Citroen XM Forum

Hi Jaap,

I don't remember what it cost to get the ball joint done. They did the wheel bearing for me on that side and I got them to do the ball joint at the same time.

He had a nightmare doing it, and I have heard of the hellish nightmares people have had trying to do ball joints on these things. He had to weld a big not to the ball joint outer and still had a hell of a job undoing it.

I am quite impatient, and hate it when the smallest and simplest of things, like unscrewing a ball joint from a hub carrier turns into an all day affair. I'd rather give those frustrating jobs to someone else! I'd hand the hub carrier to a garage, and get them to give you a call when they have extracted the old ball joint and fitted a new one! I suspect its the original. How many miles are on that car now?

It is a rotten job. You are absolutely right, there's too many surprises possible. 1 drill gave up, 2 having to solder this abs sensor unexpectedly 3 having no solder 4 no counter thing underneath balljoint (see picture!) Never buy Lemford ball joints!!! 5. you need some musclepower and a strong vice-workbench. Last pic is how I found the repair-connection of the sensor how I found it. It was a good job, but I've undone it now placing proper plugs. I hope it works, haven't tested it yet.


Car is at 124K now. Told you I'd use it! Still doing + 46 MPG and having big maintenance today...Still need to bleed the brakes and tighten the driveshaft nut and do a test drive.

sorry about double picture...

You have almost done 20K in it! I only did 35K in it! Keep on trucking! 46mpg; my best in that car was 41 on regular use! She most love you...

Liz drives Turby too...just one day about 136 miles but that's why!:)

Those engines can do big mileage as far as I've read. Gearbox got new oil (again) and is still flawless. I do intend to hang on to the car. Hope your C5 is fixed by now!

I expect Liz was furious with you after wrecking her kitchen to do the balljoints Jaap!

That's how I do them except I have a massive 3/4" drive breaker bar about a metre and half long. Saves the need of a scaffold pole..

With regular coolant and oil changes and a close eye kept on the performance of the cooling system a 2.1TD will go on for ever and a day.

It may look like a kitchen to you, but it's just my ply wood home made workshop with a sink. It does need a bit of TLC I agree, too many jobs already done there...

Liz is a great support probably because her kitchen has no vice, is if far nicer and only stores vegetable oils

Citroen recommends to do the coolant once every 2 years or so I thought. I have only done it once but I only drive this car since April this year.

captainhaddock wrote: Liz is a great support probably because her kitchen has no vice

No vice How do you crush garlic?

Garlic is being crushed with a plier like device in our kitchen (number 3 so yes I/we have destroyed some in the past) As I have vices-changing ball joints. I just break them, like I am extremely powerful..... Also garlic is crushed in our kitchen with a thing that, with a lot of fantasy, looks like part of a drive shaft with very wide ABS rings....I guess a pic is needed now

Anyway, the 4 new winter tyres (Hankook) are in my shed now, being put on my donor XM's alloys. On top of that, a new Michelin was bought for the one that I showed a pic of earlier. It blew a hole...BANG but the repair, according to my tyre man, wasn't good enough. It was done with a 'mushroom plug' which is legal but not, something he would ever use to fix a puncture. I only take his word for it, he seems very 'tyre knowledgeable'. The old tyre was worn as far as legally possible and dated from 2008. So not much harm done there..

I do have a big hole in my wallet now though..

captainhaddock wrote:Also garlic is crushed in our kitchen with a thing that, with a lot of fantasy, looks like part of a drive shaft with very wide ABS rings....I guess a pic is needed now

Do you mean a mortar and pestle Jaap?

I've had several tyres repaired with 'mushrooms' and not had an issue to be honest although I don't really like them I must admit...