Rx4 Scenic LHS driveshaft boot/gater

This is the Forum for all your Renault Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.
OzRX4
Posts: 52
Joined: 08 Jul 2006, 00:23

Rx4 Scenic LHS driveshaft boot/gater

Unread post by OzRX4 »

Has anyone changed the boot/gater on their Scenic or Rx4?
Mine has sprung somewhat of a leak of gusher proportion :cry: :shock:
When I jacked the car up today and removed the wheel for a closer look, it was literally dripping out at about 3 drips per second while up on the jack. After lowering it the leak slowed substantially. I won't drive the car until I have it sorted because the driveway is angled the other way and that's how I discovered the heamorage.
Any suggestions welcomed or warnings considered. I am going to replace the gater/boot myself as it doesn't look too difficult and if the local Renault dealer only quoted $220 for the job including the boot I am laughing, even if I opt out of the job.
:lol:
LIFE: the cost of living hasn't reduced it's popularity

2001 Renault Scenic RX4 2.0i
1998 Citroen Xsara 1.8i (auto...hers)
1969 Renault R10 's' replica(in progress)
OzRX4
Posts: 52
Joined: 08 Jul 2006, 00:23

Unread post by OzRX4 »

I didn't realize I hadn't posted a follow up to this thread.:oops:
The boot has a seal integral with a bearing that is press fitted to the driveshaft. I'd say the design is this way so when the seal leaks you replace it, unlike a grease filled boot where people tend to leave them until the CV knocks and replace the joint or whole shaft.
The job was a s easy as falling off a log.
Once I'd undone the driveshaft nut at the hub end, shifted all the brake gear out of the way, undid the strut bolts, the hub just came off the end of the shaft quite easy. Then it was just a case of undoing the small bolts holding the inner boot to the transmission housing. Take the shaft and boot to reputable transmission specialist with a press because the boot needs to be pressed off and the new one pushed on.
Refitting was as simple as the removable.
This would seriously be an under 2 hours hands on job for any competent home mechanic. Just allow a couple of hours in the middle for the workshop to press the boots off/on as well.
The boot was a Renault supplied part and would work out to under 20quid for you guys as I paid under $40 at the time down here.
Cheers, Chris. :D

P.S....anyone witha Scenic Rx4 and probably a 2WD as well should keep an eye on the inner left boot with bi-weekly checks to be certain you catch a leak while it's still in the early stages because if it happens on the open road, the box will empty very quickly and that'd lead to devestating results for the box's internals :cry:
LIFE: the cost of living hasn't reduced it's popularity

2001 Renault Scenic RX4 2.0i
1998 Citroen Xsara 1.8i (auto...hers)
1969 Renault R10 's' replica(in progress)
Citroenmad
Posts: 8125
Joined: 04 Dec 2008, 22:08
x 110

Unread post by Citroenmad »

Seems like an easy fix, but something which could cause a lot of damage too.

Dont see many RX4 owners on here.

Really a big fan of the RX4, we had one for 3-4 years and it was a great car, actually much better thought out than the new shape scenic which we replaced it with. Looked really funky too, ours was the bright green colour.

How do you find your 2.0s brakes?

Chris.
Chris
15 Citroen C4 Cactus HDi Feel - Red
14 Citroen C3 Picasso HDi Selection - Grey
07 Citroen C6 V6 HDi Exclusive - Red
01 Citroen Saxo 1.1i Forte - Mango
.
24 Toyota Yaris Hybrid
12 Ford Mondeo TDCi Business Edition
03 Seat Arosa 1.0S
OzRX4
Posts: 52
Joined: 08 Jul 2006, 00:23

Unread post by OzRX4 »

Hi Chris. Yes, the boot springing a leak is what I'd bet is the cause of most of the gearbox failures people are blaming on poor manufacture. There's an oil feed to the top of the box where the output for the rear shaft is that also houses 5th gear from what I can ascertain and this feeder tube gets damaged by the heat of the no oil situation. You can refill the box after a major leak but this would also cause failure due to no oil at the upper sections.
Brakes......haven't found anything lacking except one fade under hard braking on a car club night run when we nearly missed a corner ona country road. Ther front brakes and discs were dure for replacement and the ABS cut in due to the pads overheating, not funny at all :shock:
Overall, we love the thing. It's made my wife want her manual licence so she can drive it too.
LIFE: the cost of living hasn't reduced it's popularity

2001 Renault Scenic RX4 2.0i
1998 Citroen Xsara 1.8i (auto...hers)
1969 Renault R10 's' replica(in progress)
Citroenmad
Posts: 8125
Joined: 04 Dec 2008, 22:08
x 110

Unread post by Citroenmad »

Thats good to hear, our brakes were shocking and nearly had us into two serious accidents.

One day it sailed through a set of traffic lights on red, even though there was plenty of time to stop. That day was the finish, we went and traded it in for a new shape scenic 1.9DCi, which was 10 months old.

The brake pedal would press right down and hit a metallic stop, so it could not be pressed any harder. We had it back to renault loads of times, they said thats how they are and indeed when we tried a few others thats how they were. They worked fine in normal driving, but come to rely on them for a quick stop and they had nothing more to give.

But it never needed ABS as the wheels were unable to lock, even in the wet. You could drive along, put the car in second, floor the accelerator and stamp on the brakes, it would slow but it still kept on going faster.

I know its not something you wuold ever do but as a test it was pretty scary.

I also heard of a practice of doctors in scotland bought 3 RX4 petrols, all cars were returned within a few months after they found how bad the brakes were.

Someone i was speking too was hospitalised after an RX4 smashed into the back of their car on a motorway. Its driver said they could just not stop it.

Only when we traded it in did the renault dealer admit that there is a known fault, or should i say, weakness on the RX4 petrols brakes. The diesels have much better brakes as they have a vac pump.

So im pleased you have one with brakes, they are a fantastic car, look really good even now and so much better than the new shape, which is not as well thought out and falls apart most of the time. I could write a book on the issues that had :lol:
Chris
15 Citroen C4 Cactus HDi Feel - Red
14 Citroen C3 Picasso HDi Selection - Grey
07 Citroen C6 V6 HDi Exclusive - Red
01 Citroen Saxo 1.1i Forte - Mango
.
24 Toyota Yaris Hybrid
12 Ford Mondeo TDCi Business Edition
03 Seat Arosa 1.0S
OzRX4
Posts: 52
Joined: 08 Jul 2006, 00:23

Unread post by OzRX4 »

I may just test this, tempting fate I know but we bought the Scenic 2nd hand at auction because I knew they had 6 airbags and Ia m the one doing the school/ferrying offspring drives these days as I don't work due to health problems.
Don't know what i will do if I find a problem, maybe consult consumer affairs or something and see what to do because if there is a known fault and there has been no re-call, Renault are solely responsible for any damage/injuries.
Back in 2006, a guy down here had a fire under bonnet in his Rx4. Renault were consulted, he pushed hard and there was a national recall in Australia on the Rx4 to have new fuel rails fitted. Even today, if they find one hasn't been changed the order still stands and the work will be done.
(there's details about it on aussiefrogs somewhere)
My Scenic has new rotors and pads , not OEM but aftermarket so I might have better luck stopping.
LIFE: the cost of living hasn't reduced it's popularity

2001 Renault Scenic RX4 2.0i
1998 Citroen Xsara 1.8i (auto...hers)
1969 Renault R10 's' replica(in progress)
User avatar
myglaren
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 28612
Joined: 02 Mar 2008, 13:30
x 5632

Unread post by myglaren »

That is a frightening prospect and Renault should be taken to task over it. It is almost as bad as the Ford Pinto debacle.
OzRX4
Posts: 52
Joined: 08 Jul 2006, 00:23

Unread post by OzRX4 »

myglaren wrote:That is a frightening prospect and Renault should be taken to task over it. It is almost as bad as the Ford Pinto debacle.
Certainly is!!

It's amazing, I thought I was on top of the problems with the RX4 because there has been quite a bit written about them down here because of the gearbox failures that a small percentage of cars suffered.
This I believe as I mentioned would likely be due to the LHS boot failures and poor maintainence and upkeep on the owners part. There's plenty of posts on that complaints forum about the problem but they don't mention how their upkeep of the cars were prior to the failures.
I know a few guys in Aus with RX4's and I will send them emails and enquire about their experiences with brakes. I doubt there's been any cases as yet because there's no documented evidence I can find on the forum here.
I wonder if it's as simple as the materials they used for the plungers/boots/buckets in the MC that are letting fluid past at full pressure? ABS faulty where it's letting pressure out as a small leak maybe?
LIFE: the cost of living hasn't reduced it's popularity

2001 Renault Scenic RX4 2.0i
1998 Citroen Xsara 1.8i (auto...hers)
1969 Renault R10 's' replica(in progress)