Took our TA Panda 4x4 for a service after buying in Aug, garage advised that the rear shocks will need doing due to worn bushes.

I haven't noticed any obvious clunking going over speed bumps, but it can sometimes be quite rumbly/shakey at high speeds on the motorway - wondering if it might be related? Happy to replace them either way.

This guy has a video for doing the same job on his Fiat 500: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHEbdG17Cx8

Looks pretty straightforward; wheel off, unbolt shock, bolt on new one! Planning to get the shocks from Shop4Parts per previous threads.

Am I right in believing that the Panda & 500 are quite similar mechanically? (ignoring 4x4 differences) And should I believe his torque specs, given the lack of a service manual for newer Pandas? Or should I just torque the bolts to "tight" and call it a day?

If possible, do the final tightening on the bushes with the suspension loaded.

Mine being done Monday, prices bit of a lottery. Fair bit spent on mine over last 30 months. But still makes me smile. Fuel bill never has though.

SteakAndAle said:

...Am I right in believing that the Panda & 500 are quite similar mechanically? (ignoring 4x4 differences) And should I believe his torque specs, given the lack of a service manual for newer Pandas? Or should I just torque the bolts to "tight" and call it a day?

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Pretty similar, but, because yours is the 4x4, the upper mount onto the bodywork is in a different (and very obvious) place, nearer the rear of the car under the wheel arch.

This post from the older model Panda may give a clue as to appropriate torque figures... https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/419635-tightening-torque-top-bottom-rear-shock-bolts.html

Just back with my car 2 days on. They'd been supplied with 2wd shock absorbers. Around £79 each for 4x4. They were fluid/oil originally, new ones Gas filled. Can't tell difference anyway.

If they are the same length etc they probably make no appreciable difference. You "can" get new rubber bushes or even poly bushes, but the shocks internals won't be much better so might as well change them.

DaveMcT mine been owned by farmer. 60 miles a day commute for member of the family and been on farm suspect eves and weekends with animal feed. Had wheels balanced day after collected it. All wheel rims covered in dried mud. And a pipe smoker used it.

DaveMcT said:

If they are the same length etc they probably make no appreciable difference. You "can" get new rubber bushes or even poly bushes, but the shocks internals won't be much better so might as well change them.

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The 4x4 shocks and springs are longer (both front and back) owing to the 50mm increase in ground clearance, and corresponding difference between the unaltered suspension arms and the raised body sitting above them.

Finally got around to this job at the weekend. Wheel off, arch liner off...and the bushings look absolutely fine to me! No wear or play that I could see, and the shock itself compressed fine too. Other side seems to be the same, although admittedly I didn't take it off to inspect.

I think maybe the garage was angling for an extra job?

SteakAndAle said:

Finally got around to this job at the weekend. Wheel off, arch liner off...and the bushings look absolutely fine to me! No wear or play that I could see, and the shock itself compressed fine too. Other side seems to be the same, although admittedly I didn't take it off to inspect.

I think maybe the garage was angling for an extra job?

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That's knackered
It should be a solid bush with no split cracks or gaps
At least the normal 500/panda is don't see why the 4x4 wouldn't be the same

chris3234 said:

That's knackered
It should be a solid bush with no split cracks or gaps
At least the normal 500/panda is don't see why the 4x4 wouldn't be the same

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That's what I thought initially, but those gaps in the rubber are present on the new shocks - they appear to be by design..?

This is the brand new one:

SteakAndAle said:

That's what I thought initially, but those gaps in the rubber are present on the new shocks - they appear to be by design..?

This is the brand new one:

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Strange I'm sure all the ones I've seen before were solide Bush's

No, those moulded air gaps are normal for the majority of Panda shocks. I think we have to assume that the garage were punting for some more work - they usually play the discs&pads card, but shocks are the next best thing.

There are many garages that would happily do the work and charge you handsomely for the privilege, only to show you a knackered pair of discs/pads (or shocks in this case) that they keep on the shelf for times like this, should you ask to see the 'old' ones. Happens all the time.....

1

They are called "void" (hence the holes) bushes. They allow more movement in one direction compared to another.
There is nothing wrong from the photos with those bushes (unless there are tears in the rubber).
Personally I don't like them, they fail early. Solid bushes are better, especially on a 4x4 or used arduous conditions (tracks etc).
We used to get rear wheel vibration at about 100kph.

DaveMcT: Can you give an idea to replacement bushes purchase inc. poly bushes? I've replaced both my rear shocks for the sake of one void bush. They are original gas items and are in good condition otherwise.

About 10 years ago I changed the rear shocks on my mk2b punto which is an almost identical setup to the panda suspension, the shocks and where otherwise fine there were no visible problems with the bushings but the rubber had gone weirdly soft allowing the centre bolt to knock against the outer metal part of the bush, made going over speed bumps pretty noisy and 10 times worse if you had anything or anyone in the back.

Also if there are any signs of any oil leaking out of the shocks they are scrap, most shocks are gas filled these days so if the lubricating oil is getting out then the gas is almost certainly gone as well

R1NGA said:

No, those moulded air gaps are normal for the majority of Panda shocks. I think we have to assume that the garage were punting for some more work - they usually play the discs&pads card, but shocks are the next best thing.

There are many garages that would happily do the work and charge you handsomely for the privilege, only to show you a knackered pair of discs/pads (or shocks in this case) that they keep on the shelf for times like this, should you ask to see the 'old' ones. Happens all the time.....

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My 3-year old Panda 4x4 went back to the FIAT main dealer (NE England) on Friday for its annual routine service. They informed me that both rear shock absorbers had defective top bushes, and recommended replacement at a cost of £224 (not sure whether that was parts only or included labour).

It is well known that these bushes can fail, but no faults were found during the MOT test last month. When I looked underneath and took photos today, the bushes seemed in pretty good condition (no discernible free play, no cuts or distortion, rubber not perished).

I wouldn’t reckon to pay a garage to do a simple job like damper replacement, and am aware that the parts can be obtained at less than half the quoted price, but I still don’t appreciate being taken for a fool.

Name and shame.

Jabe said:

My 3-year old Panda 4x4 went back to the FIAT main dealer (NE England) on Friday for its annual routine service. They informed me that both rear shock absorbers had defective top bushes, and recommended replacement at a cost of £224 (not sure whether that was parts only or included labour).

It is well known that these bushes can fail, but no faults were found during the MOT test last month. When I looked underneath and took photos today, the bushes seemed in pretty good condition (no discernible free play, no cuts or distortion, rubber not perished).

I wouldn’t reckon to pay a garage to do a simple job like damper replacement, and am aware that the parts can be obtained at less than half the quoted price, but I still don’t appreciate being taken for a fool.

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Hi there; I guess, strictly speaking the bushes are in reasonable condition. However, if you look closely in your photos the edges at the centre are unbonded (no adhesion) where they should be bonded to the centre metal tube that the bolt passes through. So while I would not normally be going out of my to support a dealer they are, strictly speaking, correct.

Rubber is incompressible so where it is unbonded (but should be) this changes the stiffness of the bush (it will be softer) due to the change in the "shape factor" of the rubber.

So here the guy checking has been very sharp eyed; I'll not say anymore.

On a rubber moulding that tapers down to a thin section, there is always a tendency for the lip to curl away from the steel sleeve, as in those photos, but strength of the bond lies in the main block of rubber, not in a small lip with only thin air behind it.

When I was involved in machinery management (not vehicle suspension, I hasten to add, but similar bonded rubber bushes are very widely used in industry), we checked the positions of inner and outer sleeves (most, but not all, are designed to be concentric) and how easily the components could be levered away from the rest position – radial movement (across the diameter), axial movement (side to side) and in some cases rotational movement about the axis.


Those tests were reckoned to reveal any defects in the metal-to-rubber bond, and the condition of the little thin rubber lip was regarded as cosmetic.

But perhaps we were doing it all wrong in those days.