Rear axle

[Modmytop]

2003, 2.0HDi MSpace, 175k miles. N cat write off for damaged bumper, but thats another story.!
Negative camber. Squeaking etc.
Rear axle shot I assume.
Thinking about going to abaxles in somerset for recon axle. 200+ quid for axle plus fitting for £100. 
Has any one used them?
Good bad experience?

[Gadgetman]

That sounds rather cheap.
You may be able to get a refurb for that price, but...

You also need new hubs (can't remove the races of the old bearings from the spindles without damaging them, and they're not sold separately).
Also, I'd expect that yuo want to swap the rear rubber mounts and probably the shocks at the same time.
There's also the possibility that the brakes have... issues...
So don't be surprised if the price ends up £100 - £150 higher.

No experience with them as I'm in Norway

[Modmytop]

Price for fitting is £100. Reburbished axle about £240. Plus me driving abount 160 miles round trip to have it fitted.

I have no experience with rear wheel bearings, apart from youtube videos. Most seem to say you knacker the bearing when you take it off. Hence Why I was wondering what experience people had with abaxles. If they take bearing off and refit, presumably they know how to do it without needing new bearing?

If I did it myself I would worry about axle mounts as Gagetman mentions and seized bolts etc.

The recommended fix for shot rear trailing arm bearings is refurbished axle (according to this and other forums).
Hence why I am considering the fitting service of abaxles.

Someone must have used them. Perhaps I could get a reduced price if I did a review for this forum?!

[cancunia]

I replied to your other post before reading this one, maybe the shunt that you had did more damage than was first thought? There are other axle companies that will do the work for you, prices in the region of £500 seem about normal. As you have a CAT N car, the cheapest option for a short term fix may be the best unless you're now gooing to keep it for a couple of years?

[brodfather11]

Do you need new hubs ?

the whole suspension arm should come off without disturbing the hub bearings

[ffrenchie]

If they do any number of axle swaps they will know all the pitfalls and wrinkles and what they can afford to do them for so the price should not vary too much. Worst problem I read of is when the captive nuts don't release and the boot floor has to be cut to get at them but if they know where to look they are ahead of the game there. The hubs and back-plates are removed so the brakes are undisturbed in most cases and don't need bleeding which can be a long job.

[Gadgetman]

Do you need new hubs ?

the whole suspension arm should come off without disturbing the hub bearings

If they do a complete axle assembly swap, then yes.  

The races(the bit the bearing balls runs against) that sits innermost on the spindle has a very thin edge that barely pokes above the section of spindle it rests against, so there's nothing to apply force to without damaging the edge of it.   

They could supply the axle assembly with hubs, but there's several different versions, so all refurb units I've seen are sold without hubs. 
(At least one for those without ABS, and two for those with ABS . I think the difference on the ABS versions is the number of teeth on the disc)

As for the brakes... They're drums, right?   
You never know how bad they are until the drum comes off...    
And since those parts are cheap, it doesn't hurt to swap them at the same time. 

The rear rubber mounts. 
(Rubber block with a hole in the middle to fasten it to the car body, and a metal frame on the outside with bolts to fasten it to the axle assembly)   
On my car these had expired completely. The rubber had broken free of the metal frame around it, so the rear of the axle assembly would pivot down if the rear of the car got any 'airtime' over a bump. 
Most people won't even notice it when swapping wheels because they usually use a single jack and only lift one corner at a time. 

The front rubbers I believe are part of the refurb. 

It won't hurt to talk to them about these issues beforehand.

[Modmytop]

Thanks for advice guys. Axle was gone way before shunt. Ill give them a ring.

[Modmytop]

After speaking to the guys at ABAxles I decided I would get a recon axle fitted while on holiday in south west Dorset in early June. About the hub, they said they knock the pin (stub axle?) out. I assume that means they fit same to recon (?). Seemed pretty confident it would be OK. Also it would take them 1 to 2 hours. 

However in the meantime this happened!

Near side torsion bar must have snapped. Low both sides, but lower NS. When raise that side offside recovers to normal height.

[ffrenchie]

Are you in AA or RAC ? Drive it out then phone them and ask for a tow in to the repair place. You could remove the damper on that side and drill a piece of bar to replace it then drive steadily to a place to repair it. We did similar with a car my brother in law had.