Clio Big Steve's RB Clio 182 Cup Restoration

[Big Steve - Raider]

Finally won the battle with the front slam panel..




Meanwhile, the fecking rust continues to not disappear...

Every-time I get under the car I see the snippet of a bit of brown... a quick scrape, uncovers something like this!!

When will it end!!!??

Thanks for reading

 

[Chris Smith]

Slam panel came out really well Steve

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Slam panel came out really well Steve

Thanks @Chris Smith, it’s FAR from perfect, but if it looks when the cars together, it’ll get replaced.

 

[davemaygtt]

What paint do you use Steve?

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

What paint do you use Steve?

A tin of ready mixed J45 paint code paint from Paints4U

 

[davemaygtt]

Looks good mate!

 

[DaveL485]

Slam panel came out really well Steve

The oranges called, they want their peel back

 

[DaveL485]

When will it end!!!??

It doesn't.

At least yours is surface rust, every time I touch something like that I end up with a hole!

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

The oranges called, they want their peel back

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Finished off the under-sealing today... until I find the next bit of rust!
Front Nearside Arch:



Front Offside arch:


And I also did the bits at the back of the car, but didn't take any pictures.

Next thing was to finally secure the front heatshield, and Pre-Cat Lambda Sensor:


I then put the petrol tank back in, and installed the fuel feed and return lines:



The next PLAN was to put the rear axle on.. I got it out and loaded it onto my dolly, ready to install and put the first mounting plate on... this is where it all went to

I'd got the axle stripped and powder-coated and a pair of OE rear bushes installed. However when I inserted the mounting bolt... I noticed it was flapping around like a c*ck in a sock...:


I wondered what the hell had gone wrong... and had a closer look? Everything looked OK, so I then dug out the original bush that I'd stripped out of the axle for comparison...

Sure enough, Renault have screwed me here somehow!!! The original bush is a 10mm clearance hole, all the way through the bush to accept the 10mm bolt. Whereas the new bush has a 10mm hole for a section only about 15mm long, and then opens up to circa 14mm!! WTF?! I'm not sure if the OE Renault bush is defective here... or my local dealership gave me the wrong part?? I checked the part number on the bush, and it looks OK so I'm a little in the dark!? Now I wish I just went for the Poly-Urethane bush like everyone else does... Problem is now the OE bushes are pressed in, and I can't very easily get them changed now due to the COVID-19 Lockdown... so I came up with another idea:

I quickly got the digital vernier caliper out, and measured what was missing... I then got hold of THIS CHAP on eBay and asked him if he could make me a couple of bushes in mild steel... Within 10 minutes we'd agreed a price, and he's going to make them for me tomorrow! Chuffed to bits that he was so quick in responding, and can help me out so quickly also... Lets hope my measurements are correct...?! Will let you know how that goes!

Thanks for reading

 

[gordini stu]

Bet you were well pissed off , nice fix though. Did Renault modify this with a shouldered bolt . Poked my head under mine and it looks like a m12 bolt not m10 . I know you would of researched this so mines probably been changed/ adapted.
It’s coming on a treat .

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Bet you were well pissed off , nice fix though. Did Renault modify this with a shouldered bolt . Poked my head under mine and it looks like a m12 bolt not m10 . I know you would of researched this so mines probably been changed/ adapted.
It’s coming on a treat .

Hmmm... That's not a bad idea sir... Didn't think of that?? Drill out the mounting and bush and replace with an M14 bolt...? Would certainly be a bit of an overkill, but could work well?? Going to look at this option, if my bush idea doesn't work!

The OE bolt is an M10

 

[gordini stu]

Found this m16 bolt turned down to m12 thread not long enough I know but you get idea

 

[DaveL485]

Did Renault modify this with a shouldered bolt

Must be - how strange!

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Must be - how strange!

Well that’s what you would think... but when I check Dialogys it says it’s an M10 bolt.

if they changed it to a shouldered bolt, then you would have to drill out one side of the bracket also..!?

It’s a bloody weird one that’s for sure!! I’ll check with my local parts guy when he’s back at work.

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Custom Bushes arrived SUPER FAST from the eBay chap:



Absolutely chuffed to bits that this has worked!! If any of you need a pair of the bushes in the future, HERE IS A LINK TO THE eBAY AUCTION

Now this weekend I should be able to get the complete rear axle assembly together.

Thank you for sharing my delight!!

 

[gordini stu]

Great result . Are you going to grease it when assembling ? I can’t decide if it’s going to pivot on it or it’s held dead tight .

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Great result . Are you going to grease it when assembling ? I can’t decide if it’s going to pivot on it or it’s held dead tight .

Great shout @gordini stu ! I'll give it a smear of grease as I put it back together..

It's not a firm fit in the bush, so I imagine it will all be rotating around the bolt.

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Got the rear axle back onto the Clio today, together with the Bilstein rear Shocks and Springs:




Thanks for reading

 

[Adey]

Looking better than new, can you do me a favour please steve, measure between the hole centers on the stub axle mounting please. between the 4 bolts.