Axle is sturdy and there's no signs of collapse (no neg camber or anything) and no play at all in the arms themselves.
I tightened up the end plate bolt on the o/s and thought it had gone, but a quick drive later and the noise is back.
Is this 100% bush failure?
Not sure whether to source a 2nd hand one (potentially also fubar, as is the chance you take) or swap the bearings out. Can't be bothered doing it myself, and feel that a garage would probably charge quite a bit?
#2: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: Seatock789, Location: MorecambePosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 5:10 pm ---- Try squirting some WD40 on the rear suspension and the bushes, I suspect the bushes might have dried out and also around the spare wheel carrier. Wheel bearings wouldn't make this noise whilst not rotating.
#3: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: badj, Location: WiltshirePosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:34 am ----
Seatock789 wrote:
Try squirting some WD40 on the rear suspension and the bushes, I suspect the bushes might have dried out and also around the spare wheel carrier. Wheel bearings wouldn't make this noise whilst not rotating.
I know wheel bearings wouldn't, but the rear trailing arm uses needle bearings not bushes.
I GT85'd every possible part of the rear axle, including squiring into the gap behind the ARB plate, and it make little difference.
The spare wheel is in the boot to already rule that out.
I guess it's 2nd hand axle time
#4: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: badj, Location: WiltshirePosted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 4:02 pm ---- Just as an update here, I stripped the rear axle a little today and found a bit of rustiness inside the rear beam...
There was a nice matching 'patch' consistent with the area of rotation of the rear beam.
My thoughts at the time were that perhaps there was too much of a coincidence that the area of rust looked like it would match up with the consistency of the sound - it only made a noise at certain angle areas (not with the wheels in the air or under a lot of load, but the part inbetween)
So I started to clean up the inner surface
And the same with the end plate outer surface
Did quite a bit more, but don't seem to have taken photos.
After this point, I cleaned up more of the corrosion with a sanding roller on the dremel, then applied plenty of moly grease to the inner and outer ends of the tubing and plates.
Did also put some grease nipples on the arms, but grease gun didn't work. Anyway, all back together and went for a drive over speedbumps and all sorts - noise has now gone completely (or at least for now!)
Basically, there doesn't seem to be play in the arms that I can feel, and I've spent quite a bit on the car lately so don't want to splurge too much too soon. Whilst it's not ideal, and perhaps some replacements should be made with parts, if I get at least a few more months if not 12 out of the axle then I will be in a better position to judge whether or not the cost of a new axle is worth it.
Couldn't remove the end place without tearing the rubber on the outer bush, but obviously it does bugger all anyway judging by the rust inside!
#5: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 6:02 am ---- So you took the arms off the axle tube?
#6: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: badj, Location: WiltshirePosted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 6:07 am ----
Edward wrote:
So you took the arms off the axle tube?
Yeah, but the noise looks to have been coming from the end plates rather than the bearings... For now.
#7: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:14 pm ---- I take it yours weren't this clean?
Which then ended up as clean as this.
#8: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: badj, Location: WiltshirePosted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 3:11 pm ---- nah, it'll definitely need swapping at some point, but for now there doesn't appear to be any play and the clean up of the lever shaft seems to have silenced it a little.
Got an MOT due though, so I'll know a little more by the time that's done!
#9: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: badj, Location: WiltshirePosted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:37 am ---- Famous last words, that arm seems to have failed the MOT.
Was hoping to scrape through as it now makes no noise, but has the slightest lean to it. I couldn't find any play, but they could.
Doesn't seem worth getting a 2nd hand one as they 're still £100 for ones that don't look like they were in the cargo hold of the titanic, so IM Axles and AxleDirect both do one for around £230 ish delivered.
Anyone know which is the more favourable option?
#10: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:09 pm ---- If you want to keep the car buy a brand new axle.
#11: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: badj, Location: WiltshirePosted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 2:00 pm ----
Edward wrote:
If you want to keep the car buy a brand new axle.
Possibly just semantics, but there's brand new and there's reconditioned.
I can't really see any difference in the two, as all the vital parts are changed regardless.
I'm probably thinking IM Axles offer a better deal than AxlesDirect?
#12: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: Edward, Location: In the garagePosted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 2:26 pm ---- You hear mixed reports about reconditioned axles. They often aren't bothered about what torsion bars and anti roll bars get fitted or the materials used aren't ideal. Also, obviously a reconditioned axle is used - why is it no longer on a car? Been in an accident? Is it straight?
#13: Re: There's an elephant under the car! Author: badj, Location: WiltshirePosted: Tue Sep 09, 2014 2:31 pm ----
Edward wrote:
You hear mixed reports about reconditioned axles. They often aren't bothered about what torsion bars and anti roll bars get fitted or the materials used aren't ideal. Also, obviously a reconditioned axle is used - why is it no longer on a car? Been in an accident? Is it straight?
Good points.
I think the majority are exchange units that have had pin wear.
I don't quite know if the quality of their 'new' axles is up to standard of OE, even used.
That might seem backwards/ironic, considering they're a fecking awful components on never every PSA car in the last 30 years!
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