Front Coil spring brakeage

[mikeymikemcmike]

A couple of days ago I had driven about a mile from home and heard a sickening crunch, followed by some pretty horrible graunching noises and loss of brakes. I carefully managed to get home.

The nearside front coil spring had broken near the bottom. I started dismantling things today. Looks like the damage is broken spring, cut brake hose, shredded outer CV joint boot and ruined tyre. The car is 15 years old and has 180,000 miles on the clock so I guess you can forgive it!

Dedra owners check your front coil springs carefully!

[rossocorsa]

this was a fairly frequent problem on third series Themas but at much lower mileage, never heard of it on a Dedra before. I can't say that I've ever heard of it happening on a Beta which makes me wonder what they did to the spring quality in the early 90s

[fay66]

this was a fairly frequent problem on third series Themas but at much lower mileage, never heard of it on a Dedra before. I can't say that I've ever heard of it happening on a Beta which makes me wonder what they did to the spring quality in the early 90s

I agree with Alan, I've had the nearside front spring break on one of my Series 3 Themas, fortunately I got away with just replacing the spring itself, but as the Dedra Technical Adviser for the Lancia Motor Club UK, it's the first one I've ever heard of on a Dedra, and I've had 5 Dedra's myself between 1993 and 2007.So I guess you just happen to be the unlucky exception to the rule.
Brian.

[mikeymikemcmike]

Maybe I was just unlucky then! I saw alot of posts on Renault forums about spring brakeages over Christmas!

I've got it all off the car now and am dismantling it.

[mikeymikemcmike]

I agree with Alan, I've had the nearside front spring break on one of my Series 3 Themas, fortunately I got away with just replacing the spring itself, but as the Dedra Technical Adviser for the Lancia Motor Club UK, it's the first one I've ever heard of on a Dedra, and I've had 5 Dedra's myself between 1993 and 2007.So I guess you just happen to be the unlucky exception to the rule.
Brian.

Hello Brian,

I've stripped down the front strut and while I was cleaning everything up I noticed that the top spring bearing has only 4 balls! This can't be right can it?

Mike

[fay66]

Hello Brian,

I've stripped down the front strut and while I was cleaning everything up I noticed that the top spring bearing has only 4 balls! This can't be right can it?

Mike

Hi Mike,
Certainly doesn't sound right, from what I can see of the sectioned illustration they are rollers and certainly more than four, if you get a new one make sure you get the correct one as they are handed.

Brian