I use one of these domed tools successfully - they do go out of shape a bit and need 'readjusting' with a hammer occasionally but they're ok.
Also use a strong Gedore branded strap wrench for the rears.

I bought one of the "ebay" tools with the pinch bolt on the side. No good for your job Andrew but just to say you can get a surprising amount of grip with them, but yes they can go out of shape. The handle bent on mine undoing the rear centre sphere with my size nine so welded a beefy piece of tube to it over the old handle. (after roughly straightening it with a big hammer)

Hi Andmcit.
I made myself one of these tools that go over the sphere in a tight space and used it to remove all of the spheres that it would get onto, at least 3, but especially the one in behind the radiator. It would remove the turret on a Centurian tank! A real piece of equipment, if you need a loan of it call me anytime although I hope you have moved it by now. I live in Falkirk. regards. Bob

Just an update: in the end I wimped out and paid the nice man some hard earned to sort it!

The damned thing was totally flat and it was potentially causing all manner of worrying wear/side
effects to the hydraulic system and despite all best efforts with renewed double effort it wouldn't
budge. As it happens, it turned out to be a right git for the Cit specialist and the new Citroen acc
sphere I supplied wasn't the correct spec one needed apparently* so a new one was bought and
fitted for 75quid all in.

*right pressure, wrong sphere volume. Fine of s1! That'll teach me to venture into newer Xm's!

Dammit - that's nearly what I paid for another Xm!

The car sounds a lot happier now but there's talk some harm may have been done to the regulator...


A new rear pair and centres with hydraflush now and I'll try and see just how smooth I can make
the car ride!!

Andrew

Glad to hear you got it sorted Andrew even if you did do it the sensible/cowards way
Now do you think the rest will be easy to get off?? especialy that nice rusty centre rear one?

Regards
D

You're right Dean - watch this space - I've got the pukka Pleiades wrench so the rear
corner spheres shouldn't put up too much of a fight. I've already replaced the anti sink
as the feed pipe into it initially had a kink in it that had been poorly repaired by the last
owner which necessitated full removal and correct 4.5mm pipe replacement...

Andrew

Well good luck with them anyway Andrew, hopefully they wont be too bad

D

The big issue with the centre sphere will be handling the almost non-existent splash shield;
it is a bit like a lace curtain but I guess something there is better than nothing!! Just hope I
don't live to regret my potentially over confident words on the rear spheres!

Andrew

Hi Andrew

There is real comfort in having a Pliades sphere tool, the only one you can trust and abuse again and again!!!!! I unfortunately give any tool a very hard life. Burnt out the electric drill today while trying to make my sphere tester. Only drilling alloy too. Take a lot of rusted spheres off so I am on my second Pliades tool as the band snapped on the first one, still they did replace it under warrenty as they had never had a previous claim. Band is already bent on the second one. To put things into context I did try one of the cheap ebay ones. On its first and only sphere I got the strap bent out of shape, the bolt real tight so it did not move hardly at all while the handle turned into a spiral round the rusty sphere. At least the welds were good because they did not break. Made an interesting piece of junk. Sometimes only a lump hammer and cold chisel will do but even then I worry about the spirals of steel I cut off the side of some spheres. Must section a sphere one of these days to find out how thick the metal is and how they are constructed.

John

http://www.hydrosphere91.fr/lasphere.htm




Andrew

Thanks Andrew

Thats made me even more worried about my method of last resort removal. I had not realised quite how thin a sphere shell was. I think I have been half way through the odd one. Sod's law dictates that the one I cut real deep will still have full pressure inside.

John

If only the C5 forums were this good...

Steve.

I know its a bit late now, but if you can get a cold chisel into the welded seam round the middle and hit to turn the sphere anti clockwise, its always worked for me as a last resort. I've never made a hole in one yet and I've changed a few, and of course if its flat it doesn't matter.

Peter.N.

Steve,

Not seen you on here much lately, and i see your 2.5 is going, after all the work you done on it too .

Regards
D

The secret behind making the centre spheres as easy as possible to remove is to ensure that the pressure in the centre spheres is fully relieved. This entails opening the door of the car with the engine ticking over - for about 30 seconds. This will put the suspension into soft mode and allow all the LHM to return to the tank.
Without turning the steering wheel, (which could put the suspension into hard mode again), turn off the ignition.
In theory, this should allow the Pleiades tool to do its job - if the arm of the tool is given a sharp clout or two with a lump hammer.
It usually works for me.