406 REAR SUSPENSION

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » 24 Apr 2006, 12:25

Hi,
The 406 - '96 with 90k on her. The rear tyres are wearing away on inner part of tread. The car also twitches when cornering and crossing bumps.

Has anyone experiece of this? Any info greatly appreciated.

For last MOT, the rear link bars were replaced. Pulling on lifted wheel no play obvious. Wheel off, inspecting things nothing is obviously depreciated other than the anti-roll bar bushes. Could this be the cause.

Any info greatly appreciated. Thanks Malcolm

pugxpert · Post by **pugxpert** » 24 Apr 2006, 13:11

when the rear link bars were replaced was the rear track reset on a 4 wheel alignment machine? if not that would be your next thing to do!! be carefull to measure geometry on a peugeot the car has to be pulled down to a refrence height to check,most fast fit places dont do this and all there cars come out set up wrong and they say yep something is bent!! when its just the way they measure,contact your dealer i suggest!!

Adstar · Post by **Adstar** » 24 Apr 2006, 13:25

You learn somethign new every day! I would never have thought about the car being pulled down to a reference hieght, never had to have it done like that before. So what peugeots are effected by this requirement?

605 for example (Selfish of me asking about my own car!)? Is it an all peugeot thing? Just for future reference, so I/We can make sure we are getting a proper job done.

Thanks

Ad.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » 24 Apr 2006, 13:28

Hi, thanks for the prompt reply.

I've been further investigating and put wheel back on I found that pushing on the the upper front of each wheel i.e. nearest to rear door handle, there is some movement. Removing wheel again and applying pressure to point where link-bar mount on hub, the inner bush appears to be knocking.

We can't have done 10k since these were replaced. Replacing these may have improved things but is there something else that's worn and this link-bar wear after such a short time just a result of something else/

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » 24 Apr 2006, 13:29

Hi, thanks for the prompt reply.

I've been further investigating and put wheel back on I found that pushing on the the upper front of each wheel i.e. nearest to rear door handle, there is some movement. Removing wheel again and applying pressure to point where link-bar mount on hub, the inner bush appears to be knocking.

We can't have done 10k since these were replaced. Replacing these may have improved things but is there something else that's worn and this link-bar wear after such a short time just a result of something else?

pugxpert · Post by **pugxpert** » 24 Apr 2006, 13:36

could be the lower bush in rear suspension they sometimes wear and get movement.with regards to which cars require pull down they all do! some the track figures dont change much but the castor,camber and kpi angles to change a lot enough for it to be out of tolerance.citroens have the same procedure as well except the hydraulic suspension versions as they are done at normal ride height.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » 25 Apr 2006, 13:52

As you say Pugxpert - when the rear link bars were replaced was the rear track reset on a 4 wheel alignment machine? Until now, looking at procedures, I had thought that this was just a swap.

The more I swing on things looking for play on anything worn or deteriorated I find nothing really. I hadn't really thought too much about the alignment having bars replaced but had confidence in the garage where I took it.

As I am now reminded by my wife who picked car up after this and another job doing - she had to wait around a time and the guy was cursing this job, had obviously had difficulty. It does point the finger to alignment possibly not have been 100% complete.

Thanks again for info. really appreciated - Malc

pugxpert · Post by **pugxpert** » 25 Apr 2006, 20:55

i bet he was struggling to get bolt out some seize in and need cutting off to get out, the bolt on the inside has ecentric washer which you turn and adjusts track if he has just put it back in and not set track

stevieb · Post by **stevieb** » 06 May 2006, 19:26

Malcolm, the rear link bars CAN fail after less than 10,000 miles as I've recently found to my cost.

I bought two of these from different branches of a local factor. Both parts claiming to be manufactured by Motaquip.

One started to clonk in less than 7,000 miles (I had the same problem with ARB droplinks too).

I bought two new ones from a Pug dealer and have fitted them (cost over £50 each, compared to less than £20 each at the factors). It seems that one of the Motaquip ones is identical to the dealer part, but the other is MASSIVELY inferior - the welding on the ends is poor, and the quality of the rubber seals is crabby. The bush has almost 1mm movement in all directions, and the balljoint is sticky, and not smooth at all.

I too intend to have the whole car tracked at a main dealer.

So, it's quite possible you may find that you need the rear links doing again.