RS2 Suspension Overhaul

[teknobod]

Having finally tracked down the knock on the front of the RS2 to a faulty N/S/F shocker, I decided to replace all four corners and opted for the Bilstein Sports units.

However, instead of just replacing the shockers and inspired by a thread on S2forum, I decided to refurbish the units at the same time. I used Rustoleum Satin Black paint, and Combi-Color paint for the springs (Standard RS2 items)

At last, I have got them finished and ready for re-installation (with a little help from a fellow RS2 owner). I think the end result justifies the time and effort!!




Just a few more jobs to sort and I might actually get to drive it!!

Andy

[sonny]

nice one bud looking good there. Any pics of your car would like to see it, been thinking about getting one myself.

cheers

[teknobod]

nice one bud looking good there. Any pics of your car would like to see it, been thinking about getting one myself.

cheers

It's this one-

http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... ic&t=69252

[sonny]

Ahh ok i remember, nice car, I had my eye on this one too. So how are you finding the RS2, do you use it as a daily driver?

[teknobod]

Ahh ok i remember, nice car, I had my eye on this one too. So how are you finding the RS2, do you use it as a daily driver?

Nope, that was never the intention. I wanted one for a weekend toy with occasional use for work in the summer.

I bet I haven't done more than 150 miles since I bought it in October. My mate's driven more miles in it than me when we collected it from Hampshire. Despite the previous owner spending a large amount of money replacing the brakes and other repairs/upgrades, the car has spent most of the time in my garage in various states of disassembly. At least the average annual mileage is coming down while it's on axle stands!!

Since buying the car, the work so far has been:-

Replace resistor pack and heater motor (very worn bearing which may have contributed to the resistor pack failure)
Replaced oil cooler with OE part
New Bilstein Sport suspension all round
Alloy wheels refurbished (Powder coated)
4 new tyres (budget tyres for now due to the other expenditure!)
CAT 1 alarm (only had the standard factory item fitted although it was fitted with a Tracker)
New front indicators
Purchased a spare rear caliper set (to refurb for replacement of the current items which have seen better days)
Replaced leaking rocker cover gasket (the leak turned out to be the result of some previous work where a "mechanic" had overtightened the bolt and stripped a thread in the head. Now repaired by fitting a helicoil and correctly torquing the bolts when the new gasket was fitted)
Repair parts for seat subframes (guides etc)
Loads of new clips/nuts/bolts etc to replace incorrectly fitted parts.


I'm sure there's other things I've missed and there's still more to do before I will be 100% happy with the car, although for a 15 year old scrapper (by the governments reckoning! ) it certainly puts some cars half it's age to shame.

Andy

[Lloyd]

Hi Andy,

How much was the blower motor?

Mine still works OK but has a squeaky bearing on turning left when driving! It is possible to remove the rubber/plastic cap over the bearing and squirt some GT85 etc in there but trouble is it doesn't go right in as its fighting gravity.

Hence thinking about a new one....

How easy was it to fit?

Thanks

[sonny]

Nice top see your restoring this car back to its rightful glory Andy, will look forward to seeing some pictures, I bet its a good feeling to be bringing this car "back to life" so to speak.

[teknobod]

Hi Andy,

How much was the blower motor?

Mine still works OK but has a squeaky bearing on turning left when driving! It is possible to remove the rubber/plastic cap over the bearing and squirt some GT85 etc in there but trouble is it doesn't go right in as its fighting gravity.

Hence thinking about a new one....

How easy was it to fit?

Thanks

Unfortunately not Lloyd.

Just to lubricate the bearing you need to remove the fan because the bearing is under the rotor basket, but to be honest, I bet you will find that the phosphor/bronze bush has worn and the aperture elongated.

I actually bought the fan and resisitor pack from a member on S2forum who was breaking a car.

Disassembly is an absolute PITA, because there is a bar running across the back of the glove box which impedes removal of the fan motor as a complete unit. I ended up having to remove the cover first which left the motor in the housing, then flex the actual plastic rotor basket to get the unit out. The bearing that wears is actually on the basket end of the shaft and by the description of your problem I suspect that yours has worn just like mine.

Fortunately, I work in a hospital department that has a full engineering workshop, so one of my colleagues made a replacement bearing which I fitted to give me a spare unit.

I didn't actually price up a new unit and asked a lot of questions about the condition of the second hand one before parting with my cash. Fortunately, it had very little if any play in the shaft.

I bet its a good feeling to be bringing this car "back to life" so to speak.

Yes and no!
I do enjoy seeing the results of my hard work, but sometimes just wish I could drive it and have some fun..
I thought I had bought a car that wouldn't require all this attention (especially considering the massive file of receipts and bills that came with it), but at the end of the day it is a 15 year old car.

I'm just glad I don't have to pay someone else to do all the work - I'd be even more skint than I am already (and probably divorced!!)

Andy

[trevithick]

Yep I've started on mine (a rolling restoration), knocking front suspension joint and the screaming brakes first, duff speakers second, new front fogs ordered third, fan bearing forth etc etc.
But wouldn't swap it, its' great.
T

[sonny]

Oooo I cant wait to join the club!

However i'm not a mechanic, so prob might be a tad costly for me.

[trevithick]

You don't have to be a mechanic, just good with mechano.
They're simple beasts with simple needs and simple "kick in the back by a giant" power.
You'll never regret it and the repair costs will never equal the depreciation costs of the RS4, in fact the RS2 may equal itself out at present (look at the price of a Mk1 Lotus Cortina as an example and they aren't as rare).
You know you want to!!
T

[teknobod]

I'm no mechanic either Sonny, but an Electronic engineer by trade.

I used to help my dad service and repair our cars (he's a sparky ) and knowing a few handy guys from my days in car audio/security, you soon pick up enough knowledge to have a go yourself. The satisfaction of knowing you've done some of the work yourself is tremendous. (And you know it's been done properly!! )

Plus there's a wealth of knowledge on the forums and members are always willing to share their experience and advise.

Andy

[sonny]

Cheers for the advice fellas, Get some pics up Andy , would like to see your car at its current state, im interested.