Front suspension spring snapped?!

[Moose]

Hows my luck
I've just bought my first 206cc and brought it home and parked it on the drive awaiting the start of the month to tax and insure it
I started it and moved it back about two foot and horrible loud metallic crunching noise

Looked at the front passenger side and the tyre is pretty much on the wheelarch

I'm assuming that the front spring has snapped!

The funny thing is ( or not!) is the exact thing happened on my 406 estate doing the same reversing out of a carpark a couple of months ago only moving a couple of feet!!

Is it the same on the cc that the bearing seizes and the spring tensions up and gives up?

Thanks in advance

Moose

[Capncol]

That's one cause, but they also snap with the bearing OK. Must be the potholed roads we have now. I'm always changing springs. Did two last week. One on a Skoda, and one on a Renault Modus (now they are a pig to do)

[Moose]

New spring now sorted happy days

[gazza82]

Did you change both? I think it's advisable to as you would with shocks. The new spring is going to have a different rate to the old worn one plus the older one may suffer the same fate ie snap!

[Moose]

Thats what i did on my late 406 but my mechanic said the other one was ok
But like you say i'd have prefered to change both and will get it done when it goes in for a service just to make sure!

[GrandadMonkey]

I replaced just one rear spring on my Golf estate when one broke. The car handled ok still but when parked looked as if it was leaning. The ride height was a good inch lower on the side of the older spring. I replaced the older spring a few weeks later which levelled it up again.

If the ride height on your car is the same both sides I'd leave it if it still handles ok.

[Moose]

Thanks i'll take a proper look at it when the bank holiday weather gives is a break for 5 minutes!!

[leegsi]

Should always be done in pairs.

Having an old spring and a new spring will give you an unbalanced car during braking.

The old spring will now be softer than the new one even if the height is the same.

After seeing a video of it many years ago I would never replace just one spring.

[Capncol]

That is best practice leegsi, but for someone who only ever potters around town and doesn't want to pay for both, I will change just one, but I always explain why they should be changed as a pair

[Moose]

This will make you all laugh
I took my vw t4 camper in for an mot and service this week
And guess what

Rear off side spring snapped in two places !! That 3 in three months maybe i'll try the lotto this weekend

[Capncol]

Just changed rear springs on Merc C220 broken in 3 places ( along with non existant handbrake shoes and corroded backplates)

[tenpole]

I only change one leaf spring on the L200 which had cracked. Oddly according to my inclinometer it sits more level than it used to.