I tackled the lower swivel bearing replacement guide on my cracking little RS175 at the weekend. Yes, in the snow in Scotland. Hard as nails me!!
Anyhow, I did some research on the web and being versed in what their was to offer I set some time aside to tackle the job.
It didn't go totally to plan and I'd like to point out a few things that may help future attempts by any DIY RS Megane owners. I also did not fully appreciate the component parts that made the swivel assembly. I'll try and address that too.
So firstly some important things to consider. You need the right tools, well fitting and suitable. Goes without saying but things can go horribly wrong with less than adequate kit.
- brembo brake caliper: it's fitted to the steel hub assembly with two 12mm internal hex bolts. You will therefore need a 12mm male hex key. These bolts are tight. Lots out their about rounding out the hex heads or shearing the bolt itself in the hub. Mine came out quite easily.
- the three 13mm lower bolts holding the aluminium upright to a separate plate which is connected to the lower balljoint: you need to remove these. I can't see how you'd split the hub from the balljoint any other way. I'm sure it's been designed that way. The 13mm bolts are tight and thread locked from the factory! Limited space means using a spanner. I used a combination bi-hex ring spanner and 4lbs mini sledge. I held the ring home onto the bolt head and with some preload then tapped on the ring spanner. I also heated the bolt through with an airgun (not a flame as the upright is aluminium). I also shocked it tight a little too. The two closest to the hub came loose just fine. The rear one not so. Totally my fault but a point worth noting. Due to the angle of the lower arm, you end up going in at a slight angle. That and the combination of a bi-hex spanner meant I partially rounded the bolt. I resolved the problem by jacking up under the hub to raise the hub up and changing the angle of the lower arm and producing more room under the bolt. I then got an Irwin 14mm extractor in, used a 22mm open ended spanner on the flats and popped the little treasure out.
- driveshaft: I used an impact gun to fly off the hub nut (32mm). On the last Megane I stripped down the driveshaft popped out with the 4lber. This one wasn't so happy to come off the hub. I gave up on pounding it off as it was starting to turn the thread over on the end even with an aluminium block between the two. The answer was a hub puller. Bolted to the hub you wind the threaded bar to essentially press the driveshaft out. Perhaps it was because it was so cold but mine took some force. Even with sensibly applied heat it stayed put. I had to use a breaker bar on the hub puller. Loaded it up and walked away for a cup of tea. Came back and it had loosened off.
- 24mm bolts: advice is to remove or loosen these at this point. No way. With the upright and hub now removed from both steering ball joint and lower arm ball joint, the only thing holding it in place is the suspension top mounts. I couldn't get it to stay put. Tried the jack under it with some preload but it was slipping away. So I removed the ARB droplink. Removed the brake pipe bracket from the strut by removing the nut on the back of the pinchbolt. Then removed the complete assembly from the car (strut). With the unit in the garage and on the floor I could loosen the 24mm nuts with the impact gun. I couldn't get the gun on in situ.
- the actual swivel bearings: not a lot about these on the web other than the odd pic. I thought it would be useful to show the components.
The upper bearing compromises of two roller bearings in series.
They are held by a shaft which runs through the bottom and is held in place by one of the 24mm bolts at the top.
The shaft itself has an internal hex cut into it to aid in building it back up by allowing you to counter hold it.
The famous lower bearing was so seized on mine that the hub simply wouldn't turn at all. No wonder my inner track joints had worn again in less than six months!
The bearing itself sits in the steel hub and the cage needle bearings should rotate around the steel shaft that is bolted to the bottom of the steel hub.
RS 175 Lux
Anyhow, I did some research on the web and being versed in what their was to offer I set some time aside to tackle the job.
It didn't go totally to plan and I'd like to point out a few things that may help future attempts by any DIY RS Megane owners. I also did not fully appreciate the component parts that made the swivel assembly. I'll try and address that too.
So firstly some important things to consider. You need the right tools, well fitting and suitable. Goes without saying but things can go horribly wrong with less than adequate kit.
- brembo brake caliper: it's fitted to the steel hub assembly with two 12mm internal hex bolts. You will therefore need a 12mm male hex key. These bolts are tight. Lots out their about rounding out the hex heads or shearing the bolt itself in the hub. Mine came out quite easily.
- the three 13mm lower bolts holding the aluminium upright to a separate plate which is connected to the lower balljoint: you need to remove these. I can't see how you'd split the hub from the balljoint any other way. I'm sure it's been designed that way. The 13mm bolts are tight and thread locked from the factory! Limited space means using a spanner. I used a combination bi-hex ring spanner and 4lbs mini sledge. I held the ring home onto the bolt head and with some preload then tapped on the ring spanner. I also heated the bolt through with an airgun (not a flame as the upright is aluminium). I also shocked it tight a little too. The two closest to the hub came loose just fine. The rear one not so. Totally my fault but a point worth noting. Due to the angle of the lower arm, you end up going in at a slight angle. That and the combination of a bi-hex spanner meant I partially rounded the bolt. I resolved the problem by jacking up under the hub to raise the hub up and changing the angle of the lower arm and producing more room under the bolt. I then got an Irwin 14mm extractor in, used a 22mm open ended spanner on the flats and popped the little treasure out.
- driveshaft: I used an impact gun to fly off the hub nut (32mm). On the last Megane I stripped down the driveshaft popped out with the 4lber. This one wasn't so happy to come off the hub. I gave up on pounding it off as it was starting to turn the thread over on the end even with an aluminium block between the two. The answer was a hub puller. Bolted to the hub you wind the threaded bar to essentially press the driveshaft out. Perhaps it was because it was so cold but mine took some force. Even with sensibly applied heat it stayed put. I had to use a breaker bar on the hub puller. Loaded it up and walked away for a cup of tea. Came back and it had loosened off.
- 24mm bolts: advice is to remove or loosen these at this point. No way. With the upright and hub now removed from both steering ball joint and lower arm ball joint, the only thing holding it in place is the suspension top mounts. I couldn't get it to stay put. Tried the jack under it with some preload but it was slipping away. So I removed the ARB droplink. Removed the brake pipe bracket from the strut by removing the nut on the back of the pinchbolt. Then removed the complete assembly from the car (strut). With the unit in the garage and on the floor I could loosen the 24mm nuts with the impact gun. I couldn't get the gun on in situ.
- the actual swivel bearings: not a lot about these on the web other than the odd pic. I thought it would be useful to show the components.
The upper bearing compromises of two roller bearings in series.
They are held by a shaft which runs through the bottom and is held in place by one of the 24mm bolts at the top.
The shaft itself has an internal hex cut into it to aid in building it back up by allowing you to counter hold it.
The famous lower bearing was so seized on mine that the hub simply wouldn't turn at all. No wonder my inner track joints had worn again in less than six months!
The bearing itself sits in the steel hub and the cage needle bearings should rotate around the steel shaft that is bolted to the bottom of the steel hub.
RS 175 Lux
