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How to change front suspension strut on Citroen Xsara Picasso – replacement guide

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Important!

This replacement procedure can be used for:
CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.6, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.8 16V, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.6, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 2.0 16V, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.6 HDi, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.6 16V, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.6 HDi, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.6, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.6 Chrono, CITROËN XSARA PICASSO (N68) 1.6 16V … View more

The steps may slightly vary depending on the car design.

How to change a front shock strut on CITROEN XSARA PICASSO (N68) [TUTORIAL AUTODOC]

Alternative products

Shock absorber

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. List of the tools you'll need:

                      Wire brush
                    
                      WD-40 spray
                    
                      Brake cleaner 
                    
                      Copper grease 
                    
                      Combination spanner #17
                    
                      Combination spanner #22
                    
                      Drive socket # 14 
                    
                      Drive socket # 16 
                    
                      Drive socket # 17 
                    
                      Drive socket # 22 
                    
                      Drive socket # 32 
                    
                      HEX bit No.H7.
                    
                      Wheel impact socket #19
                    
                      Ratchet wrench
                    
                      Torque wrench
                    
                      Clip removal tool
                    
                      Hammer
                    
                      Tap wrench
                    
                      Pin punch
                    
                      Flat chisel
                    
                      Crow bar
                    
                      Hydraulic strut spring compressor
                    
                      Hydraulic transmission jack
                    
                      Fender cover
                    
                      Wheel chock

Buy tools

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. AUTODOC recommends:

Both shock struts of the front suspension should be replaced simultaneously.
The replacement procedure is identical for the left and right shock struts of the front suspension.
All work should be done with the engine stopped.

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. Take the following steps:

Step 1

Open the bonnet.
Step 2

Use a fender protection cover to prevent damaging paintwork and plastic parts of the car.
Step 3

Remove the windscreen wiper arm nut covers. Use a clip removal tool.
Step 4

Unscrew the fasteners of the windscreen wiper arms. Use a drive socket #14.
Step 5

Remove the wiper arms.
Step 6

Detach the retainers of the upper part of the microfilter housing.
Step 7

Raise up and remove the cowl grille.
Step 8

Clean the fasteners of the shock absorber upper mount. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 9

Loosen the upper fastener of the shock strut mount. Use a drive socket #14. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 10

Secure the wheels with chocks.
Step 11

Loosen the wheel mounting bolts. Use wheel impact socket #19.
Step 12

Raise the front of the car and secure on supports.
Step 13

Unscrew the wheel bolts.

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. Tip:
To avoid injury, hold up the wheel when unscrewing the bolts.
Step 14

Remove the wheel.
Step 15

Remove the axle nut cotter pin. Use a crowbar.
Step 16

Clean the fastener of the driveshaft. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 17

Loosen the fastener of the driveshaft. Use a drive socket #32. Use a tap wrench.
Step 18

Clean the stabiliser link fasteners. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 19

Unscrew the fastener connecting the stabilizer link to the shock strut. Use a drive socket #17.
Step 20

Remove the stabilizer rod.

Step 21

Clean the fasteners connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 22

Unscrew the lower fastener connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #16. Use a tap wrench.
Step 23

Clean all joints of the arm. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 24

Unscrew the ball joint fastening to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #17. Use a combination spanner #17. Use a tap wrench.
Step 25

Remove the fastening bolt. Use a pin punch. Use a hammer.
Step 26

Disconnect the ball joint from the steering knuckle. Use a crowbar.
Step 27

Remove the drive shaft. Use a pin punch. Use a hammer.
Step 28

Prop up the steering knuckle. Use a hydraulic transmission jack.
Step 29

Clean the fastener connecting the ball joint to the steering knuckle. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.

Step 30

Remove the fastening bolt. Use a flat metal-working chisel. Use a hammer.
Step 31

Release the lower fastener connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a flat metal-working chisel. Use a hammer.
Step 32

Lower the hydraulic transmission jack by 10-15 cm.

AUTODOC recommends:
Citroen Xsara Picasso – Do not lower the transmission jack sharply to avoid damaging components and mechanisms of the car.
Step 33

Disconnect the steering knuckle from the shock absorber strut.
Step 34

Unscrew the top fastening of the shock strut mount. Use a drive socket #14.

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. Tip from AUTODOC experts:
To avoid injuries, hold the shock strut when undoing the fastening bolts.
Step 35

Remove the suspension strut.
Step 36

Set the shock absorber strut on the spring compressor tool.

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. Tip from AUTODOC:
Note that when using a spring compressor, spring coils need to be securely gripped, compressing the spring on the opposite sides.Ensure the correct position of the spring in the retainer.Make sure that the spring coils tightly entered the lock handles.
Step 37

Compress the spring.
Step 38

Remove the strut piston rod nut. Use a combination spanner #22. Use HEX No.H7. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 39

Remove the top strut mount.
Step 40

Release the coil spring.
Step 41

Remove the spring.
Step 42

Remove the shock absorber dust cap and the bump stop.
Step 43

Remove the old shock absorber from the hydraulic coil spring compressor.

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. Tip:
Τhoroughly examine the shock absorber mount, dust boot, bump stop. Replace them if necessary.Before installing a new shock absorber you should pump it manually 3-5 times.
Step 44

Install the new shock absorber on the hydraulic coil spring compressor.
Step 45

Install the dust sleeve and the bump stop on the new shock absorber.
Step 46

Install the spring on the shock absorber.
Step 47

Compress the spring.

Step 48

Install the upper strut mount and the strut mount bearing.
Step 49

Tighten the shock strut piston rod nut. Use a drive socket #22. Use HEX No.H7. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 49 Nm torque.

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. AUTODOC experts recommend:
Check to make sure the spring is positioned correctly. Avoid its misalignment.
Step 50

Decompress the spring.
Step 51

Remove the assembled shock strut.
Step 52

Install the shock strut into the wheel arch.
Step 53

Screw the top fastening of the shock strut mount. Do not tighten it.

AUTODOC recommends:
Important! Hold the suspension strut while screwing in the fastening bolts. Citroen Xsara Picasso
Step 54

Fix the shock absorber strut on the steering knuckle.
Step 55

Install the fastening bolt. Use a hammer.
Step 56

Screw in the fastener that connects the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #16.
Step 57

Clean the splines of the drive shaft CV joint. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 58

Remove the support from under the steering knuckle.

AUTODOC recommends:
Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. Lower the transmission jack smoothly, without jerks, to avoid damaging components and mechanisms.
Step 59

Install the drive shaft.
Step 60

Clean the ball joint mounting seat. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 61

Connect the ball joint to the steering knuckle.
Step 62

Install the fastening bolt. Use a hammer.
Step 63

Tighten the ball joint fastener. Use a drive socket #17. Use a combination spanner #17. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 44 Nm torque.
Step 64

Ιnstall the transverse stabilizer link.
Step 65

Tighten the fastener connecting the stabilizer link to the shock strut. Use a drive socket #17. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 40 Nm torque.
Step 66

Tighten the drive shaft nut. Use a drive socket #32. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 245 Nm torque.
Step 67

Install the axle nut cotter pin. Use a crowbar.
Step 68

Tighten the lower fasteners connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #16. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 45 Nm torque.
Step 69

Treat the shock strut fasteners. Treat all joints of the arm. Use copper grease.
Step 70

Treat the surface where the brake disc contacts the wheel rim. Use copper grease.
Step 71

Clean the brake disk surface. Use a brake cleaner.

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. Tip from AUTODOC:
After applying the spray, wait a few minutes.
Step 72

Install the wheel.

AUTODOC recommends:
Warning! To avoid injury, hold the wheel while screwing in the fastening bolts on the car. Citroen Xsara Picasso
Step 73

Screw in the wheel bolts. Use wheel impact socket #19.
Step 74

Lower the car.
Step 75

Tighten the upper fastener of the shock absorber strut mount. Use a drive socket #14. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 25 nm torque.
Step 76

Install and secure the cowl grille.
Step 77

Attach the retainers of the upper part of the microfilter housing.
Step 78

Reinstall the wiper arms.
Step 79

Tighten the fasteners of the wiper arms. Use a drive socket #16. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 19 Nm torque.

Replacement: suspension strut – Citroen Xsara Picasso. Tip from AUTODOC experts:
Make sure not to mix up the wiper arms on the driver's and passenger's sides.
Step 80

Install the nut covers of the windscreen wiper arms.
Step 81

Tighten the wheel bolts using a criss-cross pattern. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 100 Nm torque.
Step 82

Remove the fender protection cover.
Step 83

Close the hood.
Step 84

Remove the jacks and chocks.

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