2007 C4GP 2.0Hdi Front Suspension

[natedawg8t6]

Hi all.

Driving the car this dinnertime and heard a massive bang on the front passenger side - sounded like someone had thrown a massive stone at the car. Since then I can hear rattling in the front passe ger side 'dash box' and the spring is bouncing/twanging/jumping on turning either way. Car also pulls to passenger side now. Car looks level...

Any help much appreciated.

[Paul-R]

Despite the car looking level the first thing I would suspect is a broken coil spring.

As the car hasn't dropped appreciably it may be only the last coil and therefore difficult to spot. You need to jack it up (don't forget the axle stands for safety) and take the wheel off to get a good look. With the wheel off the ground get an assistant to turn the steering wheel from side to side to see if you can reproduce the noise. This might not happen as the wheel is off the ground but if it does then you should be able to hear where the problem is.

If it is the coil then you should replace it ASAP as they can squeeze out and puncture the tyre when broken. I would also advise replacing the coil on the other side of the vehicle as they tend to break in sympathy a few weeks later if left alone!

[RichardW]

Agree - spring has probably broken at the top, and as it is reduced dia at the top, the car is now resting direct on the spring rather than on the strut top bearing. They're not too had to change - I did both sides of ours as the strut bearings had seized. I had to take the wiper motors out to get enough room to get in with a spanner and allen key to get the top nut undone (the strut is mounted to the car with a second nut on the main shaft rather than a few smaller bolts into the top mount). You tube vid showing how it's done:

[natedawg8t6]

Had a free suspension check done at my local ATS. coil spring and possible top mount.

[natedawg8t6]

Its now been booked in with ATS for Thursday - £142 for Coil Spring and top mount fitted

[Paul-R]

Are you not having both sides done?

[natedawg8t6]

Not at the moment no - completing on a house this Friday and just cant afford it. I know the general rule is to do both.

[mickeymoon]

It'll be ok. I've never done both at once and never had less than 4 years between 2 on the same axle failing.

If it was the front struts or rear dampers, yeah, I'd do both at the same time, but a spring is a metal coil, and contrary to belief they don't lose their springiness over time. Sure, they corrode and break eventually but they don't "wear out" and get weaker.

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[Paul-R]

They may not lose their springiness (although that is debatable - the front ends of MGBs and Spridgets would frequently be lower with old springs) but they will both suffer similar amounts of stress and fatigue.

I suppose that, as in this case, a nearside spring will have more work to do than an offside spring by virtue of the fact that gutters are generally in poorer shape than the middle of a lane.

[mickeymoon]

Yes, I agree. I changed 2 nearside springs on my Berlingo in the last 6 years, presumable due to the abuse and/or water and corrosion damage they suffered, but no driver's side one - though I did put a new one on it last year when the top mount bearing failed, simply because it all had to come apart and for the cost of a spring, it was silly not to.

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[daviemck2006]

I would only ever change the spring that is broken. Every wheel and therfore spring is subject to different stresses and loads every corner and can snap at any time, whether a week old or whether 20 years old. Why waste money replacing a perfectly good one? Struts and shocks are different, I would replace them in pairs.

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[RichardW]

I changed just the broken spring on my 307 last year. On the C4 I had to fit new strut bearings, so I fitted new springs as well, as they were not dear, and were on the originals at 80k so I thought on borrowed time!

Bearing change in progress on the C4 - the one on the 307 was in a similar state when I changed the spring:

[natedawg8t6]

Well Ive had it done this morning. Spring had snalped in 2 places, top and bottom and it also took out the top mount - apparently it was a right mess. £142 lighter, not too bad i suppose.

[GiveMeABreak]

Very lucky!

[Paul-R]

Very lucky indeed. On the side where the spring had snapped in two places on our Xsara, one of the jagged ends had speared the tyre and the car had to be trailered back home.