Suspect broken rear spring

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

Moderator: martauto

E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:34 am

I am pretty sure I have a broken rear spring on my car.

Got some new Uniroyal Rain Sport tyres put on the back on Saturday, so naturally had to give it some stick on a few roundabouts just to see the difference in grip from the Nankang horrors that were on there previously.

Gotta say a vast improvement in both wet and dry.

However i recall hearing a fairly loud crack/pop noise on the car yesterday afternoon after driving over a small pot hole. Thought nothing of it at the time.

Later on whilst giving it some beans around a roundabout the car just felt really wallowy, similar to having a flat tyre, it leaned over when doing a roundabout/ any right hander and feels like it sits down at the left hand rear. I was going around this roundabout pretty quickly and the car was leaning at the left rear and i was almost having to give it opposite lock without it actually oversteering if you know what I mean. :mad:

What's the easiest way to check for a damaged spring, just jack that part of the car up and it will be obvious? Do springs come only in sets of 4?
dazleeds
old skool raver
old skool raver
Posts: 12883
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Empire Building @

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:36 am

yep jack up and have a good look mate

does sound like you may have broke a spring :cry:

what springs you got on??

i have some mtecs here mate if you need em cheap
www.oldskoolfantasy.co.uk
in the shit,the one to blame,yeh its all my fault ;)
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:42 am

hi Daz, I don't know what springs are on it. Some red things! Probably cheap crap GMax things or something like that. I think it must be 60 or 40 drop at the back, so what would Mtec look like.I have Billy dampers.

Also, what's the deal with E46 Cab rear strut mounts. Is there any purpose in doing this?
dazleeds
old skool raver
old skool raver
Posts: 12883
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Empire Building @

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:45 am

my cars a 40/40 we think??
is yours lower than mine??

billgates has standard mtec stuff i think?

as for the e46 rear mounts yes they work but never tried it so couldnt really give an educated oppinion

more a Q for the drift boys i think :D

ps billies are gooooood
www.oldskoolfantasy.co.uk
in the shit,the one to blame,yeh its all my fault ;)
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:48 am

how much you looking for springs mate? is rear spring removal just a case of undoing strut mount?
dazleeds
old skool raver
old skool raver
Posts: 12883
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Empire Building @

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:53 am

just put em back into for sale section mate Ԛ£30 if collected

as for swapping rears they ars supposed to fall out ive been told when you undo everything but the last time i tried they didnt :cry:
but dnt worry i have a nice shiny set of spring clamps

you can borrow them if you need em but i will need em next week sometime to do mancs,s springs
www.oldskoolfantasy.co.uk
in the shit,the one to blame,yeh its all my fault ;)
M5pilot
E30 Zone Addict
E30 Zone Addict
Posts: 4968
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Luton

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:50 pm

Get some H&R's. they work briliantly with billies.
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:51 pm

I've sent an email to you at the shop Sal
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:32 pm

right, got home and decided to whip the near side rear wheel off and have a look at the spring I suspected had gone home. Apart from the paint/powdercoat coming off I could see no evidence of it being broken and have it a good rive about, before remembering I had not put an axle stand underneath :eek:

Anyway, can't feel any excessive play in the shocker, rear arm or other bits of suspension.

I have yet to take a trip to the petrol station to use the airline but the pressure gauge on my footpump was showing both rears had only 22psi in them, so I am hoping the cnuts at the tyre place have simply under inflated them and that's the end of my worries.

Will nip out and check the pressures and see how it feels then.
dazleeds
old skool raver
old skool raver
Posts: 12883
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Empire Building @

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:35 pm

but what made the pop bang sound??

the plot thickens mate
www.oldskoolfantasy.co.uk
in the shit,the one to blame,yeh its all my fault ;)
wilkos
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Staffordshire

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:43 pm

dude if u undo the shocker at the base were it meets the lower arm, remove the droplink bolts and the springs should just pop out mate, did on mine if not just compress them with some spring compressors half hour job tops,btw got sum 60/40 spax springs for sale if ur interested fronts brand new rears couple of months old :D
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:46 pm

yeah I know I'm unlikely to be so lucky with just some low tyre pressures

here's a pic of the rear arm assembly etc

Image
dazleeds
old skool raver
old skool raver
Posts: 12883
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Empire Building @

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:50 pm

might be worth dropping it and getting springs out to have a look in case its cracked but not gone thru yet
could have been a warning sign mate get it checked properly no point
taking chances mate
if you do change springs just shout if you need clamps Daz
www.oldskoolfantasy.co.uk
in the shit,the one to blame,yeh its all my fault ;)
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:07 pm

looks like I am gonna have to drop the springs out, just went upto a garage to put some wind in the tyres. Shows how inaccurate the gauges can be on these stupid foot pumps. Foot pump reading 22psi, garage reading 32psi. I know garage airlines won't exactly be a paragon of accuracy but the tyres did not feel soft.

The car feels no different and I guess I will have to do some more detective work. I don't wanna waste money buying springs and find no change. The damper does not look as if it has leaked and is only 2 years old.

Would a "soft" or vague rear end on hard cornering be a possible symptom of bushes being foiked? I am not convinced it is the springs :?

The car feels perfectly normal at normal driving speeds/style, but that is a rare situation :roll: :D
dazleeds
old skool raver
old skool raver
Posts: 12883
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Empire Building @

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:09 pm

could be bushes mate
you drive like me but with more power :lol:

wanna feel my backend mate (no gags pls :lol: )
its all over the shop :lol:
www.oldskoolfantasy.co.uk
in the shit,the one to blame,yeh its all my fault ;)
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:18 pm

anyone else got and pearls of wisdom to add here

Cheers for the input Daz :thumb:
Simon
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 14939
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: South Wales

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:13 pm

E30BeemerLad wrote:anyone else got and pearls of wisdom to add here

Cheers for the input Daz :thumb:
Sloppy rear end would indicate bushes to me, get it to a reliable garage and have them check the mounts, and give the diff the once over too.

Another obvious question, is the exhaust still held on OK? COuld have been an exhaust mount breaking?
Image
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Post Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:17 pm

funny you should mention the exhaust, it did look a bit swingy when I was wrenching the suspension about, but a casual look didn't reveal any sagging or mounts looking knackered