Help needed please!!!!!!!

[french four]

My r4 has developed a problem (1986 gtl), were the rear torsion bar meets the swinging arm, I think there must be a bush or bearing in there and it must of broke down because now when i go over the slightest bump there is a banging noise as if the whole bank end is loose, i got a mechanic to have a look and he confirmed the torsion bar is moving up and down in this area were it meets the swinging arm, can someone please confirm it is a bearing and if they are still available and i presume it will be a job far above my capabilities, will it need special tools to repair it. Any help/comments appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[malcolm]

Seems odd to find a clonk there. There are some rubber bushes inside the arm mounting but they don't tend to cause problems.

Could the clonk be from somewhere else? Worth jacking up the car, and try to move and bend the wheel in all directions to see if you can detect any play.

Also see if the initial movement of the wheel upwards and downwards is damped. Often clonks at the rear are due to air in the damper which will allow free movement for 10mm either side of center.

 

[french four]

Thanks for such a speedy reply, the mechanic jacked it up and wheel off and he levered the hub up and down and you definately could see the play in the torsion bar end moving up and down in the swinging arm,it looks like it could be something in the swinging arm area,hard to describe really but he was not sure what was involved i.e bearing etc. the car has always listed slightly on this side and it probably could benifit from new shocks, but this is something else for definate, very puzzled, Thanks again.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

It is rare but it sounds as if the inner mounting bush rubber has disintigrated. This bush comes complete with the inner bracket and involves a whole strip down job and then the bush/bracket needs to be pressed on in exactly the same position.

I would try and get a good secondhand rear axle if I were you - a lot less hassle to fit as one complete unit.