[pupp777]

with impeccable timing as the MOT is about a fortnight away, my goona has (I suspect) taken it on itself to break a spring. Was sat outside fixing my pushbike (how apt), when there was a loud metallic bang and the front right of the car had visibly dropped an inch or so. Yet to investigate properly but suspect the bottom turn or so will have sheared off the front spring that side...if so, and I can retrieve it and the remainder seems located ok-ish, safe to drive to a garage or is it a recovery job (or home repair)?

 

[Lagdti]

I really wouldn't drive it anywhere,the springs have a nasty habit of coming past the lower spring pan and digging into the tyre.

If you're confident to have a go you could remove the strut and take it to a local garage to have the spring changed,or you will need to have the car recovered.I really,really wouldn't consider driving it I'm afraid.

 

[Azurael]

I drove a Lag 1 with a broken spring for about 6 months before the garage noticed it during an oil change... But I didn't know, and I was lucky. Better safe than sorry!

Don't know about the Lag ii but changing it was a pretty easy job once I got a spring compressor

 

[Lagdti]

On the Lag 1 the springs stay inside of the pans when they break,on the Lag 2 they usually come past them as they have smaller 'pig-tail' ends on them and a small lower pan.

 

[gowmonster]

when mine broke, the big bit that was left scraped on the chassis leg, and was generally dangerous, I'd advise not to drive it.

check for damage and put some rust treatment or sealent on any damaged area.

 

[notanissan]

What a coincidence.
I just joined the forum about 2 hours ago, went to the garage, heard a clang and found a part of a coil spring sitting under the car.
Mine is a Clio though so maybe Im hijacking the thread although I doubt that there is much difference in changing the springs between the two motors.
Where would you suggest I get a spring from?
Im wondering if springs from Renault would be so expensive as to go to a breakers?

 

[Paul Dengel]

I recently had a broken front spring on my Lag, caused almost certainly as a result of a big pothole. As a result it had cut all around the inside of the tyre, luckily the spring broke outside my house at low speed.

I had the car recovered by the AA and had all new front Springs, shocks and tyres fitted. A costly job, but my feeling about these things is that it is best to change both sides at the same time rather than have a new firm spring on one side and an old soft spring on the other causing incosistant handling.

Get it to a garage and use new parts, after your tyres your suspension is what keeps you safe on the road, areas I would never scrimp on.

 

[davesss]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sour...0CEsQrQQ&biw=1419&bih=650&fp=c08e8bb33178943d

 

[notanissan]

That is fantastic.
Good old Eurocarparts.
Thanks for that.
I will order them tomorrow.

 

[dirtyleeds]

What a coincidence.
I just joined the forum about 2 hours ago, went to the garage, heard a clang and found a part of a coil spring sitting under the car.
Mine is a Clio though so maybe Im hijacking the thread although I doubt that there is much difference in changing the springs between the two motors.
Where would you suggest I get a spring from?
Im wondering if springs from Renault would be so expensive as to go to a breakers?

bought a pair of laguna springs and shocks from eeeeebay for £120 - fitting should be straightforward - bet it's not

 

[notanissan]

Just put the first one on.
Two bolts that hold the shock to the hub have an 18mm nut on them and are really tight.
I have an electric impact gun and managed to bang its 17mm socket on them and gunned the nut off.
Getting the spring back on the shock was a bit fiddly.
Had to squash the spring right down with 2 spring compressors, could have done with 3 lol.
Hope i goes ok.

 

[Azurael]

Just put the first one on.
Two bolts that hold the shock to the hub have an 18mm nut on them and are really tight.
I have an electric impact gun and managed to bang its 17mm socket on them and gunned the nut off.
Getting the spring back on the shock was a bit fiddly.
Had to squash the spring right down with 2 spring compressors, could have done with 3 lol.
Hope i goes ok.

I seem to remember having to use a blowtorch to undo the bolts holding the shock to the hub carrier on the Lag 1... Would have been easier if I'd had an impact driver!

 

[pupp777]

Spent the afternoon fixing the shed... spring had sheared about 3 inches from bottom end and then again 3 inches further up still, ie two broken lengths were retrieved. The very botton break was clearly an 'old' fracture that had finally given up completely (judging by the discolouring on the break; the one further up was clean all the way through, so I am guessing the first one went, the car dropped and the shock/load did for the second. The spring was completely out of its seat and the raggy end was against the wheel/tyre back so was no chance of driving. The springs on this car are sort of beehive profile, with the middles wound way fatter than the turns either end.

For once, an easy enough job to replace even if the spring compressors made me wince a tad as they needed pulling right up to get the strut back together. Hardest bit was getting the bloody placcie cover off the inner wing/top mount.

So (117k miles and counting), next month's failure will be....