13 replies to this topic

[waruikazi]

G'day folks.

I have a 73 clubman with hydrolastic suspension. My drivers side radius arm seems to be bent outwards so that i have too much toe in on the drivers rear wheel. I've taken some pics to show what i mean.

this is the passenger side, no problems


this is the drivers, you can clearly see the back of the tyre sitting out too far and at the wrong angle.


And in these pictures you can see (not very clearly lol) the the drivers side sits about 8mm further forward than the passenger side.
passenger


Driver


None of the bushes are flogged out from what i can see. So here's the question, is it possible that i have two different radius arms? could the pivot pin be bent on one side? Or would i more likely have a bent subframe? I really hope this wont be too expensive to fix.

[dave21478]

very possibly different radius arms. I suppose it would be possible to bend one, but given how heavy the steel is in them, I would say the subframe would bend before the arm.

Check the frame is free from distortion, then hunt down a pair fro another car or buy a new pair, they arent that expensive. I would imagine that isnt doing much for your handling or tyre wear as it is.



Oh, and it may be sunny weather, but put some shoes on. working on a car barefoot is pretty stupid.

[waruikazi]

So is it unlikely for a pivot pin to be causing this problem? And there are 2 different types of radius arms i take it?

[midridge2]

as far as i know there are only 2 type of radius arms, the dry type and the hydrolastic type.

[waruikazi]

So if i was to buy some new radius arms how can i tell the difference between the two? My car is the hydrolastic type.

[midridge2]

the main diffrence between the 2 is the hydro type has a short stubby bit at the back of the backplate area that the helper spring attatches to and the dry type has a threaded bit that the damper goes onto.
it is possible that the stub axle (the bit the hub fits onto) is bent. looking at the picture i would say its the passenger side that is at the wrong angle.

Edited by midridge2, 22 June 2008 - 08:04 AM.

[dave21478]

Although there are two set "types" manufacturing tolerances have varied a lot through the years, so if someone has changed one of the arms in the past,especially if they have taken it from a used car in a breakers, its quite likely that although its the right one for the car, its not identical to the other.

A bent pin is possible, but I would still expect the mounting to bend before anything else. The steel where the arm mounts isnt that strong.

[waruikazi]

Man i wanted a simple straight forward answer that i could fix for $5

Cheers blokes, I think i'm gonna have to pull it all apart and have a real close look.

[midridge2]

over the years i have seen many bent stub axles without bending the subframe or brackets.

[Dan]

This is usually caused by poor maintenance. If the radius arm has not been regularly greased by previous owners or yourself then the shaft may have seized in the arm. When that happens all the movement of the arm is taken up by the shaft rotatig in its subframe mounting point which wears and ovals-out the hole. Grab the arm and try to push and pull it in and out of the car in the direction it appears to have already moved. It should be rock solid. Also look at the mounting point inside the subframe, if the hole has become oval or enlarged the frame needs repair or replacement.

[waruikazi]

If it rattles around that would indicate that the mount is stuffed yeah? I did try to move it and wobble it around but it didn't move at all, i might give it ago with some more force.

[jack_marshall]

I had this with a recon arm.

Something was bent, not sure if it was the arm its self or the stub.

I wasnt too happy.

[mk1leg]

If I wrer you I'd save up for a new radius arms ....................

[waruikazi]

I just found some this morning $100 including pivot pin and bushes etc. I think the hardest part will be doing it.