Just back from mot centre where i received a fail due to "worn rear suspension link".
car in question is 1997 Carina e. is this a big job for someone with an average toolkit and mediocre mechanical ability?
i really need the car back on the road as soon as possible as it is my livelihood.
many thanks.
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Suspenion work often involves a number of large nuts / bolts that need to be done up tight, and are usually rusted up when you come to get them off - and the work is much easier on lift rather than stands. You often need a good selection of larger sockets and spanners, quite of lot of brute force, blowlamp, torque wrench, big hammer, ball joint splitter. Don't know the specific set up on the Carina, you could jack it up and have a look and see if you can identify the failed component, and see if your toolkit / abilty matches up, but if you are in any doubt these things are best left to the pros - that last thing you want is a suspension failure...
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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I find it's always worth having a chat with the MOT tester to establish exactly which component has failed, and to make quite sure you know how it is supposed to be. If he just says "rear suspension" you might do a lot of work needlessly dismantling and replacing bits, while it might only be one bush.
Worth then getting the Haynes and seeing how it is meant to be done. Anything involving pressing bushes is very difficult as an amateur, unless you have a lot of experience of cobbling together spacers, pullers, drifts, etc, and a heavy vice.
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I got a bit more detail off the tester.what actually failed was a rear "anti-roll bar link".
it looks like 2 little joints connected by a rod about 4 inches long. any advice on replacing please..?
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Not familar with the Toyota rear suspension, but the same link on most vehicle's front suspension usually costs circa £15-25, and is secured by 2 bolts. Important to put vehicle back on wheels before fully tightening to avoid putting tension on rubber bushes.
Price it up by all means, then try a local independent. May be cheaper than you think
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should i loosen anti roll bar first to take strain of link?
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These are dead easy to change. Just make sure that both back wheels are at the same height (i.e. the anti-roll bar is not being 'twisted'). If you have access to a pit or ramps then just put the car on and undo the links.
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Sorry to bother you good folk again ...
i managed to get the 2 anti- roll bar bolts loosened , but the seem to be just spinning on the thread now?
as i turn the nut the thread turns with it....
ihave the car jacked up one one side....help before i break my spine...
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1. You need to jack the other side up and, if you haven't already, get some axle stands under there - never ever work under a car that is only supported on a jack - particularly if it is only a wheel changing jack. If you don't jack the other side up, when you knock the link off, there is the potential that residual energy in the roll bar will kick the car off the jack, and make it impossible to refit the link.
2. This is a normal problem with roll bar drop links as they don't have tapers on the ball joints. You might find a set of flats on the back of the joint, or an allen or Torx fitting in the end of the thread you can counter hold. If neither, or it won't work, then just saw through the thread behind the nuts. New link should come with nuts.
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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Spot on Richard, in my haste to finish the job i failed to see the recessed torx slot......once that was secured,link came of easily...a bit of wiggling and the rest was a piece of cake.
good to know for the future. thanks for your help everyone.
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Glad to hear you have fixed it so easily. It's a classic case of what I was saying - if you have a little knowledge, talk to the MOT tester, and consult the book and/or talk to other people, you often find things are not as bad as you imagine.
On the other hand, you could have been an easy target for a rip-off, lots of unnecessary work on the suspension, and a big bill.
If you build up a really friendly relationship with the tester, accept his verdict and advice, but indicate that you are perfectly competent to carry out the work yourself, you often find that he will nod it through on the retest, just glancing at the new component. At least, that's been my experience twice in the last few months. One car just needed a new brake drum, the other an adjusted wheelbearing.
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Thats right Cliff, this must be the best site on the web for car problems , i have never failed to get an answer.
10 years ago i would have mad a pigs ear of the job...as you get older you use your brain more and look at things more logically. btw the joints were well shot OK, but how was the fault spotted...does it show up on the suspension test when they rattle the carp out of the car, or was it just an eagle eyed tester. when driving the car all i was aware of was a very slight knock over uneven surfaces, it was no cause for concern for me really tho i knew something was on the way out. cheers!
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The mechanic doing the testing usually takes something like a large screwdriver or a prybar under the car and applies pressure on those sort of joints, in a controlled manner, of course. Experience tells him, together with guidelines, which way to apply pressure and what is acceptable.
I have found that if you show an interest in what is going on, then the tester will usually give some pointers to both faults found and "things" starting to go awry. I usually ask him if everything looks ok, apart from the mot test bits. Of course, you have to "trust" the garage.
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