Complete rear axle removal

All surface rust is fully removed then the axle has been coated with two layer of primer today. Axle truss won't be added at this time as I'm running low on shield gas for my welder. It's more difficult than ever to get some stuff I need, like paint, brake cleaner etc. Will see how this project goes in the next few weeks under this lock down.

Look what I've found when I pulled the oil seal of my rear axle!


The garage did not bother removing the old seal! Just left in place and hammered a new one on top of the old one!

They should erect fence posts for living instead of bodging on cars on their daily basis!

I'm socked and hoping my axle is not damaged...

I am concerned about the future of my car. I will either set it on fire or just push it into a river...
Looks like the double seal installation shown here previously has killed my rear axle housing.
Whilst the beam axle was stripped and painted I did replace the old oil seal. Old wheel bearing looked fine so I left it on. Shortly after the first test drive (less than 100km) the new seal had failed again. I thought that was likely due to the old wheel bearing which I left on the axle.
So I replaced the failed (new) seal, together with the (old) bearing and retainer ring as well (posted on this forum). The short lifespan of new seal was a bit suspicious, but it could be just poor timing of one of those things..

And The Day has come yesterday, for my annual trip to Hungary. I was planning to go off-roading and spend a month there.
It was 11pm, I was driving to the ferry when I felt it's worth to have a look and check.
Booom! The damn failure has occured again! Luckily I was just 40miles away from home. Had to turn back then canceled the trip. Took a photo this morning.

At this point I think the only solution is float axle conversion. The front wheel bearing and oil seal is not prone to fail as far as I known.

Sad that your planned trip has ended so early

Its worth trying a new seal on there, but I do agree with your suggestion that floating rears are the best answer to the problem. Mine have been superb since fitting

Cheers Riccy. If you don't mind asking, how did you contact Andrey the russian aka g r e e n ?

I've just found him on facebook 5 minutes ago and sent him a message. Fingers crossed he'll be able to sort out my proplem for good.

Youve beaten me too it, yes Andrey Kim on Facebook/messenger is how I've been talking to him. Very helpful bloke. He's made some videos about the hub setup that are helpful too.

As you already have renault calipers I would stick with them but just get some VW Golf caliper carriers like I did. You also need the front hub assembly from the spindle outwards and some generic front ABS sensors.

Hi Riccy

I've also found and contacted him on Instagram and sent an email as well so eventually I could get hold of him a few hrs later Unfortunately, currently the kit is not in stock and he's unable to send anything abroad because the international postal services are suspended in Russia due to Covid-19.
And just to make everything a fair bit more complicated and miserable, I have lost my key for the locking wheel nuts....
Possible after I torqued the wheelnuts I forgot to take the key off and went for a test drive.
I think, I will just SORN the car for now until the kit is back in stock and will deal this problem later.
Tomorrow I will leave the UK for a short month (going on holiday with my Toyota Avensis instead of the Suzuki Jimny) and come back on 1st Sepember. Hopefully I will have a bit more enthusiasm than now and get the car back on road again.

Forgot to ask: where did you find those videos? Youtube?
Can I fit the JB caliper carriers which is already part of the existing disk conversion kit?

Sounds like a good plan, at least you still get a holiday too

The videos are on youtube, but he sent me some links on messenger. Dont think Ive got them still as it was fairly self explanatory once you saw it all.

Re caliper carriers. His kit is inteded to use the golf carrier and caliper. The holes are the correct size in Andrey's plate for the golf carriers 10mm bolts, but too small for the beefier renault bolts. They could be drilled larger perhaps? I dont know about the offset of the carrier either so maybe best to stick with the golf carriers and renault calipers. If I still had the renault carriers I would have measured up to see. The both use the same pads so suspect there isnt much difference.