General Broken back axle AGAIN!

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General Broken back axle AGAIN!

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May 2, 2012
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Location
Malaga mountains 860m ASL
:devil: For the second time in a year Pete the Panda has a cracked axle. The other side went before (but has held up).
Ive uploaded 2 photos so i hope they appear.
Now I know of a local who had a 500X or L with the same issue. He had it taken away to FIAT for "repair". I don't know what they did but when it came back he got shot of it.
 

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Hi.
Never seen that problem or heard of it before. I know the spring cups rust in our damp and salt ridden roads in winter.
Are your roads particularly bad and how old is the car?
 
Thanks.
So no doubt due to vibration from the bad road causing cracks.
I wonder if the axle from the cross would be stronger. Mine is a City Cross, different shape to my 2014 lounge and it looks thicker metal.
 
:devil: For the second time in a year Pete the Panda has a cracked axle. The other side went before (but has held up).
Ive uploaded 2 photos so i hope they appear.
Now I know of a local who had a 500X or L with the same issue. He had it taken away to FIAT for "repair". I don't know what they did but when it came back he got shot of it.
Crikey! is about all I can think of to say!
 
It looks like it's just not coping with the torsional demands of your uneven track.

The form of the axle, in a C shape gives it some resistance to flex induced due to the opposing wheels moving in opposite directions, but it's obviously not up to job off road, though it has been designed for mainly road use.

Independent rear suspension wouldn't suffer that particular trait as the wheels aren't tied together with a solid axle.

Fiat swapped out the beam on the Panda 4x4's for the 169 and 312 models and used independent on the rear, so that might be an option worth considering.

I'm not sure if the 312 Trekking model (jacked up like a 4x4 but only FWD) used an independent rear setup, though methinks it used a beam similar to the normal 312.
 
Don't forget the beam in the 4x4 and cross is a different shape to allow room for the rear diff etc, the longer length could make it more compliant and flex better, it also looks its slightly thicker. They are fitted to the City Cross so surely they'll fit the standard models?
 
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I did think the 312 4x4 rear setup was similar to the old 169 4x4, ie fully independent.

It appears it isn't, it's just a revised beam like in Murphy's images.
Though that does look a lot more substantial than the standard axle.

You'd think one would fit, the mounts appear the same. You'd have to ask where the wheel will sit, I presume the standard car has shorter springs?

I guess you could go all out and fit 4x4/City Cross suspension front and rear.

The exhausts aren't the same though, both the 4x4 and the City Cross come around the right side (rather than left on the standard car) and the silencer is horizontal across the back, again I presume this is because of the different axle.
 
My Rumanian mate brought his van and welding gear to the middle of
nowhere.
Put a ratchet strap between the axle hubs to close the gap and a jack to align the two parts.
Plenty of sparks and it was done. Some anti corrosion black paint, wheel on.
IF this cracks again we are going to bridge the weld by 100mm each side with a 4mm x 25mm plate on the lower inner edge. We have a plan.

And why does the forum rotate every photo 90deg?
 

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My Rumanian mate brought his van and welding gear to the middle of
nowhere.
Put a ratchet strap between the axle hubs to close the gap and a jack to align the two parts.
Plenty of sparks and it was done. Some anti corrosion black paint, wheel on.
IF this cracks again we are going to bridge the weld by 100mm each side with a 4mm x 25mm plate on the lower inner edge. We have a plan.

And why does the forum rotate every photo 90deg?
Now this REALLY interests me - a lot. Can you keep us updated on how the repair works out over time?

With the spring pans being such a known weakness and having my own welding gear I've thought I might attempt a welded repair if Becky ever succumbs to the "rear axle gremlins". The reason I'm so interested is that the beam, I guess, must be more similar to a spring steel than a straight mild steel, and the problem this causes when you try to weld it with simple "DIY" type plant, is that it becomes very brittle around the weld, so I would expect it to crack again quite soon after repair.

I've got my fingers crossed for you.
 
Now this REALLY interests me - a lot. Can you keep us updated on how the repair works out over time?

With the spring pans being such a known weakness...
Only when the drain holes in the bottom of them become blocked and salty water sits in them. They seem to get small stones in the holes very easily and mud then seals around these. A good jet from the hose now and again keeps these happy. Red circle shows one of them.
 

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My Rumanian mate brought his van and welding gear to the middle of
nowhere.
Put a ratchet strap between the axle hubs to close the gap and a jack to align the two parts.
Plenty of sparks and it was done. ...
You might get away with that there, but a UK MOT inspector should fail that without question!
 
Only when the drain holes in the bottom of them become blocked and salty water sits in them. They seem to get small stones in the holes very easily and mud then seals around these. A good jet from the hose now and again keeps these happy. Red circle shows one of them.


I've sprayed waxoyl in.
 
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