Anyone experience Rear Suspension Bushing separation‏, like this:



I do have the same problems. My car is 3 year old and have 38000 km on the clock. Wold you recommend this replacement?:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/381412161059?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Fiats have the same problem on many of there models that use this design of rear suspension.

What you have to weigh up is that the rear shocks are made cheaply and simply to keep down costs. You can replace both rear shocks for about £40 and those buses are £35. Except you lend £35 on the top buses then not long after the bottom bushes will fail in much the same way. Spend another £35 on the bottom bushings and then the shock it's self fails or rusts to the point they are unsafe, so you have to fit new ones anyway. Total cost £110 for a £40 pair of shocks that will last you till you get rid of the car.

Buy a cheap set of quality replacements form someone like euro car parts or GSF, rather than some unknown seller on eBay and you'll get another 40+k of motoring or another 8 or so years before they need replacing again

Or poly bush them. Can't see the shock being in bad shape after what is about 25000 miles and 3 years of use.

The front shocks on our 59 plate have rusted so badly they are leaking oil, when the weather clears up I will look at it, I have new springs/shocks/bump stops/cover/top mount cup and have replaced both lower control arms thats cured the terrible noise going over speed humps, now seeing this I'm going to have to check the rears.

John202020 said:

The front shocks on our 59 plate have rusted so badly they are leaking oil, when the weather clears up I will look at it, I have new springs/shocks/bump stops/cover/top mount cup and have replaced both lower control arms thats cured the terrible noise going over speed humps, now seeing this I'm going to have to check the rears.

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My 58 car has original front shocks that are fine but I had to put all new rears on as the bushes/shocks were past it!

Does need a new wishbone on the left though

This is one of them

Pathaleon said:

My 58 car has original front shocks that are fine but I had to put all new rears on as the bushes/shocks were past it!

Does need a new wishbone on the left though

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Do you mean the front lower control arm? can give you some first hand advice having just done both.

John202020 said:

Do you mean the front lower control arm? can give you some first hand advice having just done both.

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Yeah the ball joint on the arm has had it, clonks a bit over bumps most likely the terrible roads have killed it.

I know it's an involved job which is why I haven't done it yet but any info would be helpful. I've been torn between which arms to buy.

Pathaleon said:

Yeah the ball joint on the arm has had it, clonks a bit over bumps most likely the terrible roads have killed it.

I know it's an involved job which is why I haven't done it yet but any info would be helpful. I've been torn between which arms to buy.

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Not so much involved or difficult, but you do have to take off the front bumper, which is much easier if you've got a second pair of hands.

If I were keeping the car, I'd get the lemforder arms (last time I looked you could get these from ECP). I'd give the Fiat OEM arms a wide berth - they don't seem to last long.

I bought Lemforder as we are likely to keep the car till scrap, but didn't buy both, stupidly, did eventually do both sides about 8 weeks apart.
There is a very good U tube video on how to remove the bumper, just google it(blue car), but note, the three small screws(inner wing guard) are really hard to remove and the ones underneath at the front that are fully exposed I had to cut a slot in to remove,-not the Torx head ones, use a new well fitting screwdriver bit really pushing it on to crack it off.
There's a small nut holding the inner guard on, I sheared one off so no huge forces also I replace all the Philips head screws with stainless steel.
There's a Torx head bolt at the wing edge spray lots of release oil on they too are a nightmare to get out, I snapped off the welded on nut in the process on one side, the video shows you just pull the bumper away, don't, with help and a bright light under the wing slide a flat blade screwdriver in opening the plastic clips, this way it easily comes away under control the bit nearest the engine needing a bit more care, the missing bolt does not effect the mounting of the bumper I've found.
You will need a big torque wrench a quality hex head sockets, most of the bolts will come out(some are really tight) but I'm glad I did it now not in a few years,, the bolt near the ball joint (which you get a new bolt with the Lemforder arm) will drive you 'nuts' trying to remove, I worked out to put the nut back on so the thread was level with the outer face of the nut, and with help hammer the end of the nut whilst turning the bolt head, hard to do on your own but just possible, tricky to get the new one in too. You also need to use a wedge to splay apart the mounting just above the bolt, I used a small cold chisel.
The front bolt on the control arm is recessed so a short extension is required, make sure you don't twist it off at an angle or you may chew up the large head, oh and you need 16/18mm sockets not ones I had in my set, mine were odds after 15mm.
Euro car parts have an offer on this weekend if you go for the Lemforder part now is the time to buy!
I have a Haynes manual it is a help so if you've not one might be handy?

I checked my rear shocks, and found they've already been replaced? with KYB which I suspect are rather cheap but they seem fine for now, unlike the shocking state of the brake drums, huge chunks of rust come off with just my fingers, including almost all the outside rim and lots of the outer drum face, you can see just how much is missing by the bit that's still there, another part to replace, never seen anything like this ever in all my years,
Found new ones but are currently out of stock
http://brakeparts.co.uk/#!/shop/FIA...4 PETROL/Rear - Brake Discs and Drums/BDR6908
May need new fitting kit? http://brakeparts.co.uk/#!/shop/FIA....4 PETROL/Rear - Brake Pads and Shoes/BSF0014
Carparts4less are £20 ea.

John202020 said:

I bought Lemforder as we are likely to keep the car till scrap, but didn't buy both, stupidly, did eventually do both sides about 8 weeks apart.

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When I used to help my Dad with his Austin A35, may they both rest in peace, he always used to impress on me that it was false economy to only replace one of a pair ! It's just as easy to do 2 as it is to do 1, if you have just replaced 1 in 1 hour, the second should only take 2 hours !!! ( not ! ) I always follow his rules, for pairs anyway...

John202020 said:

I have a Haynes manual it is a help so if you've not one might be handy?

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You can also download a copy of elearn from the downloads section; it details this procedure and has the torque wrench settings you need.

werdna said:

When I used to help my Dad with his Austin A35, may they both rest in peace, he always used to impress on me that it was false economy to only replace one of a pair ! It's just as easy to do 2 as it is to do 1, if you have just replaced 1 in 1 hour, the second should only take 2 hours !!! ( not ! ) I always follow his rules, for pairs anyway...

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Yes one of you clever folk did say to do both at once, I would have, it was just the near £200 cost that stopped me for the two arms together, hence buying all the front shocks springs etc over time which I nearly have all the bits, just the fun of removing the stuck wiper arms and chiseling off the top nut for that job?

Here's a few more picture of how I kept the wrench in line as to not twist off, also you need to remove the washer bottle on the drivers side

Picture, this is how I removed the front bolt and the ball joint nut this is for the drivers side passenger goes upwards though again make sure you keep it square on, small nut on front crossmember either side heat up BEFORE you try to remove

Front bolt

New drums that too were a pain to fit a simple job that wasn't.

We have just had to replace both the rear shocks at 22.000 miles just like the first poster they where split
Graham

jacko264 said:

We have just had to replace both the rear shocks at 22.000 miles just like the first poster they where split
Graham

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What was the state of your drums? Hopefully not like mine!