Panda Panda REAR Suspension replacement

[varesecrazy]

Glad this guide is still proving useful.

The car was sold at 15 years old..still good

There are plenty of threads in the panda (and 500) sections
Discussing products to neutralise the rust..and coat in a longlasting finish


As proven with mine..

KEEP IT MUD FREE
and the drain holes clear

Charlie

 

[rmjbn1]

Thanks again for this guide Charlie, it was a great help

I'm amazed how easy it is to get good access to clean the axle, springs and shocks. Two bolts, the axle drops down and the springs fall out! Winner!

Strangely, the lower shocker bolts on my 2004 1.2 are 19mm hex head, not 18mm

I found a breaker bar to get them started then a drill with a socket attachment to run the bolts out and back in made it a very quick job - they are quite long threads.

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks again for this guide Charlie, it was a great help


Strangely, the lower shocker bolts on my 2004 1.2 are 19mm hex head, not 18mm.

You are very welcome

It was a quick job one autumnal evening.. but Im now in the habit of taking pics when I do a job..
So I can build a thread later

Might be happening again sometime soon..

Different Head size generally means different thread pitch.. weird

 

[chris3234]

You are very welcome

It was a quick job one autumnal evening.. but Im now in the habit of taking pics when I do a job..
So I can build a thread later

Might be happening again sometime soon..

Different Head size generally means different thread pitch.. weird

The bolts on my 500 axle were 19 mm head
I know because I used one of my alloy wheel socket's to remove/reinsert them

 

[varesecrazy]

The bolts on my 500 axle were 19 mm head
I know because I used one of my alloy wheel socket's to remove/reinsert them

Its possible it was a Typo.. ?

But my grande strut bolts..and nuts.. were 18mm... so cannot rule it out

 

[chris3234]

Its possible it was a Typo.. ?

But my grande strut bolts..and nuts.. were 18mm... so cannot rule it out

In likely if you look at your pictures you can read the 18mm on the side of the socket you used

 

[Yolanda]

I'm led to believe your not supposed to Jack the rear of the car up on the axle beam as it will bend it resulting in tracking issues.

 

[varesecrazy]

Yes I have since read reports of the 'RearBeam' being distorted.. odd rear tyre wear being the result

I was carefull to have minimum load in the rear of the car...
Little fuel and an empty boot
Also lifted on a firm and level surface

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Yes I have since read reports of the 'RearBeam' being distorted.. odd rear tyre wear being the result

I was carefull to have minimum load in the rear of the car...
Little fuel and an empty boot
Also lifted on a firm and level surface

Thanks for the guide Charlie. I'm going to do this (been saying that for about 18 months haven't I?) after I've done the annual service on the Ibiza. Becky's axle is getting pretty crusty now so I'm hoping I don't find it too far gone to be worth renovating. I'm just wondering though, whether the bottom shocker bolts usually come out quite easily or do they tend to be well rusted in and put up a "fight"?

By the way, Becky's lower shocker bolts are 19mm - I just popped out and checked.

 

[koalar]

Thanks for the guide Charlie. I'm going to do this (been saying that for about 18 months haven't I?) after I've done the annual service on the Ibiza. Becky's axle is getting pretty crusty now so I'm hoping I don't find it too far gone to be worth renovating. I'm just wondering though, whether the bottom shocker bolts usually come out quite easily or do they tend to be well rusted in and put up a "fight"?

By the way, Becky's lower shocker bolts are 19mm - I just popped out and checked.

normally easy

rear shocks have to be changed every few years, so tend to be not to be seized solid

Still worth spraying every few days with penetrating oil for a week or so before you plan to do any work

 

[koalar]

Yes I have since read reports of the 'RearBeam' being distorted.. odd rear tyre wear being the result

I was carefull to have minimum load in the rear of the car...
Little fuel and an empty boot

biggest problem is when jacked in the middle,, It will bend. Most are already bent here although it rarely is the cause of any tracking issues.. My car at the moment is visibly about an inch bend here.

I use under the rear shock mount I find it to be okay. According to Fiat it shouldn't be used. I have also use the rear beam near the spring pans again fine, same as you did. its much safer than balancing bits of wood

 

[koalar]

By the way, Becky's lower shocker bolts are 19mm - I just popped out and checked.

wouldn't surprise me if both 18mm and 19mm size heads have been used

I swapped the coil pack from a 05 into an 06 and they were held on with different size bolts

 

[varesecrazy]

I posted the GUIDE in 2016..
supposedly 12 years in service on UK roads

I probably gave a few soaks for weeks before doing the job.. but it all came apart fine

That was the only suspension work in our 15 years and 90k

Basically a 'full set' fitted once

Bigger FIATs have needed rear radius arm bushes... but that panda was fine

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I posted the GUIDE in 2016..
supposedly 12 years in service on UK roads

I probably gave a few soaks for weeks before doing the job.. but it all came apart fine

That was the only suspension work in our 15 years and 90k

Basically a 'full set' fitted once

Bigger FIATs have needed rear radius arm bushes... but that panda was fine

That's very encouraging. Becky is into her 12 year now and in the 60,000's miles. From what I've found out she spent her earlier days in the midlands and came up here to Scotland maybe 5 to 6 years ago - I think. So she will have had to cope with the heavily salted roads we have up here in winter but at least it's not been for her whole life. I've already given her a good soaking with release oil when I serviced her last year and then again a few months ago "just for luck" I'll be sure to give her some more before I tackle it. Planning on using "The Hooligan" and winding them back and forwards as I do it. As long as they're not rusted to the bushes in the shocks I'm expecting them to come out Ok. I'll keep you all updated when I get stuck in.

 

[Myusername]

I have a 12v impact gun, and the bolts came out in seconds! No penetrating spray required...

...and if your rear shock absorbers have been in for years I'd certainly recommend replacing them even if they seem ok. My car has recently had the springs replaced but the dampers were rusty ancients.

Interestingly when removed they seemed to work ok, but since fitting the new dampers the ride has gone from utterly appalling to vaguely tolerable...

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I have a 12v impact gun, and the bolts came out in seconds! No penetrating spray required...

...and if your rear shock absorbers have been in for years I'd certainly recommend replacing them even if they seem ok. My car has recently had the springs replaced but the dampers were rusty ancients.

Interestingly when removed they seemed to work ok, but since fitting the new dampers the ride has gone from utterly appalling to vaguely tolerable...

Thanks for that, looks like this may not be too bad to do. I'm now wondering - ever the pessimist me - Just in case I one day end up fitting a complete new axle, whether the bolts holding the front pivot brackets to the body tend to give problems? I'm assuming they bolt into captive threads in the body? Do they tend to be seized or do they usually come out pretty cleanly? The rest of the car is in pretty good nick and she's a Dynamic Eco model so only £30 annual tax (got a sunroof too, although I'm not particularly impressed by that) so I'll be keeping her for many years yet especially now that the likes of IM Axles are doing the axles at such a reasonable price - swapping all the bit and pieces over looks like it could be "entertaining"?

Thinking about the rear shocks. She's had a small "knock" from the O/S/R for some time now. I had a very quick look, cold winter's day, some time ago and didn't spot anything obvious but I'm thinking it's likely to be one of the bushes so had it in mind to replace the shocks and the truly grotty rear springs while I was doing the job especially as I did a pretty thorough front end rebuild a couple of years ago

 

[Myusername]

My 12v impact wrench clips on to the battery, and is actually for removing wheel nuts, but I've found its removed anything I've asked of it, including suspension parts. Wonderful tool! The breaker bar now lives in retirement...

The rear dampers are dead easy to change, 30-40 Mon per side.

Wheel off, remove the top damper bolt inside the wheel arch, axle will drop down as the bolt is removed. Then remove the lower damper bolt and remove the damper!

Replacement is the usual reverse of said process, except that you'll need a second jack to lift up the axle so you can replace the upper damper bolt. I just used the car's scissor jack.

Don't forget to tighten the bolts only when the car is on the ground.

Job jobbed!