Ball joint dust covers

[daviddb]

Dear all,

Soooo then, having a poke round the car (a 1977 R1126 TL of 845cc lhd) a few weeks in advance of the mandatory road worthiness test a couple of things raised their heads. Both steering gaiters have split away from the outer end of the rack - no worries there surely, a spare pair on the shelf and one would think not much dismantling to get to them.

Oh and now I see that the rubber ball joint covers on both steering arms are split so do it all in one go. Pretty sure there is a boxed pair of arms somewhere in deep storage. Sure enough, found 'em.

However there seems to be no play in the steering arms ball joints so I'm hoping to avoid running into doubts about whether the one's on my shelf are right for the year and just change the dust covers. However despite thrashing around on the net for a bit (avoiding all distractions) I've not found or have overlooked a rightsized , right priced source.

Franzose seem not to have them nor the tricky (for me) to navigate Melun Auto Retro. As far as I can measure for the steering arms one is looking for about 14mm little hole, 34 mm big hole and about 25mm of height. I see on the ones on the car that there is no steel clip to hold the large end in place it just sits in a groove. The Quinton Hazell spare arms I have (number QR1363) have a clip at both ends. My slight worry with them is confirming that they are right for the year of the car; the box tells me they are a substitute for Renault part numbers 450588 (left hand) and 450589 (right hand)

Anybody got any ideas? An actual Renault part number would be a handy start I guess.

cheer m'dears

David B

 

[pepper]

Local motor factors will have a range of sizes, they used to be difficult to get hold of, but since they became part of an mot fail, they've been easier to obtain.

 

[mr-reno-139]

further to peppers advice just to let you know do not attempt to use a metal spring clip to hold it on as original because you will drive yourself mad and either stab your finger or split the rubber i have got a selection box of rubber o-rings and simply select one slightly smaller then the groove diameter all will be well after a very small amount of grease applied to the joint

 

[daviddb]

Thanks guys - you mean going to an actual shop - how retro!!

I now see that all the suspension arm ball joint covers (top and bottom, both sides) are sh*gg*d so it looks like I'm entering a whole world of pain. Again there seems to be little or no wear in the ball joints themselves and as they're still riveted in I'm well tempted to go down the new rubber covers route. Just need to get my head round access to the lower suspension arms ball joints. Looks like very little space between the outer end of the drive shaft and the hub carrier. Stand by for a new post once I've got back into the garage and had another worry. Next doors cat, Mr Sushi has also been in for a good looksee but he's offered no useful advice at all so far....

 

[André4Renaults]

Thanks guys - you mean going to an actual shop - how retro!!

Next doors cat, Mr Sushi has also been in for a good looksee but he's offered no useful advice at all so far....

We want pictures of the cat! (and the car... But mostly the cat!)

 

[daviddb]

Your every wish is my command.....

When it gets too rowdy next door Mr Sushi treats us like his holiday home....

 

[jjad]

He looks surprised yet indignant. Brilliant!

 

[daviddb]

He'd just been told NOT to go sloping off upstairs unsupervised - our old cat Fifi could be stopped in her tracks but M. Sushi is still a work in progress. A bit like our TL then....

At first glance it's a very very tatty car but underneath extremely solid. It was also completely free to me as the previous owner's boyfriend was about to call in the scrappie having spent some weeks failing to diagnose the following terminal failure to proceed fault.



I've had it about five years now but what with this and that have never had, until now, the time/money/inclination to give it the tlc it deserves.Bearing in mind it's never broken down in five years of low mileage use I'm about to put some time in on the car, starting with these drat ball joint covers.

 

[jjad]

Good stuff. Good luck with the projects (cat and car!) and keep us posted