Rear Subframes 306 and 205 + ball joint problems

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jimrathbone@gmail.com - 03 Nov 2006 12:50 GMT

Hello,
The rear radial arm bearing on the back of my 306TD have worn, causing
the wheel to rub on the wheel arch. Because of this I'm going to have
to change the bearings (which is a ball ache) or the subframe (doable
but not my idea of fun). What I was wondering is if a 205 subframe is
the same as a 306 subframe, cus I've still got the one from my old 205.
At a quick glance they look similar but I'm unsure about the torsion
bars being the same cus the 306 is heavier. Any thoughts on this would
be very usefull.

Also I've been having fun with the bottom ball joints on the front
suspension. I've replaced them but I've still got play when the wheels
moved in the 3 and 9 O'clock positions. Any idea why? I've already
replaced all the subframe bushes and the subframe mountings are also
fine. could it be the antidrop bar links?

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nigel - 03 Nov 2006 21:24 GMT

>Hello,
>The rear radial arm bearing on the back of my 306TD have worn, causing
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>bars being the same cus the 306 is heavier. Any thoughts on this would
>be very usefull.

Just had a look at the diagrams and the 205 looks different to me, not
least because the 306 has as an antiroll bar. The fixings to the body
look different too. The torsion bars have completely different part
numbers. So I would say no to that.

>Also I've been having fun with the bottom ball joints on the front
>suspension. I've replaced them but I've still got play when the wheels
>moved in the 3 and 9 O'clock positions. Any idea why? I've already
>replaced all the subframe bushes and the subframe mountings are also
>fine. could it be the antidrop bar links?

I would have thought to get play in 3 & 9 o'clock position it would be
track rod ends on the end of the rack.

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jimrathbone@gmail.com - 06 Nov 2006 10:45 GMT

Thanks m8, I'd reached the same conclusion with the subframe, I think
I'm going to sell my current 306 and buy a newer one. I've found sand
under the carpet and rust where you wouldn't expect to find it(
stearing column bracket), which makes me think its been bunked in salt
water at some point in its life. also I've had to replace so many
components like suspension bushes, alternator, PAS pump and the
tensionor that the jobs are never ending.

The ball joint problem ended up being the antiroll bar drop links.

I've had experience of taking torsion bar suspension apart before and
it involved half a day of swinging a sledge hammer, a lot of beautiful
language and the loss of most the skin off my knuckles. Not wanting to
go through that experience again and not having a drive to mess about
changing the subframe on means buying a new car is the best idea. I was
thinking a S reg 306 TD. problem is my current 306 looks sweat in
midnight blue with colour matched trims and nice ally's, finding a
newer version of the same car is going to be hard.

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