I remember someone telling me if you buy a Renault by the time you have finished with it you will have built a new car! After the hassle and new shiny bits added I bet it feels great again and worth the expense.
Suj's Nimbus Clio 197 and E36 328i Trackcar
- Thread starter suj
- Start date
suj
Paid Member
Haha so true.
Like anything, when you put new bits on, it makes other bits that were "OK" seem worse, so it's a never ending list.
Ideally I would like to get new dampers all round, that and new track rods ends, that would be amazing and finish off the suspension, so maybe in few months when I have saved up, as dampers aren't actually that dear, just labour intensive!
suj
Paid Member
Also I forgot to say, I bought these rear caliper return springs:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAULT-M...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
As the standard ones stretch and don't return properly, this can be the cause of when you have left handbrake on, then when you drive you have to give it some extra welly to break it off.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAULT-M...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
As the standard ones stretch and don't return properly, this can be the cause of when you have left handbrake on, then when you drive you have to give it some extra welly to break it off.
suj
Paid Member
Not at all Ben, you could do it yourself easily.
Needs rear jacking up, handbrake off, wheel off (could possibly do it with it on...would he a faff), then log nose pliers to remove old springs, then put new ones on.
You'll see it when you look at it mate. It's quite easy, just fiddly as you can imagine with springs wanting to ping back lol.
suj
Paid Member
Thanks Suj. Sounds easily doable even with my limited mechanical ability
I assume it's 2 springs per side?
Just one per side mate, so when you order that is enough for 2 rears.
In the voice of Blue Peter, "here's one I made earlier"
I just took some pics off the car for you, as I had a caliper I bought a while back for passenger side for pennies.

Pic from rear, to show spring placement
So just a pic before you remove it, just so you remember orientation etc (you don't need to take a pic, but just incase it flies off haha).
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suj
Paid Member
suj
Paid Member
Sorry i've been quiet lately, I got back into a technical job at work, I am so happy as Project Management just wasn't for me (too much politics and I realised I love the technical work). But it has been stealing most of my time.
Anyways I have still be hoarding parts over winter.
During black friday I got some bits off Paul @ RPD
* New dampers all round
* Front dust boots
* New front springs
I bought some projector headlights off Ade_T on here (he lives right near my sister in Preston, so she picked them up for me).
Then a guy near me was breaking a 197 right by my house, so I went over and got the Speedlines off him, he also had some projectors, so as a bundle I got them too.
I then sold a set of the projectors, but they were lost in the post, I refunded the guy, but then they turned up (so I need to sell these, i'll make a thread at some point).
Also the B14s I bought a while back (but wrongly, they are for a late 200, smaller top mount), in my naivety I kept them aside for someone without a deposit, and the idiot strung me along for months and months, so I need to re-list these also!
So annoying it looks like another front spring has snapped (when the B14s didn't fit, as the car was apart I had to put on some used springs that looked near brand new), so I will be putting suspension on soon.
Then someone was selling a set of brand new Eibach springs for a really good price, I read that they are much more compliant than the H&Rs, so I couldn't turn them down! Hopefully they will also last longer than the standard springs!
So that nearly brings me up to now, except Paul @ RPD then did an offer on the RS front splitter, I have wanted one for a while, as it finishes off the front of the car, so at that price I bit his hand off, with another set of front top mounts (so I can just build the front dampers and throw them on.
So list of stuff I need to do:
* Wheels refurbed in Anthracite (or even silver, I do like Silver on Silver), will be going Birmingham Wheels, i've used them many times over the years, price is bonkers
* Get tyres swapped over from these current wheels
* Get projectors put on (i'm even temped by HIDs, but then I am not as they are chavvy lol, I just want better visibility)
* Build up the new dampers with springs once the top mounts come and get them fitted
* It's due a service, it also has a slightly weeping sump gasket, so get this sorted
* I have a lovely ABS / ESP light on, I assume it is an ABS sensor, so I need to get it read on CLIP and pinpoint which one
* Fit splitter once it arrives
That brings me up to today I think lol, hopefully with the nicer weather I will be able to update this more frequently.
I hope everyone else is well
Anyways I have still be hoarding parts over winter.
During black friday I got some bits off Paul @ RPD
* New dampers all round
* Front dust boots
* New front springs
I bought some projector headlights off Ade_T on here (he lives right near my sister in Preston, so she picked them up for me).
Then a guy near me was breaking a 197 right by my house, so I went over and got the Speedlines off him, he also had some projectors, so as a bundle I got them too.
I then sold a set of the projectors, but they were lost in the post, I refunded the guy, but then they turned up (so I need to sell these, i'll make a thread at some point).
Also the B14s I bought a while back (but wrongly, they are for a late 200, smaller top mount), in my naivety I kept them aside for someone without a deposit, and the idiot strung me along for months and months, so I need to re-list these also!
So annoying it looks like another front spring has snapped (when the B14s didn't fit, as the car was apart I had to put on some used springs that looked near brand new), so I will be putting suspension on soon.
Then someone was selling a set of brand new Eibach springs for a really good price, I read that they are much more compliant than the H&Rs, so I couldn't turn them down! Hopefully they will also last longer than the standard springs!
So that nearly brings me up to now, except Paul @ RPD then did an offer on the RS front splitter, I have wanted one for a while, as it finishes off the front of the car, so at that price I bit his hand off, with another set of front top mounts (so I can just build the front dampers and throw them on.
So list of stuff I need to do:
* Wheels refurbed in Anthracite (or even silver, I do like Silver on Silver), will be going Birmingham Wheels, i've used them many times over the years, price is bonkers
* Get tyres swapped over from these current wheels
* Get projectors put on (i'm even temped by HIDs, but then I am not as they are chavvy lol, I just want better visibility)
* Build up the new dampers with springs once the top mounts come and get them fitted
* It's due a service, it also has a slightly weeping sump gasket, so get this sorted
* I have a lovely ABS / ESP light on, I assume it is an ABS sensor, so I need to get it read on CLIP and pinpoint which one
* Fit splitter once it arrives
That brings me up to today I think lol, hopefully with the nicer weather I will be able to update this more frequently.
I hope everyone else is well
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Wow quite an update. Sounds like you’ll be busy in the coming weeks with the list of parts you’ve got
Couldn’t agree more on the RS splitter. Great looks for a bargain price!
Interested on your comments on Birmingham Wheels. I’m considering driving 2hrs up spending the day in Brum and driving back down rather than pay stupid prices down south!
Couldn’t agree more on the RS splitter. Great looks for a bargain price!
Interested on your comments on Birmingham Wheels. I’m considering driving 2hrs up spending the day in Brum and driving back down rather than pay stupid prices down south!
suj
Paid Member
Wow quite an update. Sounds like you’ll be busy in the coming weeks with the list of parts you’ve got
Couldn’t agree more on the RS splitter. Great looks for a bargain price!
Interested on your comments on Birmingham Wheels. I’m considering driving 2hrs up spending the day in Brum and driving back down rather than pay stupid prices down south!
Haha yeah I've been hoarding loads!
I sure will Ben, if you know anyone coming down near Brum I can pick up and drop off the wheels for you, then you just have to collect, saved journey and cash.
I assume you were gonna do the same day service? If you do let me know and I can give you a few ideas of places to go
Beany
Platinum Member
A not so great update unfortunately
Yesterday driving back from the Girlfiend's house, I was just cruising not even going quick as it's slippy out there.
Unfortunately hot some ice on a slight turn and smashed straight into a curb, the curb won!
Upright is broke, so did the disc, but from a quick look others got away with it (but I expect more to be broken...)
I have got recovered home for now, when I got onto the recovery truck and we were about to go, someone hit the same ice, but turned with the skid, up the curb and head-on into a pole, totalled the car, so I got away quite lightly!
So I have sourced upright and wishbone from the guy breaking a Clio near me (who I got wheels from), ordered Brembo discs from ECP, so if nothing else is broken it should be back on the road soon, i'm an "amazing" Toyota Aygo rental car haha.
Ouch... I saw this on FB and looks painful... hope your ok tho!
suj
Paid Member
Thanks mate, yeah i'm fine, it was so slow, but literally all I could do was try was try and countersteer, didn't help
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