406 Rear Suspension

[stevieb]

Just wondering - I'm getting a bit of a clonk at the rear of my 406 on uneven surfaces, and I see that this model uses anti-rollbar droplinks at the rear.

Do these tend to create clonking, like the front ones on 306/405's?

It seems to be predominantly on the left side, and sounds as if it's coming through the floorpan (via the anti-rollbar clamps?) rather than being in the subframe. It's definitely nothing loose.

It doesn't show itself when riding over full-width speed-bumps (even if I don't slow down very much ) - it only seems to show itself when the left wheel is riding a rough surface/pot-hole and the right wheel isn't.

I have my suspicions about the rear tyres too (my previous experience of Michelins is that they do bomp and bang quite a lot), but if these droplinks are a known weakness I'll do them anyway.

[PowerLee]

The rear drop links are a 406 weakness

Also theres nothing wrong with Michelin Pilot tyres, They are worth the extra money in the long run.

[stevieb]

Cheers mate, I'll pick up a couple tomorrow (might as well do both, eh?)

I must admit my experience of Michelins is limited, but all the cars I've driven with Michelins on have suffered quite a lot from road noise. I remember driving a brand new Alfa 146 with Michelins on and the road noise was terrible. Mind you, the car was cr*p anyway. An awful piece of junk.

About a year ago a chap at my local tyre dealer persuaded me that Goodyears were the way to go - after I'd got sick of the drop in quality of Pirelli P6000's - and I haven't looked back since. I put some NCT5's on the 405 (now owned by nickmurphy) last summer, and they hardly wore at all in over 20,000 miles. And they stick well too .

S'pose it all depends on driving style, and the individual car in question.

[PowerLee]

Hi

Yeah stick a pair of rear drop link bars on.

Stick a set of Michelin Pilot Primaceys on & you cant go wrong

Best tyres ive ever tried.

All the other big brand names ive tried come nowhere near the Michelins for grip & service life

[pugxpert]

check rear track control arm joints there the favourite,shake wheel side to side and check for play,if you do change them check rear track afterwards as bolt securing these arms adjusts track,and making a paint mark does not seem to work either,otherwise big tyre wear on rear

[Quinny]

Steve.

The rear droplinks failed on mine last year when I was in France.Cost me £200 to have them replaced,and all 4 wheels re-aligned.Genuine Pug parts mind.

Watched what the thieving Frenchman did,and to be honest,there a piece of p**s to change,and you can get them for under £30 a pair on Fleabay.

To be fair,mine were suspect before I went on holiday,and with the benefit of hindsight,I should have changed them before I went,but we're all professors of hindsight aren't we?

However,it was like a different car when they were done,but I still can't narrow the front end vibration we talked about a couple of months ago........

Ken.

[Quinny]

Steve.

The rear droplinks failed on mine last year when I was in France.Cost me £200 to have them replaced,and all 4 wheels re-aligned.Genuine Pug parts mind.

Watched what the thieving Frenchman did,and to be honest,there a piece of p**s to change,and you can get them for under £30 a pair on Fleabay.

To be fair,mine were suspect before I went on holiday,and with the benefit of hindsight,I should have changed them before I went,but we're all professors of hindsight aren't we?

However,it was like a different car when they were done,but I still can't narrow the front end vibration we talked about a couple of months ago........

Ken.

[Quinny]

Steve.

The rear droplinks failed on mine last year when I was in France.Cost me £200 to have them replaced,and all 4 wheels re-aligned.Genuine Pug parts mind.

Watched what the thieving Frenchman did,and to be honest,there a piece of p**s to change,and you can get them for under £30 a pair on Fleabay.

To be fair,mine were suspect before I went on holiday,and with the benefit of hindsight,I should have changed them before I went,but we're all professors of hindsight aren't we?

However,it was like a different car when they were done,but I still can't narrow the front end vibration we talked about a couple of months ago........

Ken.

[Quinny]

Steve.

The rear droplinks failed on mine last year when I was in France.Cost me £200 to have them replaced,and all 4 wheels re-aligned.Genuine Pug parts mind.

Watched what the thieving Frenchman did,and to be honest,there a piece of p**s to change,and you can get them for under £30 a pair on Fleabay.

To be fair,mine were suspect before I went on holiday,and with the benefit of hindsight,I should have changed them before I went,but we're all professors of hindsight aren't we?

However,it was like a different car when they were done,but I still can't narrow the front end vibration we talked about a couple of months ago........

Ken.

[Quinny]

Whoops!

A bit trigger happy methinks.

Ken.

[stevieb]

I've done the nearside droplink, but the nut had seized onto the bottom link, so I had no choice but to drill it out (the torx socket just rounded out the hole too ). Much swearing !!!

It's improved the handling a bit, but I still get a bit of a bomp on bad bumps, so I think pugxpert might be right about the track arm. I've got one, and I'll change it when I can bring myself to do it. At least this one shouldn't need any drilling though, as it looks nice and accessible.

One thing I noticed about the droplinks when I removed them was that the threaded lengths of the balljoints were very loose in the hub/anti-rollbar holes. I think the balljoints in the droplinks themselves were okay, it was just that the tips of the threads had compressed/squashed under use and made them a loose fit in their relevant holes. Ideally this threaded length of the balljoints should be shouldered to avoid this happening, but obviously this isn't the case.

Might be worth you taking a look at this as a possibility Quinny. Maybe one of the front bolts is moving a little in its hole. It wouldn't show up in any of the traditional ways because it'd be too tight for you to make it move by hand. Just slacken one nut or bolt at a time and see if any are loose in their holes.

[stevieb]

With the droplink and track bar changed the rear suspension is now lovely and quiet. At least the nearside is, and should remain so for some time to come.

I might just do the offside for my own peace of mind.

The track bar was a doddle to do. I recommend anybody who has any doubts to just get it done. 30 minute job, including the wheel removal etc.

[pugxpert]

did you check the rear wheel alignment after fitting arm??

[stevieb]

Not yet. Now I know what an easy job it is I'll get the other side done first, then get all four wheels tracked up again.

[pugxpert]

no worries,did not want you to wear out a pair of tyres