Folks, have just found a Multipla rear subframe kit on Ebay from seller in Portugal, looks the real deal and at £105 for all 4 bushes including delivery seems to be reasonably priced.

I've ordered one, which is due for delivery over the next 2 weeks, will then find out how real it is! However the bushes, particularly the front ones, do look just like the Multipla ones.

The seller is called parts-auto and I just put "Multipla bushes" into the search function. If you visit the shop he's got them listed twice, one in GBP and one in Euros, the euros one looks to be half the price, which made me cry for 10 seconds as I'd already ordered it, but delivery brings it up to the same price. Phew

I appreciate the seller seems to be new (189 feedback received) but all feedback is 100% and everything is done via paypal so seems to be kosher. I've bought ARB bushes from sellers in Portugal before with no problems, but I'll obviously post back on here if there's any problems......

I'd get in quick though, there's only 5 left available now.

Let's hope this ends the saga of drilling out subframe holes or trying to fnd a mate with a lathe and set of vernier calipers

Here's his reply to me when I asked if they need mods etc...

Do ye think they Ok?

Hello,
There is no manufacture such parts in the aftermarket. Those who have installed have been satisfied and says that does not require modifications.
The rear subframe rear are listed as being in some OEM manufacturers. The rear subframe front are as identical as possible.
The pieces have no serial number stamped. The parts are manufactured by Maló.

Thank you for your contact.

- parts-auto
Click "respond" to reply through Messages, or go to your email to reply

Pretty much the same reply as I got when I asked him the same question, not sure just how illuminating it was, I think he means, "No, they fit properly"..

Well, they arrived in good time and certainly look good. Having never done this myself, am I likely to need a special press to get them into the subframe?

The front ones are made with an exterior metal cup, I believe the originals are just rubber and I imagine that the metal cup designs are very tight fitting?

So, DIY or book it into the garage before the next MOT?

I loosened my front ones yesterday and the originals are easy in/out but maybe that's due to wear.
I doubt you should need a press if they are right.
Could you post up pics of the front ones???
Be keen to see what they are... Maybe someone here will recognise them.
My guess is a lot if people are sitting back waiting to see how you get on!!
Marty.

Yes nuddmann, I am also a keen observer here to see how you get on with this. An update would be greatly appreciated after the job has been done with some pics if possible. Many thanks. Jim.

nuddmann said:

Well, they arrived in good time and certainly look good. Having never done this myself, am I likely to need a special press to get them into the subframe?




The front ones are made with an exterior metal cup, I believe the originals are just rubber and I imagine that the metal cup designs are very tight fitting?

So, DIY or book it into the garage before the next MOT?

Click to expand...

Ive just done my rear subframe bushes. They need to be sweated in ie warm the rear subframe up and press them in.I recommend that you find somewhere with a press to help.It can be done diy but it is a pain.Some of the bolts might be tough to take the rear anti roll bar off.While you have the rear axle in bits, inspect the trailing arm bearings.

Sorry, pressed the wrong button.
The long bolt that secures the trailing arm can seize in as well. The rear axle weighs quiet a bit so if you dont tak the trailing arms off you will need a couple of peolpe to help.I work in a garage and had the techs help when I needed them. Brake pipes are also a pain to get off and need to be cut off and remade. You can order steel origonal from fiat. The abs sensors need to be disconected from under the rear carpets.I also used locktite on the four bolts when I put it all back together.Any qusetion and send a post as I did mine 4 weeks ago.Good luck!

Lancia88888
Did you get your bushings same place as nudderman?.... Just so we know were comparing like with like.
Thanks
Marty.

No from a2z in Dewsbury west yorkshire. If you look for my old post "we have been saved" the numbers there. The bushes are oem and stamped with the fiat/lancia logo. As I said they need to be sweated in not modified in any way. I did both rear and fronts bushes. All back together now!
Hope this helps …..

Cheers
Must the subframe come out to replace the front ones?
The thoughts of broken brake lines and ABS sensors would nearly justify leaving them alone!!!
Thanks
Marty.

As long as you disconnect everything its fine, it's a big job. I recommend that the subframe is taken out. The bushes need to be sweated in, do not modify the bush in anyway as this weakens the bushes ability to stay in place. The bushes from a2z in Dewsbury are oem fully stamped up with logos and part numbers. The are about 1mm to 0.75mm bigger than the hole I use an oxycetlyn touch to warm around the hole. Then used a press to seat it home! Took 2 minutes to press once on the press. I also took the opportunaty to clean up the subframe and paint it up.
Its a diy job if you have access to all the tool required. But if a garage did the job it would cost a fortune!!!

Cheers
Yeah I'd like to take it down and clean it all up(subframe).
Could do without the hassle of brake lines breaking tho!!!

Marty.

I've spent a few hours trying to find alternative sources for these subframe bushes and it looks like they're becoming quite a rare item.

The small front ones are easy. Look for Firstline FSM2026 on google or ebay. Someone on ebay is sellng them for £21 each inc. VAT and delivery. I've just bought a pair from Redline Car Parts (who also have a shop on ebay, but it's a bit cheaper to buy from their own website) for £40 delivered. One of the Vauxhall online parts places has something very similar for just over a tenner each plus delivery.

The problem lies with the larger (rear) bushes. Firstline part number is FSM2029, but it appears that they have stopped making them. Several places (e.g. Micks' Garage, Redline etc) have them listed on their websites, but when I checked stock by phone or email all drew a blank with no alternative suggested and no date for re-stocking. If you fancy having a dig around yourself, you may find this page useful:

http://www.partsbase.net/part/bir-5778

All the part numbers listed are interchangeable.

The best deal on these I could find ATM is direct from A to Z Motor Spares website. They appear to have made a bit of a cockup there as the rear bushes are cheaper than the front ones, which is the complete opposite of what they're showing in their ebay shop. I paid £63 for a pair, delivered. A rip off, but at least they have them in stock and it's a lot better than the £95 they're charging for the same thing in their ebay shop. Another ebay joker is now charging over £200 for a pair . They're surely having a laugh. Redline list the QH version for £16 inc VAT and delivery, but now show out of stock - this shows what they're really worth and how much they used to sell for.

The only small glimmer of light in all of this is fiatcarpartsuk.co.uk. A helpful guy there had a root around and called me back today. Because the bushes are used on several Fiats and there doesn't seem to be any stock around, they are considering putting request in to Firstline to buy a batch.. If they do, prce will be £21.95+VAT each, plus delivery (£6.95 for a pair). I was a bit shocked when he said that a batch order would only be about a dozen pairs - nobody seems willing to carry stock these days. When you consider the Bravo, Bravo, Tempra and some Lancias use these bushes, a dozen doesn't seem many.

All in all, not good news for Multipla owners. This is the first part I've come across that has been a problem to source. Even though I've bought a set of the Firstline bushes, I might carry on with drawing up a suitable PU replacement which was my original intention. Poly-speed have said that they are willing to make them, and their prices are more than competitive with the Firstline parts (unlike some of the other PU bush companies) but they aren't being very quick to respond and I need to get my car back on the road.

Oh my.
If you're job lotting maybe we buy in bulk ourselves...
Ta

WMF
Are FSM2029 and 2026 the original spec or do they need mods?
I tried micksgarage.ie and if the website is to be believed they have them in stock.
Cheers
Marty.

Ok i checked and they are brava bushes so need modding... Plus there's less meat in them so Won't exactly enhance the ride!!

Ziggya2z has two different quality ones... 1 for 60 and one for 90.
Check lancia8888 posts down the page, he's fitted em and their thx real deal but a wee bit saucy.
I think a2z is the place to get them..., nuddman any news for us????...a few pics maybe??
Cheers
Marty.

I've had a closer look at the old ones (I can only assume that they were the originals - I bought my car at 107k miles and it's now got around 135k on it). The rubber has 'A280' moulded into it. This is the same moniker that's stamped into the metal top disc on the ones that lancia8888 et al have recently bought.

I reckon that they are the correct items. The originals are an interference fit into the subframe - that is all that holds them in place as there is no additional plate or other fitting to hold the subframe captive on the bushes from underneath. The outer shells of the ones I've removed still have clearly visible drag marks on them form when they were pressed into place.

Micks Garage definitely don't have them in stock - I spent about half an hour on the phone to them this morning while the sales fella tried cross referencing the part to other manufacturers. That was the problem I continually ran into - although lots of websites (and my local factors) list them and will allow you to put them in the basket, when I called to check stock, nobody had any. A2Z were the only ones that appear to actually have stock. I don't think they're two different 'qualities' - it's just a mistake in their listings (though I could be wrong). Whether they physically do remains to be seen. I should find out in the next day or two as I've ordered some!

If/when they arrive, I'll put the verniers across them to see how their shell sizes compare with the subframe hole diameters that I've already posted.

Yeah lancia8888 said he spoke to someone there in dewsbury (this is all in a thread somewhere) and he had ones for 60(the ones on eBay that are brava bushes) and better ones for 90 which is what he got.
Maybe you can ring him and change your order if you'd prefer the A280's.

It seems really strange that they are press fit from above...in that case the bolt is only holding the bush in place!
Maybe that's why Fiat don't sell them separately, maybe they are of the opinion that they can only be pressed in successfully once to give sufficient bite.

Marty.

Right.... I've contacted a few people selling these and wearied the part numbers eventually off the guy in Portugal.
Malo 15060 and Malo 15061.
These correspond to Fsm2028 and fsm2029.
Fsm2026 as recommended elsewhere is the lighter brava bush.

Now for the good news... I have found someone in Lithuania who sticks the original birth equivalents
and has quoted me 67euro for the 4 including
shipping to Ireland!!... That's little over £50
Marty.