Felicia's chassis woes

[petak]

when problems starts then they come one after another.

Sorry to hear that!

For bushes i have the same problem.
Renault does not give separate part number for it. It goes together with mountings. Number one on the picture below



So i am waiting to dismantle rear axle and measure it

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

Today I measured mine and found them to match Franzose part number 83033, which is out of stock. I'm going to order part 626057N from Melun Retro Passion instead, because the dimensions are the same except for a longer outside tube. Hopefully this will work!

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

when problems starts then they come one after another.

You're not wrong Petak! I just found that both front suspension arms on the right hand side are bent beyond repair. What on earth were the last owners doing to cause such damage ??

Edit: Those arms especially the lower ones are really expensive on Melun Retro Passion. Does anyone have a second-hand one that might be cheaper?

 

[malcolm]

Hasn't the car been on a raid? That could explain some. Shall I send some rhs front arms down with the rear?

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

If you have some, I would very much appreciate it

That's the simple explanation, yes :P they must have been driving pretty hard even so, by the looks of it the arms took a direct hit that was enough to push them past the limit of travel...

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

Here's a photo of the newly repaired inner arms and front crossmember, and the remains of the bushings to be removed from the torsion bar mounts.

 

[mojobaby]

I think your welder has done a really nice repair

 

[petak]

NIce one!

Can you tell me how did you pull out rear torsion bars?

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

Apply penetrating oil daily for a week, then hit them with the biggest hammer you can find! Though, as you can see they came out only at the arm ends. I'll let you know how it goes freeing the fixed ends.

 

[angel]

The trick on removing the torsion bars is to do what iMac tells us (penetrating fluid and more penetrating fluid), then hit them with that heavy hammer from the suspension arm side, that is like trying to install them in.
This is only needed to get them move a little and make them "wake up". You cannot hit them squarely from the other end because the suspension arm gets in the way. Shock absorbers must be removed, of course, as per the manual.
After the bar moves you can hit it from the inner mounting side, the normal way, to remove them.
For some really stubborn bars, it is helpful to remove two of the inner mounting bolts, so that tension from the rubber bushes is released and no load is placed on the bar splines.

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

Today we got them properly free at both ends by using an oxyacetylene torch to heat up the mountings. I also removed the remains of the old bushings with a large fly press. I don't know what I'd do without the help of the university technicians and their workshop tools!

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

This is proceeding really well and I foresee an MOT within the next couple of weeks! There's just one problem left to sort out: play in the steering rack, passenger side. I'm not sure how to tell if it's the inner rod or the bushing that's worn, and where can I get a repair kit?

 

[pepper]

Luckily you're left hand drive, which will mean you'll be able to sort it out easier.

 

[mike4gtl]

It would think it will be the outer track rod ends. I get through a pair a year on the rough fen roads where I am. Bottom ball joints are also comman failures. Although 50,000kms a year might not help.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

This is proceeding really well and I foresee an MOT within the next couple of weeks! There's just one problem left to sort out: play in the steering rack, passenger side. I'm not sure how to tell if it's the inner rod or the bushing that's worn, and where can I get a repair kit?

Tom I'm going to be a bit thick here. Is the play in the steering rack on the nearside or the offside? As yours is LHD, then the passenger side will be the offside and these end bushes do wear and I do have a complete kit of the parts - see my sticky post!

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

Hi Steve,
It's the offside just as you describe. Thanks for reminding me about the sticky post, I'll send you a PM.

 

[ian]

Here's a photo of the newly repaired inner arms and front crossmember, and the remains of the bushings to be removed from the torsion bar mounts.

It's an amaze repair, was it done over the old chassis?