Primera 1994, Suspension

Why shouldn't it? The car is 11 years old. Things wear. Rubber deteriorates and splits. Mileage only plays a small part - high miles will cause wear, low miles may cause stiffness/seizure then wear, any mileage on rough roads will wear the suspension. I don't expect my '94 car to pass the MOT every time, in fact I was surprised it did, but then I went round and inspected it before taking it in. An MOT is a basic safety check and you can easily spot most potential failure points - see

example.

If you're that suspicious of garages, do as I do and find an MOT-only centre, who has no interest in failing the car for failure's sake.

In this case, check it out yourself - suspension play is not too difficult to diagnose. Jack the car and attempt to move the wheel in different directions - you will probably feel the movement. Remove the wheel and inspect the top arm and joints - if it's not visually obvious, use a lever to move the top arm.

Even if there is no wear in the arm, if the CV boot is split it's an instant fail anyway and you have no comeback. Universal replacements will fit most cars (except Minis!) and can often be fitted without dismantling, for under a tenner.

And no I don't work for a garage!

Huh? I know things fail, was just asking if this "Excess Play" is a natural phenomenon or not badly diagnosed by a useless MOT person.

So? What does that have to do with it? Parts get replaced, and work again! Sometimes with "Excess Play".

Thank you for pointing the obvious out to me. With exception of the CV Boot and certain hidden things, I try to keep on top of my car as much as possible regarding oil changes, filter changes etc, radiator levels, illumination, rust, brakes, tyres, exhaust, various noises from the suspension etc...

Fortunately Im a bit more knowledgeable about cars than the average guy who goes into get a tyre and says "I dunno what size are on there".

Good idea for next year...

Im only suspicious where, in the case of the suspension arm and the bushes, everything sounds fine and drives great, with the exception of a bit of excess roll when turning left...

Will do thanks for the suggestion.

Oh sure, I saw the CV Boot was split and know that has to be replaced, I wasn't trying to complain about that.

It's just the suspension, because I've heard of instances where the excess play is a natural phenomenon of the car and shouldn't be failed...

Just curious if there was any such thing with the Primera... I've read of a couple of things regarding suspension, but not sure if this was one of them, and I can't find these things anymore.

Cheers Simon

New I'd find those quotes:

For quotes such as this from other newsgroups:

"You have to be a bit wary of having the upper link repaired by a garage as there's supposed to be quite a bit of play in it anyway (7mm). You can feel the play by jacking up the wheel and grasping top and bottom of the wheel at the same time and rocking the wheel. It is normal to get some clunking noises.

There's a Department of Transport Vehicle Inpectorate Special Notice

5/93 to cover this allowable free play for MOT testing, to avoid unnecessary failures."

Cheers Simon

Another quickie if anyone else can help, I've been given two prices from two different garages, "Roughly £50" from one for changing the CV Boot, and £90 from another one, that, while expensive, I do trust them. But they're saying that sometimes the joint seizes up and the shaft has to be removed and stuff...

Hrm.

Any ideas what a decent cost is?

Cheers Simon

snipped

I have a 92 Primera and the previous owner used to take it to the main dealer for everything to be done and kept the receipts that I have now got. In 1997 it was noted on the mot form that both upper links had play, that was at 54806 mls and I don't have a receipt for these being replaced, now at

105000 mls I still get an advisor that the links have play and I mentioned the previous time this was noted to the guy at the garage and he told me that there is a fair bit of play in Primera upper links that could be construed as excess and you have to replace the complete link as you can't rebush them.I don't think they wear much as after 50000 mls they are still an advised item not a fail point. Trevor Smith 1600 Primera P10

Go with the £50 quote and make sure you ask for a fixed written quote before they carry out the work.

Andy

The £50 quote didn't sound too knowledgable of Primera suspensions when I started talking about the upper link/suspension arm. So I doubt they'd be able to give me a fixed written quote when I take my car in at 8am! But I'll ask them to give me a call. Thanks for a great suggestion.

Incidentally, the £90 quote was from the MOT garage, and they were warbling on about being more knowledgeable than the cheaper place, saying that the other place probably havent done a lot of work on Nissan's, and that the CV joint can seize, so the shaft has to be removed.... That's just for changing the boot!

Simon

Are you saying that at 105,000 miles the upper links have never been changed, but you still keep getting advisories on it, even though they're well within the limit?

Oh pleast let that be the case with me.

Im taking my car to another MOT place tomorrow, i'll give them a tenner and get them to only check the suspension according to rules, and if OK, write me a letter to that effect. If they do that, then either way, someone will get in trouble from the MOT people.

Cya Simon

Yup, remember when that came out

You can try, but I doubt they will do this for a tenner!!!

Andy

That's all perfectly understandable, and just the type of thing you want to hear, but shouldn't they say they will charge you the lesser figure if the joint is not seized?

Andy

It cost me £120 for both CV boots to be replaced on a 94 Primera about 4 years ago at a small local MOT garage I have some confidence in. They were good enough to correctly know the source of a front suspension rattle on the same car (drop links) on a 200yd test drive, and fixed that for £38 (in

1998).

Yeah, I got the impression they were indicating they'll have to do this regardless... maybe that without taking it off, it'll seize in the future.

Cya Simon

Just been into a garage to get my CV Boot done. Waiting for call back on that. But asked them if they could take a look at the "failed" suspension.

I told them I was dubious, since the car drives Ok, there's nothing noticable that Im aware of, and Im usually the first one to complain about the slightest twitch or noise. I also pulled out of my pocket the

5/93 special notice from the MOT head, VOSA and showed it to him, explaining that I think it was a bit of a coincidence the car failed on the upper link for excessive play, and oh look, excessive play is normal (upto 6.4 mm)!

He asked me where I got the special notice, I said the internet, and he proceeded to tell me that this notice is from 1993, and they've had to throw out all of their old notices due to the computerised system.

Hrm. Alarm bells started ringing, and I wondered if where I got my car MOT'd were a little incompetent. Anyhow, should have an answer later today.

Cya Simon

Simon Dean ( snipped-for-privacy@simtext.plus.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

"What a coincidence. So's the car."

Just had my boot done.... £40 cheaper than the other place... plus they wouldn't have failed my car on the suspension either... apparently both sides have equal play, but it's not excessive, so if one side passed, the other should have too!

So, time to drum it into the guys who did my MOT!

Cya Simon