Renault 4tl chassis part to replace rotten outer suspension arm pivot

[stevepayne]

My lhd 1989 4tl chassis is rotten at the point where the outer suspension arm bolts on with 3 bolts !!
is there a repair part available - a shortish box section with the 3 bolt tubes inside to weld onto the good box section about 6 inches long I would guess.Thanks

 

[ggcton]

My lhd 1989 4tl chassis is rotten at the point where the outer suspension arm bolts on with 3 bolts !!
is there a repair part available - a shortish box section with the 3 bolt tubes inside to weld onto the good box section about 6 inches long I would guess.Thanks

Repair sections are available but to a good job you need to be a competent welder and lift the body off the chassis.

 

[malcolm]

https://www.franzose.de/en/Renault/R4/Chassis/ and scroll down to "rocker carrier (cross beam) at the rear". My van had an advisory on those at the MOT today (I had quite a lot of advisories). Melun Retro Passion will probably have them too.

It is a fiddle of a job to change them. I think the repair sections are designed so you can cut a section of sill off the body, do the repair, then weld the section of sill back on. Body off would be the alternative for access, but that is a fiddle too - if I ever did that with the van a new chassis might well go underneath.

Alignment in the rear suspension is important. I like to use a simple jig: http://www.renault4.co.uk/suspension-jig.htm The lower holes are slotted to allow for tracking adjustment but it wants to be pretty close.

 

[JonathanT]

Steve we must meet up sometime! I'm in Wymondham. I am a little further along the track with my project so could give you a few pointers I guess?

 

[jonigel]

I just did that job before christmas and took the body off ,i dont think it can be done any other way as there are brake and fuel lines in the way which have to be moved, and you cannot weld the top of the chassis leg ,also you will probably find both sides will need repairing.I left the axle on as that helped to keep it lined up ,as Malcolm said its important to line up properly.Careful measurements.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Back in the days when a renault 4 was a disposable old car to be fixed as cheaply as possible
Bearing in mnd I've never learned to weld I would often buy mot failed 4 with this problem
My friendly skilled welder used to fold up a a u shaped section and after cutting out rusty bits of surrounding floor etc and unbolt ing old section
The holes need drilling and spacer tubes welded in then this was slid in to place from under car open section at bottom and was welded into position after checking measurements taken from a good car
this will get 3 sides fully welded to existing chassis also extra plug weld s through holes drilled in repair section
Then the floor can be welded back to complete repair
This could work if budget wont allow full restoration and keep another one on the road a bit longer
Pretty sure renault themselves used to supply a section and even fitting instructions I've read in a renault publication some when

 

[angel]

This is exactly what I did last April, when I had to do such a chassis repair. Body off is a must.
The actual chassis consists of two U sections, the second fits inside the chassis box section with the open end facing upwards and at about 45 deg. angle. Spacer tubes are vital.
These parts were built very cheaply at a sheet metal folder from 1,5mm steel, and the outer box section was measured to be a snug fit in the remaining chassis box section.
As I have no jig, and no bare chassis to make one, I followed another route for correct positioning. I first aligned the chassis so that the rear crossmember was dead level, then fitted the suspension arm with a known good (new) wheel on it. I roughly adjusted the repair piece fore-and-aft position using the dimensions in the MR176 bodywork manual, then made micro-adjustments measuring the camber with a spirit level, and the toe-in with a bodyworker's measuring compass. This method worked out to be perfect; after checking the rear wheel alignment on a specialist, it only needed minor correction, well within the range provided by the outer mounting oblong holes.