jcarruthers2
Enthusiast
- Messages
- 568
Hi All
I was wondering if somebody can help me with technical advice. I have had a number of Renault 4's and I have been fortunate never to have rear suspension outer mounting issues in the past. I think my luck may have finally run out. I was wondering if somebody with experience of this problem could read the following to see if my LHD R4F4 van (1985) is suffering from this problem and whether she could be saved (great bodywork and engine runs fine).
1) A few months ago I started to get a squeak from the driver's side rear suspension. I squirted WD40 around the shock absorber rubbers and rear suspension outer mounting bracket bush and the squeaking stopped. It recently started again accompanied by a clunk when I went over a bump in the road. She is generally ok on a smooth road surface.
2) This weekend I thought I would investigate further. With the vehicle stationary. I grabbed the rear metal bumper and bounced the suspension up and down. The squeak and a slight clunk was apparent. I noticed the rear outer suspension mounting bracket was bobbing up and down as I did this. I tried the passenger side rear and it did not bob up and down in the same way. The rear wheel is straight.
3) I jacked the car up and placed a round metal bar in the orifice of the rear suspension outer mounting bracket to check for movement. Slight movement and squeak present in the bracket but the bracket has not come adrift.
4) I noticed a top to bottom fissure in the outer skin of the sill behind the brake pipes, a little further along from the rear suspension outer mounting bracket and also corrosion on the other side in the area of the corner where the brake limiter valve is located.
Could this be repaired/worth repairing? If so, would it be a body off repair or could it be welded up with the body in situ?
Any advice will be greatly received.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards
Chris
I was wondering if somebody can help me with technical advice. I have had a number of Renault 4's and I have been fortunate never to have rear suspension outer mounting issues in the past. I think my luck may have finally run out. I was wondering if somebody with experience of this problem could read the following to see if my LHD R4F4 van (1985) is suffering from this problem and whether she could be saved (great bodywork and engine runs fine).
1) A few months ago I started to get a squeak from the driver's side rear suspension. I squirted WD40 around the shock absorber rubbers and rear suspension outer mounting bracket bush and the squeaking stopped. It recently started again accompanied by a clunk when I went over a bump in the road. She is generally ok on a smooth road surface.
2) This weekend I thought I would investigate further. With the vehicle stationary. I grabbed the rear metal bumper and bounced the suspension up and down. The squeak and a slight clunk was apparent. I noticed the rear outer suspension mounting bracket was bobbing up and down as I did this. I tried the passenger side rear and it did not bob up and down in the same way. The rear wheel is straight.
3) I jacked the car up and placed a round metal bar in the orifice of the rear suspension outer mounting bracket to check for movement. Slight movement and squeak present in the bracket but the bracket has not come adrift.
4) I noticed a top to bottom fissure in the outer skin of the sill behind the brake pipes, a little further along from the rear suspension outer mounting bracket and also corrosion on the other side in the area of the corner where the brake limiter valve is located.
Could this be repaired/worth repairing? If so, would it be a body off repair or could it be welded up with the body in situ?
Any advice will be greatly received.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards
Chris
