Saxo wheel bearing

[Paul-R]

... road testing an Austin A35. He commented that the brakes were not wonderful. My immediate though was that I bet they're better than those on a Saxo...

I've not driven a Saxo but my very first car was an A35 and I can confirm that the brakes are dreadful. I had intended to put a 1275 engine and gearbox from an MG Midget into it but decided that it would be far too dangerous and put the damaged Midget back onto the road instead.

The hydromechanical brakes (twin hydraulic leading shoes at the front and an awful mechanical linkage driven by a single cylinder at the back add up to a buttock clenching experience when trying to slow down. They're so poor that I had to really clean up the rear drum surfaces and make sure all clevis pins and other moveable parts were free and lubricated to pass the then (1970) MOT. Even so it was a close thing.

[Hell Razor5543]

I remember a couple of stories from the James Herriot books. On one occasion the local mechanic came to collect his car (provided by the Practise) and take it for a drive to see what was wrong with it. He drove about 100 yards, stopped, got out, walked back and (with a pale face) asked "You have been driving it like this?". On another occasion he (James) arrived at a client to be told the animal was down at the bottom of the valley, but there was a car he could use to get there. As he went down the slope he found the brakes on that car did not work at all. He saw a large haystack at the bottom of the slope, so he drove into it. When he mentioned the brakes to the farmer the response was something like "That is why the haystack is there",

[CitroJim]

James, That sounds like a couple of episodes worth watching...

That was a really odd arrangement on the A35 Paul... Funnily enough, when I was a baby my dad had an A35 van and I used to ride on mum's lap... One trip he needed to do an emergency stop and it threw me forward against the dash...

Mum or dad never told me if was hurt in the incident... Maybe the poor brakes and what passed as an excuse for an 'emergency' stop saved my life! A proper emergency stop may have put me through the windscreen!

I can just remember that van. By the time I remember it dad had cut rear windows into it and installed back seats, thus turning it into an estate...

An old Purchase Tax avoidance dodge as I understand...

[Jonathancilia]

Guys you have any idea if the saxo diesel takes the 70amp alternator or 80amp? Mine has no air conditioning

[CitroJim]

Has yours failed Jonathon?

You should be able to determine the rating by looking at the part number on it and doing an internet search.

[Jonathancilia]

Nah not yet but found a good deal on a refurbished one on ebay and want to buy it as a spare as in my country they are very expensive to buy. Thanks ill look into the part number. It will be written on the plastic at the back or on the body of the alternator?

[CitroJim]

Yes, it'll be on a label on the body of the alternator Jonathan...

If it's stated to be suitable for a diesel Saxo I'd buy it and not worry too much about its rating... It's going to make very little, if any, difference in your country.

[Jonathancilia]

Thanks jim, always helpful

[MattBLancs]

An update on this, not actually as per thread title "Saxo wheel bearing" but (206) wheel bearing news all the same.

Having again got a wobbly wheel I formed a hypothesis:

Assuming hub not distorted, and I may be wrong assuming that, but will keep that assumption at present.

If CV joint was incorrectly formed then is potential a tightened hub nut would not clamp the bearing inner races with the correct force, or perhaps to the correct area.

This side has had a new CV joint in my custody and has had multiple wheel bearing replacements since.

So, having found a very cheap CV joint I've set to with replacement.

Points of note thus far:

• Inner CV boot is not split, but early stages of perishing. Will order one and do it in the spring.

• New and old CV joints (gsp from GSF; and J&R bought direct on eBay, respectively) do seem a little different (will make a template to compare contact areas)

• slight play present in the J&R joint - attempt to twist the joint / driveshaft how it would under engine power and can feel a tight movement. Red flag - don't believe any play like this is normal. So worth a joint change anyway. In all other respects joint seems healthy

Outer boot is in good order, so will reuse that in this instance. Is a new one in the kit but will keep that as a spare.

[CitroJim]

Good thinking Matt I'm watching with interest...

It's certainly possible and there is a big warning once issued for (I think) Xantias that stated the cart should never be rolled on its wheels with no driveshafts fitted as the wheel bearing would be destroyed...

[MattBLancs]

Good thinking Matt I'm watching with interest...

It's certainly possible and there is a big warning once issued for (I think) Xantias that stated the cart should never be rolled on its wheels with no driveshafts fitted as the wheel bearing would be destroyed...

Very familiar message - am pretty sure it's in every Haynes (that I've read) not to do that.

Here's the 206 manual (3757)

[Jonathancilia]

Its very frustrating when a problem keeps cropping up and its not an obvious problem and you have to sometimes replace parts without knowing if they are actually the cause of the problem