Rear Suspension

[Guest Frank B]

My son was given my wifes old ZX diesel (174,000 Miles) when she changed her car. He has just done a 7000 mile trip around Europe competing in Kayaking competitions and appears to have knackered the rear suspension ( 5 people in car + all their kit + 5 kayaks on roof, no little wonder).

 

The car sits down a bit a the back now even unloaded and the suspension appears to be siezed with a knocking sound from the n/s/r suspension when going round roundabouts. The back end feels very stiiff ( bit like an old bx needing new spheres).

 

Can anyone suggest a best case scenario and a worst case scenario. It will be going to the garage next week but I like to be a bit ahead of the game.

 

Many thanks

 

Frank

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Hi Frank.

 

It does sound as though the rear beam has indeed gone to meet it's maker! It's no shame to it after the mileage it's done and the recent heavy loading. Without seeing it, it's difficult to tell what the problem may be, it could be failed bearings in the axle tube causing the stiffness/knocking and the dropped back end may be the torsion bars failed. Either way it will be expensive to fix and the best way forward may be a replacement axle, either from a breaker, complete with brakes etc. (£100-£150) or a recon one for about £250. See this ebay link.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SAXO-VTR-VTS-Berling...id=p3286.c0.m14

 

Either way it will take an hour or so (at least) to change it. There are 6 mounting bolts to undo and the brake cables and pipes will need to be removed. Once the axle is free it can be dropped down and the replacement bolted up. The pipes and cables for the brakes reconnected and the brakes bled and adjusted.

 

Cheers. Hope this helps. ;)

[Guest Frank B]

oops

[Guest Frank B]

Hi Colin

 

Thanks for the link,I will post back when the car has been to the garage.

 

It is always difficult to decide at what point further expense cannot be justified. we have had this car for about 9 years and have put on all but 17,000 of its miles and are quite attached to it

 

Frank

[Guest Frank B]

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QUOTE(Frank B @ Sep 21 2008, 09:21 PM) 34552[/snapback]

Hi Colin

 

Thanks for the link,I will post back when the car has been to the garage.

 

It is always difficult to decide at what point further expense cannot be justified. we have had this car for about 9 years and have put on all but 17,000 of its miles and are quite attached to it

 

Frank

[Guest Frank B]

The suspension didn't cause the MOT to fail (a few other things did though) so we will get it through the MOT and see how things develop. At what point do you scrap a car which runs well ? my view is if repairs cost more than about 50% of annual depreciation on a repalcement car that is the time.

 

thanks for the advice

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Yes. How long is a piece of string? You have a car which is worth bugger all but runs well and is reliable. You know it's history and what parts have been replaced and what is likely to need replacing (advisories) before the next MOT. A "new" vehicle of unknown provenance may turn out to be your worst nightmare!

 

I'm in the same boat with Laddo's ZX. It's a sound car and does everything we (he) needs at present. Basic Holiday transport for when he's home from Uni. He doesn't need the car in Dundee as he's only a cockstride from the University and there's nowhere to park it without paying an absolute MINT! So. It's just a case of keeping it going untill he's in a position to get something better/newer. Parts are cheap as chips and it's easy to work on so not much of a problem. It would have to be something really major to put it off the road just now.

 

Cheers. Happy tinkering! :D

[viking]

one thing i can suggest that may help with the axle if it's not too far gone is to drill and tap the back axle big tube about 2 to 3 inches back from the end of the arm and slap in a grease nipple and pump a shedload of grease in, if the axle has seized or semi seized, theres a good chance that the grease may free it and get it rolling right again, i had an old j reg advantage that was stiff as a board on the passenger back i did that and drove it over a few bumps and after a large BANG from that corner it freed up and was working  normally, i now do it to all my ZX as a matter of course,  it only takes a few minutes per side and saves a fortune on replacement, and every so often i just bang the grease gun back on and give it a few pumps....

 

the problem is as always that the "sealed for life" bearings in the axle aren't, i tend to treat stuff that is classed like that to be total lies, it's the best way.