The suspension my 86 mulsanne has recently become stiff. The car rides unusually rough. There are some very minor hydraulic fluid leaks at the valve mehcanism under car, but other than that, no outward signs of component failure. Any ideas on where to begin troubleshooting?
Stiff rear suspension
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1,558 Posts
Have you checked the rear Sphere’s this is most probably the problem
There not expensive but don’t fit Citron ones as there different
There not expensive but don’t fit Citron ones as there different
Stiff Rear suspension
Thanks for getting back to me. I appreciate the reply. Unfortunately I am not quite sure what you mean by "spheres" I have a shop manual for the parts listing and could not find anything like it on the diagrams. It there another term common in the US that I may be familiar with?
Thanks again.
Mike
Thanks for getting back to me. I appreciate the reply. Unfortunately I am not quite sure what you mean by "spheres" I have a shop manual for the parts listing and could not find anything like it on the diagrams. It there another term common in the US that I may be familiar with?
Thanks again.
Mike
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3,841 Posts
Mike,
The entire workshop manual and parts list for your car is available online, for free, through the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club of Australia Technical Information Library. Click here for the SZ Series Car Library.
The term "gas spring sphere" is the only one I've ever heard, and it is what is used in the documentation. For the specific documentation on this part of the hydraulic system, see Chapter G15, starting on PDF pg 57.
The description you give sounds precisely like what happens when the gas spheres go bad. There has been much recent discussion of precisely this issue on the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club (USA) forums, but membership is required to access those forums. The "price of membership" is well worth it, in my opinion.
Good luck with fixing this problem. It's not really that difficult.
Brian
The entire workshop manual and parts list for your car is available online, for free, through the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club of Australia Technical Information Library. Click here for the SZ Series Car Library.
The term "gas spring sphere" is the only one I've ever heard, and it is what is used in the documentation. For the specific documentation on this part of the hydraulic system, see Chapter G15, starting on PDF pg 57.
The description you give sounds precisely like what happens when the gas spheres go bad. There has been much recent discussion of precisely this issue on the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club (USA) forums, but membership is required to access those forums. The "price of membership" is well worth it, in my opinion.
Good luck with fixing this problem. It's not really that difficult.
Brian
Brian,
Thank you for you reply. I actually was a member of RROC up until about two years ago. I actually miss the print magazine and forums, and based on your accounts I should have remained active.
Thanks for the links to the manuals. I took a look at the link and the repair seems pretty straight forward.
Fantastic resource you all are and thank you very much for your help. I love this car and get complements every time I take it on the road. With your help, I can keep it rolling for all to enjoy!
Have a great weekend.
Thank you for you reply. I actually was a member of RROC up until about two years ago. I actually miss the print magazine and forums, and based on your accounts I should have remained active.
Thanks for the links to the manuals. I took a look at the link and the repair seems pretty straight forward.
Fantastic resource you all are and thank you very much for your help. I love this car and get complements every time I take it on the road. With your help, I can keep it rolling for all to enjoy!
Have a great weekend.
Joined
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244 Posts
Mike,
If you can understand a little the french, I have make the repair of my rear spheres,
and I explain a little here ---> http://bentley.turbo.r.free.fr/tuto/index.html
Regards
If you can understand a little the french, I have make the repair of my rear spheres,
and I explain a little here ---> http://bentley.turbo.r.free.fr/tuto/index.html
Regards
Joined
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78 Posts
Mike.
I cant quite make out if you have repaired the car yet or not.
The rear spheres are located on top of the rear struts in the boot. It is an easy fix and I would say almost definitely the cause of your hard ride. The spheres are a spring with a diaphragm. one side is directly in line with the fluid in the struts. The other side is pressurised. When the struts compress the fluid acts against the pressure and springs.
When the diaphragm breaks the sphere fills with fluid and as you can't compress fluid you get a seized rear suspension.
It is an easy repair but you must follow a few important steps.
Fully depressurise the hydraulic system. Remove the boot carpet and tool tray on the front wall of the trunk. locate the top of the struts and see the green spheres on top. remove the pipe to gain access to the spheres. You then have to get some grips around the spheres and you sahould be able to unscrew them. Always replace the seal and make sure the seal is correctly fitted as it is easy for it to come adrift. Tighten the sphere with grips and reconnect the pipes. It is a self bleeding system so unless you get a lot of air in the system then it should bleed out ok.
If you want to bleed the system then you will have to find the bleed nipple under the car.
run the car and check the levels, do not fit the carpet panels until you are sure that there are no leaks.
Let me know how you get on.
I cant quite make out if you have repaired the car yet or not.
The rear spheres are located on top of the rear struts in the boot. It is an easy fix and I would say almost definitely the cause of your hard ride. The spheres are a spring with a diaphragm. one side is directly in line with the fluid in the struts. The other side is pressurised. When the struts compress the fluid acts against the pressure and springs.
When the diaphragm breaks the sphere fills with fluid and as you can't compress fluid you get a seized rear suspension.
It is an easy repair but you must follow a few important steps.
Fully depressurise the hydraulic system. Remove the boot carpet and tool tray on the front wall of the trunk. locate the top of the struts and see the green spheres on top. remove the pipe to gain access to the spheres. You then have to get some grips around the spheres and you sahould be able to unscrew them. Always replace the seal and make sure the seal is correctly fitted as it is easy for it to come adrift. Tighten the sphere with grips and reconnect the pipes. It is a self bleeding system so unless you get a lot of air in the system then it should bleed out ok.
If you want to bleed the system then you will have to find the bleed nipple under the car.
run the car and check the levels, do not fit the carpet panels until you are sure that there are no leaks.
Let me know how you get on.
Joined
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1,558 Posts
Hi Mat your getting Very good at this Ha Ha
I am putting my car back to gether and have replased the pumps
So we will see if this helps if not I will phone you
Keep the good work up as since you became a member it has got a lot more fun to be on this forum
Michael
I am putting my car back to gether and have replased the pumps
So we will see if this helps if not I will phone you
Keep the good work up as since you became a member it has got a lot more fun to be on this forum
Michael
Joined
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78 Posts
Thanks Mike, a pleasure
Matt,
Thanks for your input. I know it has been some time since you posted, but I was having some password issues. Anyway the install went very well and Introcar was amazing on getting the parts to me in a timely fashion.
Thanks again for your help.
Mike
Thanks for your input. I know it has been some time since you posted, but I was having some password issues. Anyway the install went very well and Introcar was amazing on getting the parts to me in a timely fashion.
Thanks again for your help.
Mike
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