Groaning down below

[Le Champ]

Hi, mes amis, I recently bought a bright yellow 1984 4 GTL on ebay for £1200 and drove it north on the M6 from North Wales back to bonny Newcastle, some 200mls. The owner collected me from the station in it and I noticed a creaking noise on the inside when the car went over a bump. He reckoned some WD40 was required. As I drove it home the creaking/groaning continued throughout the journey. At first I thought it was the drivers seat frame or springs but deliberate bouncing on the seat did not induce the noise. The surface of the M6 is very rough and rippled with relatively few smooth tarmac sections. She creaked /groaned over every one of them both when the suspension rose and fell in response to them. The noise is not on the front half of the car that I can tell, which eliminates the front suspension and drivetrain. Road shocks transmitted through the rear wheels appear to initiate the noise and body roll induced on right hand turns. There's a torsional component in the cars movement which induces the noise. I stopped for petrol and vigorously rocked and rolled the body to work the rear suspension but there was silence so its not coming from the rear shockers units. After 4hours the noise got to me and I was speculating on worst scenarios. I intend to switch the front seats as the driver's seat is worn and I will carefully inspect the frame for fatigue or fractures and check the rear seats and fittings. Does the chassis/body flex or are they normally rigid? Any thoughts observations or ideas as to the source of the noise would be gratefully accepted. A dark green 4 called Fifi was our first car in 1978 and we went on our honeymoon camping around Scotland in her. She died the day before her mot when the rear chassis arm snapped, held on only by the brake line. It happened on the way back from the welding supplies shop where I bought carbon arc pencils and brazing rods for my sip welder. I had intended to repair her exhaust under the wing. We did'nt see many in France while on holiday last summer and the few we saw were rather battered. My wife and I saw this one on ebay and she could'nt resist it. We love the car but the noise needs a fix.:smile:

 

[malcolm]

If it sounds just like the seat frame groaning it's probably one of the front suspension balljoints. Should be able to find out which one by jacking the front suspension with the jack under the lower suspension arm rather than the chassis and trying to wobble the wheel. Most likely one of the bottom ones. http://www.renault4.co.uk/tech-balljoint.htm

Had me confused as it did sound like it was coming from the passenger seat frame.

The seats are identical side to side, so fit the most comfy one on the drivers side.

 

[mr-reno-139]

my thoughts exactly malcolm , just you got up earlier than me
there may not actually be any play visible in joint unless you carefully lever between lower arm and metal end of d/ shaft

welcome to the forum brian , did you find this site before or after your purchase ?


paul

 

[Steve Hennessey]

When I heard this noise on my GTL I tried checking all the joints but found no play at all. The only way I found the culprit was to make a small piercing in the rubber boot using a precision screwdriver and then squirting a tiny amount of WD40 into the joint. If the noise stops then replace that joint. Suggest you start with the lower joints one at a time.
Good luck

 

[Greeney in France]

That,s one of the good things about the French CT they put the front wheels on an oscillating machine that distorts the wheel in every direction to check movement in joints

 

[Le Champ]

Thank you Malcolm, Paul and Steve for your prompt replies I shall investigate the front balljoints tomorrow. It is amazing how misleading noise can be as it carries through a car structure and without the benefit of your knowledge and past experience I and others would be faced with a huge time consuming task of elimination. This is just one of the many reasons why this site is so special. I have swopped and checked the driver's seat - structure fine, and remounted the exterior black vent below the windcreen which was bodged with black sealant and half hanging out. In answer to Paul's question, I had found this site before I bought the car and I spent many late nights enjoying the threads and exploring the other features and it made me smile and gave me confidence to look for another car and once more weald a spanner. My Haynes manual arrived this morning - immaculate timing. This car has some rot issues although all the wings have been replaced. The front replacement wings were bolted on the old sealant and this has rapidly deteriorated causing rot on the inner wing edge joint. I could not view before bidding because of the distance and took a chance that the glowing description was accurate.

 

[angel]

I will agree Malcolm, Paul and Steve, these noises mostly come from lower balljoints. As the torsion bars extend to just under the front seats, thw squeaking may well be transmitting via them.
A Renault 4 needs absolutely no WD40 nowhere...(well almost...except the tailgate latch!)
The body may flex but this will not make a squeaking noise, as the contact surface between it and the chassis is covered by a flexible sealant.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

Angel, I'll disagree with you about the WD40!!! I find it a good 'diagnostic' tool.

 

[angel]

The best all-around tool, I will add! But if I must use it on the R4 suspension to stop it squeaking...well it is certain that something has reached the end of its life...