Citroen XM Forum

My method of subframe removal is to remove the spare wheel carrier, exhaust, then put a trolley jack with a stout piece of wood to support the subframe then unbolt it and lower away.

Surprisingly easy.

Keep the o/s front bolt on the last threads to act as a locator.

When I last needed to repair a pipe above the rear subframe cross member I found that disconnecting the two front bolts and loosening the rear was enough to give access Andrew, with the car nice and high and well supported of course. It is also easier to reattach with only the front bolts to align. Best of luck! With regards, Matthew T.

kenhall wrote:...replacing the whole section would have needed a 2.757 metre length (according to Citroen Service). Ken

Hi, before I get stuck in with this repair and find I wish I'd ordered it to have handy in case,
is this 4.5mm pipe length a real world measurement that can be trusted from the parts site
listing as I'll need to buy it from Lockwood's for this weekends 'hostilities'. I'm not doubting
what Ken has stated, would just love confirmation that the 2.757m length is safe to order!!

Its easier with ayt least part of the exhaust removed (on my estate) and the spare wheel carrier. As others have said, you need to drop the subframe somewhat, perhaps taking the nearside bolts out, just slackening the other side and supporting the tube. The area where your pipe has rusted through is pronanly near the back wheel arch and consists of 4 or 5 pipes in parallel, one of which is the larger 4.5mm brake pipe. All the pipes come up from the plastic-covered channel which runs front to back underneath the car and on to the top of the tube. They are held in place by clips (unless they have broken - in which case cable ties are a substitute). The problem is that there is a very tight space for those ascending pipes over the tube and the diesel tank ... the pipes trap the water here and the pipes corrode. Be prepared for more that one OR ALL the pipes showing signs of corrosion. On the plus side the problem area is relatively small.

I replaced ALL the pipes front to back and ALL the brake and hydraulic pipes.at the rear end for piece of mind with cupro-nickel stuff, but this is not necessary, it being possible to replace shorter sections of pipe using appropiate connectors. Remember though you will need the appropriate flaring tool if you are mking up the pipe yourself. Tools to do both 3.5mm and 4.5mm or two separate tools used to be available, but I understand they are not so easy to get now and are pretty expensive. The alternative here is to as your supplier to make the pipe ends up.

I have known Malcolm Lockwood for over 40 years and can advise that he is both honest and reliable and a very genuine person to boot, so you need have no worries there. Do remember however, that he can only supply either what he has in stock or what he can source - he cannot magic parts if they are not available! Your memory serves you right and the price of pipe has rocketed -this is simply because its made from copper / nickel and both have shot up in price over the last few years - depends at what time the stock was bought by the motor factor.

Genuine Citroen pipe can be purchased BUT it is
a) crap and rusts eventually
b) will take ages to come if they have it and IS THE SHAPE YOU ORDERED, so a long piece ain't going to fit on a bus if your car is broken
c) has to be treated with kid gloves and will break if you are foolish enough to try to bend it too much!

Whilst you are repairing the pipes, its a great time to recondition your rear height corrector and your rear anti-sink sphere.

Good luck!

What a palava! Job done: I got myself all sixes and sevens about the 4.5mm pipe
and in the end I just needed to drop the nearside of the subframe and have a looksee
which I did to see which pipes were suspect. There was just the one 3.5 pipe at first which
had gone where the plastic clamp brackets clip the pipe. When I got into the swing of
things it appeared another was about to go bad with a similar failure and both were at
the very top nearside of the subframe where they're jammed right up against the boot
floor - all the other lengths of pipe are very good and seem better for having more
space around them allowing air turbulence to dry them when they're wet.

The repair took two pipe splices of double female bridge nuts at the point where the main
run feeds from the sill and cuts up to the subframe and I renewed the whole lot that runs
to the old original 8mm end - one fed to a x3 way split and the other to a pressure valve
on the offside.

In the end I dropped the nearside leaving the offside pair of bolts just holding it for
alignment - even the exhaust didn't put up much of a fight. The height corrector rod
adjustment was a bit of a faff to get right as it didn't want to settle at the running height
at first which caused a bit of a cuss...

It's really good to get the machine up and on it's feet again - I've really missed the
belligerent potent swagger of the 2.5 lump!

A pain of a job but glad to see you got it sorted.

Ken

XMX wrote:

andmcit wrote:Well that's just great!! Sod's law says its the 4.5 pipe although thanks guys for the info
so I'm more forewarned what to expect when I do get to have a look underneath.

Andrew, don't worry too much !

XMX wrote:I phoned a supplier this morning that used to supply 3.5mm dia. Kunifer pipe in 10 metres lengths, but I'm still awaiting the return call they promised me
..................................
XMX

Update (After I called them) !
_______________________________________________________________

PIPE O/D --- MALE End/Fit. --- RUBBER SEAL ---- 'KUNIFER' PIPE - Length
# 3.5 mm -- 55p + Vat Each --- 35p + Vat Each --- £30.60 + Vat (10 metre)
# 4.5 mm -- 55p + Vat Each --- 50p + Vat Each --- £3.50 + Vat (per metre)
# 6.5 mm -- 70p + Vat Each --- 60p + Vat Each --- £3.50 + Vat (per metre) _______________________________________________________________

For the postage costs I was told it would be extra (See their on-line charges) they have to do a special 'To Order' so delivery can be up to a week to them before they dispatch the order to you (So you have to be patient) !

I don't know who supplies them, but at least its a way forward in getting a smaller quantity supplied should you need it !

Now the big moment your all waiting for is the supplier/contact details :-

Wida Components Ltd
Rutland Street
Bradford. BD4 7EA. UK.
tel :- 01274 304499

Heres the link to the WIDA ON-LINE Components Ltd. website.

I hope this maybe of help to you/others.

I was going to order some 3.5mm dia. Kunifer pipe from WIDA ON-LINE to make up and repair/replace a pipe !

Wida On-line wrote:IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS

It is with sadness and great regret, to have to inform everyone, that after 30 years in business, Wida Components Ltd and WidaOnline have closed.

We would like to thank every single customer who has supported us in the past.

Oh JOY ! 'Another one Bites the dust'

I've tried calling them too. the phone appears to be ringing BUT no answer, I'll try again next week to see if anyone answers (hopefully If someone did) I'd ask them who there supplier/source was ?

XMX

.

Oh dear. Sad to hear Wida has gone

I thought for a moment Andrew was back amongst us. Anyone herd anything of him lately? Seems a wile now since he's been on here...

I've noticed he hasn't been about much either....

This is a shame. Used Wida before..very good. I hope something as good replaces it.