J63 suspension bushes

[mhi]

This week my Espace RXE 2.0 (J636) went to the professionals for its MoT (the yearly safety test, for non-UK readers). My helpful garage identified yet another set of bushes in the front suspension which needed replacement. That's not news any more, although I'm rather hoping it's had a full set of suspension joints by now. Most of the other bushes in the front suspension have been replaced in the last two years.

The sad bit is that this year's failed bushes are no longer available. They are the ones at the chassis/front end of the radius arms/tie rods, the parts which are used to adjust the castor angle. None of the national parts distributors, nor Renault UK, can get these bushes. (Renault said, "Obsolete.")  The garage owner was able to get a pair of complete tie rods, but only from Renault, and these cost £357 in total, including tax but not fitting. That hurts, for what should have cost less than a tenth as much.

Add in two new tyres, because the worn suspension bushes had caused rapid wear to the inside, and you can see that my wallet is hurting.

For future maintenance, are there any sensible options for getting suspension bushes made to order, or any specialists who might have consumables like this in stock? Any web sites or phone numbers I should have ready for next time?

Since the car came back (with the front suspension neatly sprayed with anti-rust stuff, new tyres, and a lovely clean new safety certificate) I have found some references to polyurethane suspension bushes. Will there be enough J11 and J63 Espaces still in use to justify having moulds made for these?

Two years ago, there were only about 3000 pre-1996 Espace cars in use in the UK (source: honestjohn.co.uk analysis of government MoT data). More of those will have been scrapped since 2011 when the data were collected. (Some parts can of course be re-used from scrapped vehicles, but this is not a great idea for parts which wear out, like suspension joints.)

[pduke]

bad news, but i couldn't understand if you changed them or not....
if you didn't, please send me part numbers or anything else (photos, designs) of the part so i can search for them. i have an excellent guy in spare parts who can help, and i have already spotted 2-3 espaces like ours in spare part shops. so there is still hope!
so if i understood well and you are still searching for these bushes(!)... (this is really funny for me as my mind goes to completely a different thing....) please provide any information you can.
really sorry but English is not my native language and car parts is a very difficult subject to translate

[mhi]

I've paid for the two new suspension arms. They are the new bit in the photograph, with a bar-code label still visible.

The failed bush was the one at the left of the picture (the front of the vehicle). I have no idea of the Renault (or other) part number.

Question for the real experts: how do I find out the part number for items like this? It would make buying replacements easier.

[BrianM]

Do a search for renault dialogys
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=renault+dialogys&client=firefox-a&hs=ouZ&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=7mw5UsqZNKej0QXT0IFI&ved=0CEoQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=920&dpr=1

you will find a free download somewhere

was it this bush you needed
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bush-for-Suspension-Arm-Wishbone-Renault-25-Espace-FSK6282-/160968879650?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3AEspace&hash=item257a7e2e22
Cheers
Brian

Does this make me an expert?

[mhi]

Do a search for renault dialogys

Is this Dialogys thing a leaked version of Renault's own parts and maintenance data? No official version for Renault owners?

was it this bush you needed
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bush-for-Suspension-Arm-Wishbone-Renault-25-Espace-FSK6282-/160968879650?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3AEspace&hash=item257a7e2e22

Alas, no, that's not the right bush. That's for the lower wishbone, rear pivot. The bushes I needed were for the part called radius arm, or castor control rod -- effectively the front pivot of the upper wishbone. Both sides needed replacing.

Does this make me an expert?

You are definitely an expert! Advice, help and ideas all welcome.

[BrianM]

yes Dialogys is a Renault dealer parts catalogue. It is a two ot three cd disk set. It covers all cars not just the Espace. My Renault parts guy says that they never quite got it right for the Espace, it is all there but can be hard to find some areas of the car.
Shame about the bushes. I did once find a web search site for obsolete car parts, it gives garages the opportunity to list their old parts. I will see if I can find it.
If the arms were used on other models then there is every chance that you may be able to get poly bushes, however I dare say that you will scrap the car before needing to change them again. Also the series 3 cars are so very cheep now, maybe soon time to upgrade yourself!
Always worth a search on ebay when you need something.