For a while now my R26 has not been handling as it used to. The steering felt like it was slightly lose,with a vague vibration through the steering wheel, when cornering. Car was also understeering,which it has never done ,unless you were traveling at silly speed on the road. It was also leaning far to much in the corners. So taking advantage of the `Mr Auto` offer on here,i ordered the lower and upper drop links. Didnt take long to turn up,seeing as they come from france. Looking at them,the lower links were identical to the original renault part,but to my surprise the upper,larger link was far more robustly made, with a far bigger knuckle and shaft. Length was identical though,and fitted perfect. These parts are made by the same company Renault use,so it really is a massive saving on genuine Renault. Upper links is a 5 minute job,but the lower links are bastards,as you have to hold the central shaft with a socket,while undoing,and not only were they ridiculous tight to undo,the lower nut is stupidly placed,so really hard to get a spanner on it. Thr new links were very stiff to move the knuckle around,where the ones i removed,the knuckles,while still intact,flopped around with no resistance. When fitted i immediately noticed a marked reduction in roll,so a result there. While under the car,i had a good look at all other bushes. My car only has 40k on it,but is still 10 years old. But all the rubber parts still look like new. So next up was to change the steering bush and geometry realignment after. My Renault tech mate did the work,and said even though i had never hit the wheels hard,the geometry was way out. So a test drive,and the car is back to rude health,sharp turn in,and far tighter,sharp steering like it used to be! Understeer is gone,but you do find yourself correcting the steering as my brain needs time to re-adjust to the new instant turn-in.just goes to show what you get used to. So back to a fine handling car,as it should, for nominal cost...happy again..for now!
This is good news, i'll be doing the same to mine soon hopefully. I find mine pulls around quite a bit on rough / cambered roads. Hoping new lower arm bushes and steering links will sort it!
they seem to have a different offer happening quite often,so it just depends what they are doing week to week. This is the sticky thread,and relevant codes you will require to order. http://rsmegane.com/threads/oem-equivalent-suspension-and-steering-components-links-inside.3877/ I think the geometry set up was the biggest culprit with the steering bush. I can now put down all 290lb/ft with no torque steer..astonishing really, after how it was before, grabbing at cambers.
Excellent glad it's back to its best. Got my rack bush, inner tie rods, track rods, drop/twist links to fit. Just hard to know where to stop as I keep going down the road of ...as I'm changing that, should I change the lower arm bushes, should I fit new shocks...if I get new shocks should I get springs...will cheaper Eibach Pro lowering springs make my car not go over local speed bumps....etc. etc. and it starts to get pretty expensive, when the only thing I definitely have to do is fit new inner tie rods due to minor play on the passenger side flagged at the last MOT. .....if I do the front should I do the rear too!!!!! .....I'll have a completely new car at this rate!
i was thinking exactly the same..and nearly traded the car in. when i looked underneath,all bushes look like new with no perishing,so that was a good sign. My geometry was a country mile out,which was probably the major culprit. Not much point in having a car like a R26 if it doesnt handle..not as if it has much else going for it!
