Hi all,
Much loved Cinq Sporting (18 years and counting) is back on the road! But...

Managed to get an old rear subframe assembly from a Seicento Sporting and had it fitted. Passed the MOT! But now there is a horrendous donking noise when driving over rough roads (i.e. most of the time).

The garage has double checked the tightness of all bolts etc and had a good look underneath, but can't see anything which would be banging. The springs are not broken, and the shocks are relatively new. I've also checked seats/parcel shelf/spare wheel etc. Noise comes from the rear end and sounds like it's underneath.

Anyone got any ideas or had the same problem? It's driving me crazy.

Many thanks,
Matteo

Bushes in rear arms

Anyone got any ideas or had the same problem? It's driving me crazy.

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I agree with Brooky - it's the bushes in the rear arms. I changed one side on my Cinquecento a few weeks back. That was after I'd changed the rear dampers and tried to find whatever else was causing that knock ..

When you go over a bump, you get a knock ... and it's not the dampers (which are cheap enough to replace anyway).

You'll get a set of 4 bushes to do both sides from Ebay for about £35 :
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=qubo+egr&_osacat=9800&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xcinquecento+rear+trailing+arms.TRS0&_nkw=cinquecento+rear+trailing+arms&_sacat=9800

If you're going to change the bushes yourself be aware they can be a pig to remove. Remove the trailing arm first - any advice about leaving brake lines connected and just using a threaded bar or hammer/socket whilst the trailing arm is lying on the ground, still connected to the brake line, is a no-no. You won't remove the bushes.

I put the arm in a big vice and used a BIG hammer and big socket to try and drive the bushes out. They were seized solid and I wasn't strong enough..

Because of the shape of the arm it was impossible to use a hydraulic press to push them out. I ended up getting a younger, stronger friend to burn the old ones out with an oxy acetylene torch, and then hammer the new ones into place.

It's not a big job as such - it's the tightness of the bushes in the arm that causes the problem.

glenn2602 said:

Because of the shape of the arm it was impossible to use a hydraulic press to push them out.

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i managed it fine with a hydraulic press. was pretty simple tbh. the hardest bit is getting everything off to do it.

+1 for trailing arm bushes - they can knock but be basically impossible to find any movement in when the jack is not moving.

+2 for bushes. The problem with checking them is that they are not parallel. When you lift the car and the arms drop they slightly twist each bush tightening them up so you can't see the wear when you wiggle them.

D

+3 for the bushes. They make a most annoying racket. Did you change the complete subframe with trailing arms?Might be too late now but if your old trailing arm bushes were not knocking might be worth refitting to the new subframe as a quick fix.