Hi,
Failed MOT today, 99 plate genuine 126k, both front top mount bearings seized. Quoted £448 to replace these and rear radius arms.
Rear arms aren't a problem, how hard is it to do the top mounts? Will it need a complete unit, quote £56 each, or can I just replace the bearings?
Also failed on a rear number plate light which I checked yesterday and was Ok, touched the lens when I got home and the bloody thing worked, loose wire or fitting has lost a bit of its springiness.
Andy
front top mount bearing seized
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front top mount bearing seized
1999 406 HDi 2.0 110 GTX Estate. 48k when bought, now 150K. Second owner, I've covered over 100k in it.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Re: front top mount bearing seized
I replaced both of mine for the MOT on an 01 GLX estate, its not to bad if everything comes undone OK. I got the bearings from ebay for not very much money.
You will need spring compressors but otherwise its fairly straight forward, I seem to remember there is a very good video on You Tube which I referred to but otherwise its common sense with a bit of help from the Haynes manual.After have compressed the springs you need to disconnect the struts from the hub assembly, they are held in by a clamp, right round the bottom of the strut, slacken the bolt and wigggle them about a bit, some oil around the join will help. There are several small pipes and cables plus a bracket on the hub assy which give better access if removed, one bolt on each side broke off on mine but for what the bracket does one bolt is OK, they are 8mm I believe.
Once everything is loose undo the three torx bolts on the inner wing at the top of the strut, hopefully the whole assembly should come out, just slacken the centre bolt in the plate a little before you slacken everything else, this will make it easier to undo once you have the strut off. Hold the assembly in a vice, remove the centre nut - making sure that the spring is actually loose first, remove the top and you will probably find the remains of the bearings below it.
The bearings don't look the least bit like bearings as the housing is some sort of plastic and they are very thin. Give everything a good clean then place the new bearing in position, it just sits on the top of the spring plate and is held in by the spring. I always give all bearings a liberal coating of grease when reassembling.
On the offside of mine the three bolts that hold the unit in had seized solid and as the screws don't have a very deep recess they can be very difficult to undo, so much so that I had to undo the centre bolt and leave the plate in position, can be done but you will need assistance to refit it.
Have a look at the video that will probably give you a better idea.
Peter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzrTr15yZMM
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... s&_sacat=0
You will need spring compressors but otherwise its fairly straight forward, I seem to remember there is a very good video on You Tube which I referred to but otherwise its common sense with a bit of help from the Haynes manual.After have compressed the springs you need to disconnect the struts from the hub assembly, they are held in by a clamp, right round the bottom of the strut, slacken the bolt and wigggle them about a bit, some oil around the join will help. There are several small pipes and cables plus a bracket on the hub assy which give better access if removed, one bolt on each side broke off on mine but for what the bracket does one bolt is OK, they are 8mm I believe.
Once everything is loose undo the three torx bolts on the inner wing at the top of the strut, hopefully the whole assembly should come out, just slacken the centre bolt in the plate a little before you slacken everything else, this will make it easier to undo once you have the strut off. Hold the assembly in a vice, remove the centre nut - making sure that the spring is actually loose first, remove the top and you will probably find the remains of the bearings below it.
The bearings don't look the least bit like bearings as the housing is some sort of plastic and they are very thin. Give everything a good clean then place the new bearing in position, it just sits on the top of the spring plate and is held in by the spring. I always give all bearings a liberal coating of grease when reassembling.
On the offside of mine the three bolts that hold the unit in had seized solid and as the screws don't have a very deep recess they can be very difficult to undo, so much so that I had to undo the centre bolt and leave the plate in position, can be done but you will need assistance to refit it.
Have a look at the video that will probably give you a better idea.
Peter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzrTr15yZMM
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from ... s&_sacat=0
Re: front top mount bearing seized
Thanks for the advice Peter,
I found a place in Bristol that had one set of bearings only, so I have enough for both sides, for £28 1st class post, so ordered those. I couldn't find any local motor factors selling just the bearings, full top mount kit only at £56 each. Bought a heavy duty spring compressor from screwfix and rear control links from Ebay. £60 all up, so hopefully not as painful as it first appeared.
I have replaced a spring from a strut that had been removed from the car when I was an engineering apprentice, using a home made compressor made out of threaded bar, looking back it was a wonderful wonder it went ok. I saw a couple of YouTube videos and it seems to be doable. I am disabled and used to do all my own work but find it difficult know, luckily my eldest lad did an engineering apprenticeship so I'll advise him, it'll do him good to learn how to fix cars, he sold his 406 for a 407 and regrets it.
Andy
I found a place in Bristol that had one set of bearings only, so I have enough for both sides, for £28 1st class post, so ordered those. I couldn't find any local motor factors selling just the bearings, full top mount kit only at £56 each. Bought a heavy duty spring compressor from screwfix and rear control links from Ebay. £60 all up, so hopefully not as painful as it first appeared.
I have replaced a spring from a strut that had been removed from the car when I was an engineering apprentice, using a home made compressor made out of threaded bar, looking back it was a wonderful wonder it went ok. I saw a couple of YouTube videos and it seems to be doable. I am disabled and used to do all my own work but find it difficult know, luckily my eldest lad did an engineering apprenticeship so I'll advise him, it'll do him good to learn how to fix cars, he sold his 406 for a 407 and regrets it.
Andy
1999 406 HDi 2.0 110 GTX Estate. 48k when bought, now 150K. Second owner, I've covered over 100k in it.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Re: front top mount bearing seized
If you do this job the same way as the video on the tube you will get problems with the left hand driveshaft...basically the driveshaft will pull out of the gearbox spilling lots of oil!
There is a much easier way of doing this job....
Take off the driveshaft nut (35mm socket required) and push the driveshaft back, undo the drop link and remove it at the strut.
Take out the nut and bolt at the bottom of the strut and spray WD40 around the bottom of the strut.
Undo the bottom ball joint nut and remove it then remove the ball joint from the bottom arm.
Open up the slot in the back of the strut and knock the bottom part of the hub away from the strut....after pushing the driveshaft out from the back.
Undo the centre big nut on the strut but don't remove it.
Remove the 3 bolts holding the strut to the inner wing and remove the strut.
There is a much easier way of doing this job....
Take off the driveshaft nut (35mm socket required) and push the driveshaft back, undo the drop link and remove it at the strut.
Take out the nut and bolt at the bottom of the strut and spray WD40 around the bottom of the strut.
Undo the bottom ball joint nut and remove it then remove the ball joint from the bottom arm.
Open up the slot in the back of the strut and knock the bottom part of the hub away from the strut....after pushing the driveshaft out from the back.
Undo the centre big nut on the strut but don't remove it.
Remove the 3 bolts holding the strut to the inner wing and remove the strut.
Re: front top mount bearing seized
Thanks Jasper,
Is it just a standard socket needed for bottom ball joint, 22mm? I have the 35mm socket and torque key sockets for top bolts.
Andy
Is it just a standard socket needed for bottom ball joint, 22mm? I have the 35mm socket and torque key sockets for top bolts.
Andy
1999 406 HDi 2.0 110 GTX Estate. 48k when bought, now 150K. Second owner, I've covered over 100k in it.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Re: front top mount bearing seized
I think I found the answer re socket, I was confused with the special tool to remove the ball joint so I think it is just a normal socket. Of course, I may be wrong.
Andy
Andy
1999 406 HDi 2.0 110 GTX Estate. 48k when bought, now 150K. Second owner, I've covered over 100k in it.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Re: front top mount bearing seized
The bottom ball joint nut is a standard 21mm socket size.
Re: front top mount bearing seized
Well, 4 hours and both rear control arms replaced, OSF strut removed new bearing fitted and strut replaced. Everything came apart easily and went back easily. Old bearing was unrecognisable, just a pile of rust but the top spring seat and top cap were in good nick.
Loads of very strong painkillers now and near side to do tomorrow, providing my body moves.
Loads of very strong painkillers now and near side to do tomorrow, providing my body moves.
1999 406 HDi 2.0 110 GTX Estate. 48k when bought, now 150K. Second owner, I've covered over 100k in it.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Re: front top mount bearing seized
Job done,
Thought about Jaspers method of doing the NSF strut removal and did it differently.
I took the wheel off, removed pinch bolt then placed a second jack under the bottom suspension arm and jacked up until the car was only just about to lift off axle stands. Then put the coil compressor on and took up the slack. Removed jack from underneath the suspension arm and the strut popped out after hitting the hub with a club hammer. Undid the three top bolts and strut came out. You do need to put a foot on top of the hub to give just enough clearance to fully remove strut.
To refit, lift strut into position, insert one top bolt, not tightly, to support strut, position bottom of strut into hub, Jack hub up and strut slips easily in place, insert pinch bolt, remove jack, release coil compressor, put top bolts back in place. Easy.
No need to undo bottom ball joint or drive shaft nut, no oil spilt. Hope this helps someone in future.
Both bearings shot, n/s much worse than o/s but no damage to the mounts.
Thought about Jaspers method of doing the NSF strut removal and did it differently.
I took the wheel off, removed pinch bolt then placed a second jack under the bottom suspension arm and jacked up until the car was only just about to lift off axle stands. Then put the coil compressor on and took up the slack. Removed jack from underneath the suspension arm and the strut popped out after hitting the hub with a club hammer. Undid the three top bolts and strut came out. You do need to put a foot on top of the hub to give just enough clearance to fully remove strut.
To refit, lift strut into position, insert one top bolt, not tightly, to support strut, position bottom of strut into hub, Jack hub up and strut slips easily in place, insert pinch bolt, remove jack, release coil compressor, put top bolts back in place. Easy.
No need to undo bottom ball joint or drive shaft nut, no oil spilt. Hope this helps someone in future.
Both bearings shot, n/s much worse than o/s but no damage to the mounts.
1999 406 HDi 2.0 110 GTX Estate. 48k when bought, now 150K. Second owner, I've covered over 100k in it.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Clutch changed @110k, bottom pulley changed, cam belt changed, EGR blanked, cat removed, front springs changed.
Re: front top mount bearing seized
Glad you managed to do the job without spilling oil but trust me you were lucky!
When you've done the number of these that I have you get to realise that avoiding letting the driveshaft move is a good idea....a big pool of oil on the floor is a bit messy!
Well done
When you've done the number of these that I have you get to realise that avoiding letting the driveshaft move is a good idea....a big pool of oil on the floor is a bit messy!
Well done