Front suspension spring broke

[DaiRees]

Schutz is a "rubberised" underseal, it isn't waxy like normal underseal and it dries fully but remains flexible. I use loads of it on the zook . You can get 1l aerosols of in in Sparesword for about £3 IIRC, it's called Tetraschutz there (cos it's made by Tetrasyl ).

Actually thinking about it maybe it's worth a trip to the spares shop to read some tins, I'm sure I've seen other "fexible" paints?

[marco2002]

The spring i took off the motor was very badly corroded that bad at bottom it snapped had a quick look at n/s/f spring and that looks as if its going the same way so its just as well its all getting done. Managed to sell a load of stuff on Ebay to pay for all the parts i need.

By the time i've finished it should feel like a new car! lol

Just think an extra coat of paint or something similar would be good insurance for later on when its been on the car a few years. I'm off to motor factors today might stop off at a few paint shops see what they've got.

Spoke to a cab driver a couple of weeks ago and he said that he the same problem snapped coil spring got through about 3 sets of springs on his 406 before he got rid of it mind you it had done over 400k .......

[marco2002]

Hi everyone
Hope you had a good xmas. Finally got the correct shock absorbers today and they are a matching pair! Also got my compensation from eurocarparts for appalling customer service which was a free service kit which came to about £27.00 of parts inc vat....

Can anyone on here point in the right direction here. I've been trying to find a motor factors down in Dorset that sells a stretch boot to fit my pug 406 hdi 110 seems the only place that had a supply of these don't have a part number for my car which means they don't do it? I remember jasper saying that he got stretchy cv boot for about £4. Any ideas where i can get one and the fitting kit that you need (cone & lube oh er sounds a bit pervy lol) even if it means ordering online which will probably work out cheaper and less hassle? Size is 40mm at small end and 100mm at large end.....

Also had a quick look in Halfords today at the breaker bars 24" one in there is about £20 seen cheaper ones on ebay and they are Sealey too.

Thanks

[jasper5]

Hi marco, I'll have a look in my usual place tomorrow for you and let you know.

I don't usually use the cone method, but i'll price up the cone and boot for you.

[marco2002]

Cheers Jasper
If you can find that out for me it would be much appreciated as i just want to get on with the job in hand. This is the only thing keeping the car off the road now. Seems like everytime i think i'm getting somewhere the door slams shut!

There was one other thing Longinthetooth mentioned about the rubber bits that go on the spring i glued the bottom one onto the spring with a bit of bostik the one that goes on the top of the spring should it go right to the end of the spring where it butts up against the stop. I had a look at the one on the other side andthe rubber seems to be about 1-2 inches away from the end of the spring. Maybe with all the movement of the spring over the years the rubber has moved just thought i would ask as i want to get this job spot on......
Thanks

[jasper5]

Hi marco, the stretchy boot for the 406 is £6 at my local place, unfortunately, the cones are not in stock at any of the local factors, but If you can get a shop that deals in Quinten Hazel parts, they are the people that supply the cones, I could get one next week sometime, probably tuesday.

The correct boot kit for your car is £12 from my local supplier.Full details of the car required to get the exact one, not in stock, but again, I could get one after the New Year break.

As far as the rubber on the spring is concerned, If yours is a couple of inches short, why not glue on an extra piece, If you could find a bit of rubber lying about.

[marco2002]

Cheers Jasper

I'll go with the QH boot then. I've used their products before in the past & they're alright.

When i looked at the "bailcast" duraboot range they only seemed to go upto a 35mm driveshaft my ones 40mm. If you could find a fitting kit for the boot that would be much appreciated.

Just don't really fancy the idea of taking that driveshaft out when theres no need if i can get a stretch cv boot on it instead.

To be honest i don't think i'll be starting the new job for at least another week so there's a bit of time yet. Let me know what you think.

Its freezing cold here today off out to the garage to get the spring compressed again...lol
Thanks for your help Jasper i appreciate what you've done and your advice.

Thanks
Marco

[steve_earwig]

Just a throught: I wonder how the temperature effects these stretchy boot things

[mjb]

quite badly...

When rubber gets old, lots of small cracks develop. Water gets into them, freezes, expands and makes the rips bigger. Also the rubber itself gets slightly more brittle in the cold.

[marco2002]

Motor factors must be doing good trade at the moment with this cold snap we are having. I've had about 4 or 5 people ask me if i'm a mechanic when they've seen me doing my car outside. Lady with a 5 series beemer that won't start and another Lady with a brand new Beetle that won't start either. Mine still starts after been laid up for 2 weeks.

I was having a look on Ebay last night and seen one of these solar panels that you hook up to your car battery while its laid up. Guess its just like a trickle charge to keep the charge topped up. Has anyone ever had one of these and does it work?? lol

[mjb]

don't solar panels need sunlight?

[steve_earwig]

Yes they work, but they work better in countries where it's not raining all the time

[jasper5]

The stretchy CV boots are no different to any other rubber CV boot that has been fitted from new at the factory, rubber is rubber.

A lot of later ones have hard plastic CV boots, in fact, my supplier asked me if marco's was a later plastic type as they are fitted to some 406s.

The only problem with the plastic ones is that the metal clip holding it to the CV joint breaks and causes loss of grease.I always fit a large jubilee clip to those, much better grip than the original clip.

If it was my car I would fit a better quality boot than the stretchy one, but marco wants to avoid removing the driveshaft.

It isn't neccessary to remove the whole driveshaft, the CV joint will knock off the shaft with a large whack with a hammer and wooden block, or a copper or plastic faced hammer.


I'm dreading going back to work monday, as marco says, there will be a flood of cars failing to start after the holidays, especially given the current low temperatures.We call it breakdown weather!

Batteries will sell like hot cakes.

[steve_earwig]

I meant in this cold weather, if you try putting one on in the cold will the plastic (I don't think anything's made out of rubber these days) might be too hard and brittle. Just a thought.

[marco2002]

I had an e-mail today from carpartsdirect i've had a few bits and pieces from them in the past and it basically said they are expecting starters,alternators and batteries to fail due to cold snap and also folk who haven't serviced their cars properly which goes without saying. All gloom and doom isn't it when i read it i thought sounds like they must be rubbing their hands together waiting for all these cars to fail.......

I had all the anti-freeze changed last year when one of the core plugs went. A 99p part but 3 hours labour to fit, did engine mount while they were there as well so it was worth it. Peace of mind now knowing how cold it is.

Mind you in the 6yrs i lived in NE Scotland never had much trouble starting my car always had diesels when i lived there and still do. One year it snowed 4 or 5 times and always managed to get to work okay even dug my car and a few neighbours out too with my own snow shovel i made myself worked a treat.