Forum:
I will be changing the lower front suspension arms very soon – the parts are on the way from Kimber Parts as we speak. Most people probably would not bother, but me being a cautious bloke, have decided to go ahead.
The front left suspension received a severe jolt a couple of days ago. I had reason to enter a lay-by park area on a dual carriageway and due to traffic speed and density my decision was to do all the braking in the lay-by run in zone so as not to cause traffic to brake behind me, so some serious hauling up was going to be needed. So I pulled in and hit the brakes hard to use the limited space leading into the lay-by and then I saw a section of the road surface had a large piece of the concrete missing from eons of vehicles ripping it up. Now being concrete it left a hole with a very abrupt vertical edge and 3 inches deep. So, now with all the weight on the front and the brakes about to go ABS the left front hit and I thought the front of the car was coming off. I am surprised the airbags did not go off.
Anyway the car did not fall to bits but I did have a look underneath to check all was well. It appeared ok and the rest of the journey was fine. I had another proper look at home and although nothing was broken I did notice the arms were naturally corroded but in some areas it was coming away in flakes. The part that got me most concerned though was where it attaches to the hub (the least chunky part of the item) and it was a bit Weetabix with rust, which means the part which takes most of the stress and is the weakest of the whole item was badly corroded.
This point in the structure will certainly fatigue over time and with the flaky corrosion as well, which indicates deeper penetration, I have decided to replace them because I don’t fancy the hub separating from the arm one day. Also the other bushes and fittings on the arm will certainly have seen better days so only good stuff can come from it.
The procedure I have read includes removing the hub but I reckon I can do it without that hassle. I think there is sufficient space at the hub to arm attachment point to get the ball joint splitter in – we shall see. Apart from that it looks straightforward with just two other bolted attachment points. I am already bracing myself for that unpredictable crack/bang as the splitter finally gets the joint apart – it always gives me a surprise me when joints let go.
So there we have it. Anybody got any helpful pointers please jump in. I will come back when the job is done and leave some thoughts.
Regards
Phil
2008 Sirion Suspension Arms Replacement
I have just finished replacing the front suspension lower arms. In short the job was very straightforward, and I was correct in thinking it could be done without removing the brake discs, callipers, and hubs. Thank goodness!
Tools required over and above the usual spanners and hammer was a 50mm scissor ball joint separator to get the hub to arm connection apart. The only proviso is that the finger part of the separator is as thin as possible so it just sneaks in between the bottom of the hub and the top of joint to be split. I used a US PRO BALL JOINT SEPERATOR SPLITTER 30 - 50mm 6018
Raise the car at the front and support on the chassis with the suspension hanging with wheels off. Remove the stabiliser bar drop-links – more on these later. Next split the hub joint connection by pulling the lock pin at the nut and removing the nut and applying the splitter.
Note: with the suspension hanging and full suspension travel all the way down the angle of the arm makes the space to get the splitter finger in too small, so place a jack directly under the lower joint to be split and jack up the suspension sufficiently to raise the arm to a more horizontal position and give clearance. Then whack the splitter in and squeeze away some, then lower the jack and the joint pops apart – if it doesn’t pop squeeze it some more. It isn’t a massive joint and it won’t take much to separate it, and I actually think a fork type splitter would shift it with a good smack.
The arms are each connected at two other major points and these are 17mm long bolts with anchored nuts and these came away very easily then the arms just pulled away from the chassis.
Now, for the drop links I recommend replacement. Mostly, for me, due to the fact I could not separate them from the old suspension arms for re-use, but they are cheap and do wear – so what the hell knock yourself out. Of all the things I predicted could go wrong it wasn’t this little snag. The nuts just would not come off without the joint spinning no matter what I did and had I continued with various brute force methods I had in mind it would have rendered them unusable.
Reassembly is by locating the suspension arm at the rear first, then the front, and finally at the hub. Then slip the bolts in with some jiggling and tighten. Fit the nut at the hub attachment and insert lock pin. And of course fit the drop links. Torque for the front bolts is 100Nm, and the rear is 80Nm. I didn’t torque the hub attachment nut because without removing the hub the torque wrench won’t go on. The nut isn’t super tight at 50Nm so a good heave on a ring spanner sufficed for me. I will be checking everything after 100 miles of settling in.
I gave it all a good squirt of Hammerite and it looks like a proper job.
Time taken? About an hour per side. What’s the cost? Approximately £120 each side. Was it worth doing? Of course I say yes, but most other people would have left them I am sure. They were very rusty at their weakest point, which made me nervous. The rubbery joints were visually in good order considering the 60,000 miles. The ball joints were not as tight as the new ones and could be easily moved with the finger and thumb. Does it make the car feel any better? Don’t know yet, but I will come back and share, but I do know that with steering and suspension it is the sum of all the wear that makes for sloppiness.
So there we have it.
Regards
Phil
2008 Sirion Suspension Arms Replacement
Final update.
How does the car feel with new suspension arms? Not much different to be honest. This was what I expected though, because I have not changed the dynamics of the suspension – it’s not like replacing dampers for example. The only discernible difference is a vague noise when crossing speed humps has gone way.
There will be an improvement of course with nice tight joints again and I am happy with this outcome even if I can't detect an improvement.
Regards
Phil
Rusty Arms
An interesting and useful article. I have looked at mine since reading it but can't see any significant rust but the paint is a bit flaky - I assume you mean Part ADD68630/1 on the Kimber site.
Thanks, Colin
(I very much like the new shape Sirion)
Lower suspension arms replacement
Mega,
Yes the part numbers you quote - ADD68630/1 - are the items in question. I think my units were especially rusty because the car has spent it's life near the coast. Hence when replacing them I gave it all a good dose of Hammerite paint.
Incidentally I went nuts and decided to replace the track rod ends as well since I wrote this article, and with these and the suspension arms being replaced the car steering feels very responsive and quiet - no more knocking going over speed humps.
Steering/suspension joints may pass MOT on an individual basis but the sum of all the wear will make steering/suspension feel less than new.
Regards