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Technical Knocking (again)

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Technical Knocking (again)

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mick.richardson

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I bought my Multipla about 3 weeks ago - 53 plate 73000 miles FSH so I'm more than happy with that. (My last 2litlre diesel did 180,000 miles, so 73 serviced miles should be no probs). Car drives very nicely - except for this frustrating knocking.
I have searched this and other sources for information and decided that it would be the drop links from the anti roll bar.
These were chaged with a struggle (old ones were not Fiat items and had no flange to hold the joint steady when undoing them, so had to get them off with an angle griunder!) ... the knocking persists.
I have put some styrene around the spring to stop any knocking against the plastic shielding - made no difference. I found all the loose pipework under the front bumper and secured it - no difference.

I'm convinced the knocking comes from down by my feet on the drivers side ..... It's not simply from heavy road surfaces such as speed bumps, it's most noticeable from normal driving down 'normal' roads and it sounds like something loose - made of a light metal (not a 'heavy sound').
I have read that it is possible to service the Anti Roll Bar bushes by undoing the brackets and sliding them out of the way and packing with tape - is this correct??

Are the ARB bushes tha last thing lef to try?

Going slightly mad with this !!

Thanks

Mick
 
We have a very similar noise. I've pulled the front end around and can't find anything loose or apparently worn enough to create such a noise.

I have heard that the Tipo and Brava (which the Multipla is developed from) had a engine/subframe mount issue. Local dealer won't confirm or deny. I'm trying to find out more through an fiat specialist. I might know more later this week. If it similar their was a boot device that bolted over the old mount to strength it.
Of interest we have an 03 diesel thats covered 30000 miles. The noise started about 2000 miles ago, and very slowly getting worse.

I'll update this post as I find out more.

John
 
My JTD is 6.5 years old, 57,000 miles. I guess I need to get the bushes replaced as it sounds like I'm hitting land mines whenever I go over a bump. However the other day I was doing about 40mph round a left-hand turn when I got five or six very loud knocks, sounded like from right side of car. Heard again when powering round another left bend yesterday.
Is this still bushes, shocks, bearings, what? Any suggestions appreciated.
 
my jtd is a 51 plate and has done 112000 serviced and relativley fault free apart from the knocking issues, rear wheel bearings, maf sensor,new rear drums /handbrake cables replaced :bang: As for knocking issues we now effectivley have a new front end on the car ,fiat replaced front springs in the recent recall (altough they never did contact me) in doing so they damaged osf shock mounting so ended up replacing both shocks i replaced drop links and had new complete anti roll bar( I dont believe you can get the bushes on their own) As soon as roll bar was done the car drove like new again and no more knocking!!!!!
If you have done the basics ie drop links I would go anti roll bar

its worth noting 112000 and nsr wheel bearing was not in good condition may be worth checking out guys

Still cant get the tyres to wear evenly

But it pulls like a train, carries my three kids and buggies etc surprises beemer drivers and makes me smile .
I Love it
 
I have had the same problem with my 02 plate multipla

To fix the problem knocking noise I also first replaced the front L&R drop links. I found a set on Ebay £30 the pair.

The knocking noise was still there after this, so my next port of call was the anti roll bar bushes.

I took my car to my local Fiat dealer to confirm this before I spent any money. They were very good, providing me with a courtesy car for the day and not charging me for the investigation. They confirmed it was the anti roll bar bushes, which unfortunately can not be brought on their own as they are built into the entire roll bar. I checked this with a few garages and contacted superflex who make after market bushes, all of whom confirmed that this is a dealer only part. Therefore I ordered my Multipla anti roll bar and bushes from my local Fiat franchise at a cost of just over £90.

To have the bar fitted at a Fiat dealer would take around an hour and a half (not a big job then) at £80 per hour labour. :eek:

So I fitted it my self.

To do this simply undo the bottom of the drop links again and release both the track rod ends. (we also had to break one of the ball joints)

To remove the old roll bar is simple, it is held on from underneath by two 13mm bolts either side. These have to be accessed by a long 13mm socket as you have to get to them through two round openings in the sub frame.

Once all is undone - Drop links, track rod ends -(at least one ball joint)- and the roll bar itself- the whole bar slides out from under the car, with a bit of rotating and taking care not to catch any of the hoses underneath.

To fit the new one is the same in reverse. The whole process took me and a friend as a DIY job around 2 hours, with out Fiat training and fancy garage facillities.

The knocking noise is now gone. (untill the bushes wear out again)

Hope this helps anyone with the same problem is it is a very annoying noise.

Ian(y)
 
Last edited:
It will be the a/r bar bushes. i changed mine without undoing either ball joints . just removing drop links then pull a/r bar through . i also changed the wishbones(and associated bushes). The front end silence that ensued revealed a rear wheel bearing rumble (o/s)-now it's changed we're back to 'total' silence!
Only got to fix the inside rear lights ,both sunroofs ,the heater control illumination and the front inside coutesy light and it'll be like new!
Front tyres seem to be wearing evenly now on 0 degrees toe-in/toe-out (plus having new wishbones etc.).
 
multiplaplapla said:
I have had the same problem with my 02 plate multipla

To fix the problem knocking noise I also first replaced the front L&R drop links. I found a set on Ebay £30 the pair.

The knocking noise was still there after this, so my next port of call was the anti roll bar bushes.

I took my car to my local Fiat dealer to confirm this before I spent any money. They were very good, providing me with a courtesy car for the day and not charging me for the investigation. They confirmed it was the anti roll bar bushes, which unfortunately can not be brought on their own as they are built into the entire roll bar. I checked this with a few garages and contacted superflex who make after market bushes, all of whom confirmed that this is a dealer only part. Therefore I ordered my Multipla anti roll bar and bushes from my local Fiat franchise at a cost of just over £90.

To have the bar fitted at a Fiat dealer would take around an hour and a half (not a big job then) at £80 per hour labour. :eek:

So I fitted it my self.

To do this simply undo the bottom of the drop links again and release both the track rod ends. (we also had to break one of the ball joints)

To remove the old roll bar is simple, it is held on from underneath by two 13mm bolts either side. These have to be accessed by a long 13mm socket as you have to get to them through two round openings in the sub frame.

Once all is undone - Drop links, track rod ends -(at least one ball joint)- and the roll bar itself- the whole bar slides out from under the car, with a bit of rotating and taking care not to catch any of the hoses underneath.

To fit the new one is the same in reverse. The whole process took me and a friend as a DIY job around 2 hours, with out Fiat training and fancy garage facillities.

The knocking noise is now gone. (untill the bushes wear out again)

Hope this helps anyone with the same problem is it is a very annoying noise.

Ian(y)
Click to expand...
Useful post if I decide to buy a whole new ARB! I too have the dreaded CLONK. I'm going to try to pack the bushes with a plastic sleeve or some rubber matting and see if solves the problem. Not sure if it's ARB or wishbones... We'll see (as soon as I get rid of this cold!)
 
You can buy superflex/powerflex bushes, I used SAAB 9000 bushes which cost me £20ish.
They are a little oversize and you could pare them down but I just used the clamps to pull them in, knocking disappeared in any case.
 
it'll most likely be the ARB bushes, new bushes on ebay for less than 30 quid. not the best job in the world to do because the clamps that hold them round the ARB aren't designed to split. They do split with a bit of determination though.

There is a guide on here somewhere but its self explanatory once you get underneath. Did it on my last multi (2000 1.9jtd) with great results. Just disconnected the droplinks and got on with it.

The large amount of noise for a very small amount of play is impressive
 
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