loosens the pin. Again, leave the nut loosely fitted to the bottom ball joint to reduce the risk of damage to the threads. With a couple of heavy and coordinated clouts, the modest weight of the lower suspension arm, coupled with minor pressure lifting the hub and top arm should be enough to free up the ball pin. Easy!