Big job. Ripped off?

  1. Newbie Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 8
    #1
    Hi guys. Right, i don't usually fill up my little saxo (people wise) but on 2 occasions recently when i've had a car full, there's a really loud scraping noise coming from the rear. So bad that i cannot take 5 people (or 4 heavy people for that matter) The back just goes down so much with 3 average people's weight. I presumed just weak springs or something?

    So took it to the garage and the chap that had a look at it said something about there being no 'springs', but a 'bar' that supposedly twists (torsion bar?) 'instead of suspension' which is worn out / too weak. Apparently i need the bar changing which involves the back axle being replaced and some hugely expensive job which will cost more than my car.

    Obviously ^ i know nothing about cars, so is there any easy solution to this, or a different diagnosis, either of which wont break my bank?

    Huge thanks in advance anyway
  2. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #2
    could you post a picture showing the car from the back? If it's a dead axle then your wheels should look like /-----\
  3. Newbie Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 8
    #3
    cheers for the quick reply!
    it looks completely normal. |---| -It only screams when there's some weight in the back. Also if i go over a speedhump quickly. its as if 'the springs are too soft' as i picture it. But apparently there are no 'springs'
  4. Established Member Joined: Oct 2004 Warrington Posts: 1987 AX VTS 57 3.0 TDI A5
    #4
    Has the car ever had a towbar?
  5. Newbie Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 8
    #5
    only had it about 5 months, but i doubt it? only 1.1 can barely tow itself!
  6. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2008 stoke on trent Posts: 8875 now own a possi blue mk2 vts mk1 went to heaven
    #6
    what size wheels are on it and whats the tyre profile
  7. Established Member Joined: Nov 2005 Wirral Posts: 2198
    #7
    The guy is right about it having no springs. Have a look under the car from the back and you will see.

    It may be that the rear shock absorbers are fooked. That would be the first thing to change if your rear wheels are straight.
  8. Newbie Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 8
    #8
    regular (vtr alloys?) size. standard ride height too haven't modded it at all. did think the tires might be rubbing at first, but despite the weight lowering the car alot, there still seems to be like a lot of room inside the wheel arch?
  9. Newbie Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 8
    #9
    well according to the guy i took it too, the shock absorbers are ok, its the fact that the 'bar is twisting too much'?
  10. West Midlands Joined: Nov 2005 Nuneaton (West Mids) Posts: 13835 '64 Volvo V40 R’Design, '89 Ph1 309 GTi, ‘97 Mk1 S
    #10
    If your car is at standard height then there really shouldn't be any issues.

    Have you taken a wheel off to check and find the area which it has been rubbing?

    There are plenty of times whereby with vtr alloys people have had rubbing issues on the inner arch of a flat arch model, one of the more obvious theories is that it's the wheel offset that's the problem

    Vtr alloys were designed for the early vts originally and then used as the standard option for the vtr. Both of these models have a disc rear beam rather than the drum one which you have. Disc beam is wider, in the region of 5mm wider each side.

    This may be the issue more than anything else. The torsion bars won't be the issue, and if the wheels are straight that should rule out the beam itself being excessively worn

    Try some cheap spacers for the rear first, just the cheap 3mm ones from halfords, they'll be ok just to test it
  11. Newbie Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 8
    #11
    Cheers mate, ill have a look later on and give that a try!
  12. Established Member Joined: May 2009 Near Loughborough Posts: 2152 Mk2 Flat Arch
    #12
    if you have vtr alloys on a flat arch in my experience you will need 5mm spacers, i got mine for halfords for about 14 quid and it did the trick, or it could be the outer lip of the body on the back may need bending/ grinding of!
  13. Regular Poster Joined: Mar 2007 Poole, Dorset Posts: 447 Mk1 VTS
    #13
    What happens when you bounce the back up and down with your own weight? Try it with one knee on the back end with the boot open. Bounce it several times. If there seems to be very little resistance then it is the shocks. It sounds like the shocks to me.

    The torsion bars themselves (which do the job of springs on the back of a Saxo) should last the life of the car.
  14. Frequent Poster Joined: Jul 2010 southampton Posts: 591 1.4 8v 52 plate icelandic grey furio
    #14
    I have a similar thing in my furio, basically tried most simple diy things and i have drawn all apart from the shocks out! By all means spacers first but try the shocks after!
  15. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Nov 2010 Kent Posts: 8439 Gen 7 Celica 190.
    #15
    Mine does this also its not the shocks as my has had brand new shocks on it and it still does i am going to get the spacers then
    but looking to get gaz rear shocks anyway