Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

Hi Justin, welcome, from me in Oztraya:d(don't mention the ashes)

The Rx4 does have a parcel shelf. It is removable so likely the previous owner left it out. I'd say, easy to get one from the breakers. The shelf fits at 2 levels too.

One word of advice from a long time owner would be to give the car a full fluid and filter change ASAP too. Diff oil, gearbox oil and coolant as well as engine oil, if it hasn't been done. I am running Lucas oil stabiliser in the diff of mine and Penrite gearbox N70 in the g-box. I have mine on 50,000km box/diff fluid changes as they have been known to be sensitive in the g/b area. More often than not, the LHS driveshaft seal leaks at the box end, hence emptying the box and killing it.

Mine has been reliable for me with no major hassle over 5 years and about 80,000km.
I think your wife will love it more over time too. I dislike travelling in 'cars' after driving mine as it's got a great view of the world from where it sits.

Always willing to offer any help I can, albeit from afar.

Chris

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

Hello jmx6 and welcome to the forum

You might find the parcel shelf from a 2wd Scenic might fit? Though not sure as I belive your rear door is different? as there more of them about so easier to source?

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

Welcome to the forum

I'm sure it wont, the shape of the door on the RX4 is very different to the normal Scenic.
The RX4 shelf also has a mesh screen that pulls up and clips to the roof, works well as an anti glare

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

I too have just bought an RX4, a DCi 2001.
The problem I am hoping to get help with, is that I feel some high pitch vibrations when I reach 50 mph.
It's too high frequency to be a result of imbalanced tyres, I think.
The vibrations are independent of what gear I'm in or if the clutch is pressed. It only reponds to the speed of the car.

Could it be the driveshaft? The bearings of the wheels?

I'm grateful for any and all help!

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

It could well be the propshaft bearing, it's a common fault

Do a forum search for RX4 propshaft and you should find the thread you are looking for

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

We've not had ours long enough to develop any faults, and as it is a fairly low mileage example I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't as I want to devote my time when the weather improves to getting my Mazda MX6 back on the road.

I have seen about the propshaft, and also that problems here seem more common with the diesel, probably due to the extra torque produced by the engine.

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

Sorry to say that the bearings went on my 2.0 RX4 at about 50,000 miles

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

Sorry to say that the bearings went on my 2.0 RX4 at about 50,000 miles

Which bearings Pat?
It's usually the centre coupling(rubber donut) that goes in the Rx4 tailshaft.
Replaced the donut in mine about 3 years ago now.
AT the small cost I'd do it again if the car is still servicable.

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

Rear propshaft bearing seems to be quite a common failure....that was certainly the cause of the rumbling on my car.

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

OK, I feel i need to get clarity on a few details

The bearings you speak of, these are the normal ball bearings that are located along the propshaft, as in this image?

Or is it the rubber disc at the very end of the propshaft? I have heard this rubber disc is the cause of noise and vibrations in most cases:

I have found these parts available as spares, aswell as an entire new propshaft. Just curiopus where the fault lied in your case?

 

Re: Just got a Scenic RX4

Both are common failures unfortunately,although in your case it sounds like it's the bearing thats fubar'd.It would be worth checking the rear donut though whilst the shaft is off.

Have a look at this thread,there are a few others on the forum if you serch for 'RX4 Propshaft' as well.....

http://www.renaultforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24715&highlight=rx4+propshaft

 

Can't remember if you have checked the rubber coupling and am dodging the rain here today removing some trees that came down in a storm recently, so haven't re-read to get all the details right.
The rubber coupling can be checked visually and by trying to rotate the shaft by hand. If you can see the bolts moving in the rubber housing shown in the photo, it's buggered. If it is firm, then likely the bearing is stuffed.
Dave Mac propshafts do a replacement reco shaft for the Scenic. He lists on eBay for the coupling. I emailled him for info.

 

OK, today I hoisted the vehicle up at a local DYI-place just to inspect it underneath.

The propshaft seems completely intact, including the bearings and the rubber coupling. I noticed I could twist the shaft a few degrees in either direction before it stopped turning, it wasn't rock solid when it came to twisting it by hand. That would be considered normal, no?

What I noticed was that the flywheels on either sde of the rubber coupling had broken rubber on the inside against the shaft. I could twist the flywheels quite freely, aswell as bend them backwards and forwards. I feel confident that these flywheels are what causes the vibrations, as when the propshaft reaches a certain RPM, the centrifugal force slams the flywheels to one side, and the shaft becomes unbalanced.

I read about some guy who had filled the distances between the shaft and the flywheels completely with bathroom silicon. I guess that'ss be my first choice too.

If it doesn't work, I will remove te flywheels completely, replacing the rubber coupling with a heavy duty one from Dave Mack. It is supposed to works fine on it's own without the flywheels.

To be continued ...

 

OK, today I hoisted the vehicle up at a local DYI-place just to inspect it underneath.

The propshaft seems completely intact, including the bearings and the rubber coupling. I noticed I could twist the shaft a few degrees in either direction before it stopped turning, it wasn't rock solid when it came to twisting it by hand. That would be considered normal, no?

What I noticed was that the flywheels on either sde of the rubber coupling had broken rubber on the inside against the shaft. I could twist the flywheels quite freely, aswell as bend them backwards and forwards. I feel confident that these flywheels are what causes the vibrations, as when the propshaft reaches a certain RPM, the centrifugal force slams the flywheels to one side, and the shaft becomes unbalanced.

I read about some guy who had filled the distances between the shaft and the flywheels completely with bathroom silicon. I guess that'ss be my first choice too.

If it doesn't work, I will remove te flywheels completely, replacing the rubber coupling with a heavy duty one from Dave Mack. It is supposed to works fine on it's own without the flywheels.

To be continued ...

The slight shaft movement is in built and won't effect any vibration on running.

What are you meaning by flywheels on either side of the shaft??

Are you saying the coupling is flogged out?

 

No. The coupling, showed here:

is intact.
The two vibration dampers (aka flywheels), the frontmost of which this gentleman is holding with his thumb and index finger, as such ...

... has come lose, and is rattling when the propshaft is rotating at high RPM's.

 

One of our members fixed the damper on his trekka with silicone sealant......dont know how long it lasted tho

 

Silicone to fasten the dampers is what I'm going to try first. The new stronger rubber coupling is on it's way though, so eventually the dampers will come off and I will run the car without them.

 

wash all the grime out of it first and flush it out with something like isopropanol alcohol before you apply the silicone

 

That's the viscous coupling if I am right. I don't think it'd be good mucking with it.

Know a fellow in SOuth Africa who's v/c died and locked the rear diff when he used different tyres front/rear.
just tread cautiously.

 

My last post in this thread. From the horse's mouth:

The vibration dampers are steel rings, like a flywheel. However they are not securely fixed to the rotating propshaft. They sit on a rubber cushion which means that their mass (inertia) damps or actually absorbs some of the peaks and troughs in the rotation of the item(props). When the rubber becomes worn they are no longer held correctly in the centre of rotation and so become very heavy bob-weights causing severe vibrations.


When you remove the propshaft bolts and remove the propshaft and rubber coupling, you will find that both the front and rear damper, as in your photo, are secured with 3 (each) top hat type bushes.
Just tap these loose with a chisel or screwdriver (eye protection should be worn). The dampers will come away from the prop/diff respectively.
Remove the 3 bushes from the dampers and re-use these (i.e. replace them from where they came in the diff/prop WITHOUT the damper). These then act a spacers taking up the space where the damper
was.

 

Good reply from DMac.

If I offended by my comments, sorry but you need thicker skin.

I was only lamenting what I'd been told first hand. I hadn't heard of or even thought you would be able to do much with those.

Will keep an eye on the ones in my Rx4 too.

Your post helped me at least.

Let us know what it's like without the dampers please.

 

I will post the results. It shouldn't be much of a problem, Dave Mac has apparently serviced dozens of propshafts this way.
Sorry, but it was like 3AM when I posted that. I had had correspondence with Dave Mac as well as a few other message boards on this matter, writing the same stuff over and over.
English is not my first language either, just wanted to get those details cleared out and done with

 

OK, here we go!

I just picked up my RX4 after my mechanic had removed the vibration dampers and put in the new stronger rubber coupling.

The vibrations are gone! Like night and day!

There are some residual vibrations at 80 km/h to be specific, I bet it's because the former owner drove MANY miles with the propshaft vibrating. Perhaps it is slightly tweaked ...

But nevertheless, tremendous difference!

 

That's a great result. Mine was the same after I replaced the rubber coupling.