Chassis Bolts Need Tightening
Chassis Bolts Need Tightening
Hello,
New to this group - actually, new to rotary. I recently bought a 1984 RX7 GSL-SE in the USA. It's in really good shape, with 100,000 miles. It's got bad shocks/stuts, and I think that might have contributed to my problem. There's some bad squeaking going on in the ride, and sounds like it's behind the right seat. I'm thinking it's a body bolt, but before I start tearing about interior panels, I was seeing if anyone else could contribute some knowledge on possible location, and/or other possible causes. Thanks
New to this group - actually, new to rotary. I recently bought a 1984 RX7 GSL-SE in the USA. It's in really good shape, with 100,000 miles. It's got bad shocks/stuts, and I think that might have contributed to my problem. There's some bad squeaking going on in the ride, and sounds like it's behind the right seat. I'm thinking it's a body bolt, but before I start tearing about interior panels, I was seeing if anyone else could contribute some knowledge on possible location, and/or other possible causes. Thanks
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Re: Chassis Bolts Need Tightening
Hello K4?,
Welcome to the Forum. We would love to see some pictures of your car. you don't mention where you are from, but judging by your model I guess it must be North America?
Your noise sounds like it could be the rear shock bushes worn or the rear sway bar drop links or bushes (or 1 of the many other rear suspension bushes) , always very difficult to diagnose from afar, best to get underneath and investigate, both jobs are easy to fix & worth doing anyway because of age of vehicle before starting on some of the harder ones,
regards Pete
Welcome to the Forum. We would love to see some pictures of your car. you don't mention where you are from, but judging by your model I guess it must be North America?
Your noise sounds like it could be the rear shock bushes worn or the rear sway bar drop links or bushes (or 1 of the many other rear suspension bushes) , always very difficult to diagnose from afar, best to get underneath and investigate, both jobs are easy to fix & worth doing anyway because of age of vehicle before starting on some of the harder ones,
regards Pete
RX7 FB S3 - RX7 FC TII Vert
Rotaries Previously Owned:-
2 x NSU Ro 80s - 2 x S2 RX7s - Suzuki RE 5 - DKW(Hercules) W2000 - Norton (Krauser) Commander
Rotaries Previously Owned:-
2 x NSU Ro 80s - 2 x S2 RX7s - Suzuki RE 5 - DKW(Hercules) W2000 - Norton (Krauser) Commander
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- RX7fb LEGEND
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Re: Chassis Bolts Need Tightening
My guess is that it's the common problem on FB RX7's. Just about all have had to be repaired at some time or another.
The rear axle ties to the chassis via top and bottom tie bars.
There has always been a design fault on the top tie bar reinforcing plates in the back wheel arch and flexing on the body relative to the axle cracks the protective paint coat. Then if you're in a bad winter area like UK the salt/moisture gets in and rots out the chassis at that point.
If that's it it and unless it's spread further then the fix is quite easy for a professional resto shop. But it's best if the owner takes the rear interior out to save costs (there's hot work welding required to fix).
Have a look behind the rear seat / inside the rear arches and let us know.
Hope that helps
Codge (Dave)
The rear axle ties to the chassis via top and bottom tie bars.
There has always been a design fault on the top tie bar reinforcing plates in the back wheel arch and flexing on the body relative to the axle cracks the protective paint coat. Then if you're in a bad winter area like UK the salt/moisture gets in and rots out the chassis at that point.
If that's it it and unless it's spread further then the fix is quite easy for a professional resto shop. But it's best if the owner takes the rear interior out to save costs (there's hot work welding required to fix).
Have a look behind the rear seat / inside the rear arches and let us know.
Hope that helps
Codge (Dave)
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Re: Chassis Bolts Need Tightening
soak all your rear suspension bushes with WD40, especially the bushes in the radius arms which fix to the body behind the seats and see if the squeaking diminishes... if it does, you need to rebush the rear suspension.
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- spirit r
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Re: Chassis Bolts Need Tightening
WD 40 or oil destroy the rubber in long duration. That's happen to my bushings as i sprayed the undersurface with a mixing out of motoroil and ballistol in the 90ties.k4adams wrote:The bushingbs was my problem -- I sprayed w/ WD40 and it shut the squeak up -- not to change out once warm weather comes -- thanks again for the advice and help
Better taking teflonspray.
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Re: Chassis Bolts Need Tightening
yes, oil will, WD40 not so much as most of it evaporates although long term use isn't recommended.spirit r wrote:WD 40 or oil destroy the rubber in long duration. That's happen to my bushings as i sprayed the undersurface with a mixing out of motoroil and ballistol in the 90ties.k4adams wrote:The bushingbs was my problem -- I sprayed w/ WD40 and it shut the squeak up -- not to change out once warm weather comes -- thanks again for the advice and help
Better taking teflonspray.
If your bushes are squeaking though then they already need replacing. The rear suspension is meant to be free moving at its pivot points.
As these cars age, the bushes harden and seize onto the suspension components and sleeves.... the sleeves seize onto the mounting bolts and then the only movement you get is from the flex in the rubber bush which itself is reduced due to them becoming hard and brittle.
This has a huge impact on the ride and handling of the car.
Fit a set of these...
http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/storemade003
and they will transform your handling and ride. I've used them on 2 different 1st gens and they are awesome..... there's loads of info on this forum about them.
1986 Series 3 Elford Turbo
http://rx7fb.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2400
New custodian of 'Gus', K plate series 3
1992 Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI
1975 Honda SL125 Street Scrambler
http://rx7fb.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2400
New custodian of 'Gus', K plate series 3
1992 Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI
1975 Honda SL125 Street Scrambler
- Hobbawobba
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Re: Chassis Bolts Need Tightening
The bushes Ian mentioned above are awesome. I've only installed them in the rear end so far. The way I describe it - is that it makes the car feel more together (if that makes sense?
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