C5 2.0HDi Estate - Rear axle squeak

[kettlesimon]

My 2004 C5 Estate has recently started squeaking at the back. Sounds worse at low speeds and when getting in and out of car. Any ideas and likely cost of repair ?

[KP]

Looking at around £200-240 per side. If one is going the other wont be far behind so a garage may offer it a bit cheaper if both sides are done together.

[kettlesimon]

Thanks for the response. what is it exactly that's going wrong. Is it a bush that's worn ?

[daviemck2006]

It's the radius arm bearing. That's exactly what my one was doing. I got the repair kit myself off eBay for £50, garage fitted it, do t have the bill for it yet. If you look at the car one of the rear wheels will be out of line, probably leaning in at the top and with a bit of toe in. It will also be wearing the tyres unevenly so do it sooner rather than later.

[Peter.N.]

If you are reasonably mechanically minded and have a decent set of tools you should be able to do it yourself, the worst problem is things that won't come undone, particularly the pins that hold the pushrod onto the arm.

Peter

[myglaren]

Malcolm (citronut) has a recommended fixing kit - here

Davie - you recall the rattling on mine? Diagnosis was the trailing arm bearing.
MOT'd last Monday and I asked them to check the trailing arm bearings thoroughly and replace where necessary, spent four days dousing the 'R' clips in PlusGas substitute.
Came back from MOT requiring only a steering ball joint.
Still rattling
Investigated last night, something I should have done at least a year ago.
Rear brake pads rattling in the calliper
Weekend fix if it isn't raining.

There are several threads describing how to repair the trailing arm bearings:

Here.
Here.
Here.
Here.

Lots if you do a Google Advanced Search.

As mentioned above the 'R' clips retaining the ram can be problematic (among other things) and the solution is to douse them in PlusGas - or in my case WD40 Release Agent (not normal WD40)!

[jgra1]

I have many rattles and creaks now from my rear .. no alignment issues. .. Thanks Steve may have a nosey at brakes..

[daviemck2006]

I could see the alignment out looking from the front of the car was more obvious. I had no rattling, just the squeaks over bumps and getting in and out. The guy who did the job said the plastic spacer was mangled, and the r clip had been removed and then a small rod (nail?) Had been welded in. He thought that someone had attempted the job and gave up. Mine is minus the r clip just now, he put in a split pin and advise me to get a new r clip from Citroën.