Rear Suspension

[Sage103]

My R4 has spent most of the past 5 years sitting in a garage. The rear suspension has none of the subtle softness that Renaults of its generation come with as standard - in fact it doesn't seem to have any movement in it at all apart from that provided by the tyres! So presumably it's seized. Can anyone suggest how best to inject some movement into it without dismantling?

 

[Steve Hennessey]

It's unlikely to have seized as it's torsion bar suspension and it's rare that shock absorbers seize either. The most likely cause is that the rear brakes have rusted brake drums therefore preventing any movement on the suspension. Was the handbrake left on for 5 years??

 

[bison]

Aye Laddie, that's whit ye get fir huvin' the handbrake oan the back wheels instead o the front, it'll never catch oan!. Were all doomed ah tell ye!.
Actually, I think Steve may have the solution, if the handbrake is siezed on, the wheels can't move that little bit to allow the suspension to move.
Alan.

 

[Sage103]

Not the right answer!

I should have perhaps explained that the car is a runner, though not in an MOT-able condition. The brakes work, including the handbrake. I had assumed that the pivots for the rear suspension arms had seized through lack of movement.

It only gets out as far as the end of the private section of our street so it has't had much opportunity to flex its torsion bars - although the front are fine.

 

[malcolm]

I thought the rear suspension arms were mounted on bushes (inner and outer) which shouldn't sieze. If that were the case it would be the dampers at fault.

Though apparently Peugeot 205 rear ends can seize solid and they have a similar system.

 

[Sage103]

Thanks, all, for input. Looks like I'll need to jack it up, get the wheels off, and then see what can be leveraged or not as the case may be.

 

[Sage103]

Now garaged, jacked up, and wheels off and finger of suspicion is pointed firmly at shock absorbers - there is a little movement in the suspension arms but the shocks are visibly in very poor condition. It'll be a while before the new ones are fitted - lots of surface rust to tackle first, and brakes and hubs to rejuvenate.