Hello all, you may remember me having cheap wishbones from eBay fail the mot just after they were fitted. So I let the garage supply and fit 2 oe quality wishbones. Well after 5/6 weeks the new parts have managed to destroy two new front tyres. The tyre shop put the car up on the ramps to show me the amount of play in the rear bushes. The rubber is way too soft causing up to an inch of movement of the wheel. The only option now is genuine fiat parts at £159 each. Unless there really is a genuinely quality wishbone on the market?? Cheap parts are false economy I think.
Technical Track control arms / wishbones
- Thread starter dozer
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Technical Track control arms / wishbones
Hi,
I apologise if this message is repeated. I have just tried sending my input without being logged on! Here's another attempt.
The rear bushes on the front suspension arms on both of our Pandas have failed at around 8 years old. These have been picked up at MOT.
In both cases I changed the bushes at around £15 each for TRW bushes. If you have the arms off then it is only another 30 minutes to change the bushes, which in my experience are the parts that fail.
The bushes have a lot of compliance from new and have two holes on either side of a rubber bridge between the inner and outer sleeves. I would think the orientation of the bushes is important. I aligned them as the original Fiat parts. I can imagine that early failure could result if they are not positioned correctly. It is also recognised good practise to pull up the arm bolts with weight on the wheels.
Our cars have run for years after changing the bushes. Of course, if you have a ball joint failure then new arms may well be required.
I think if you are seeing failure of the bushes after only a few months then something is awry with substandard parts and incorrect fitting being favourites along with tracking and suspension alignment. This is another advantage in just changing the bushes, you are much less likely to disturb suspension and tracking.
Hope that helps.
I apologise if this message is repeated. I have just tried sending my input without being logged on! Here's another attempt.
The rear bushes on the front suspension arms on both of our Pandas have failed at around 8 years old. These have been picked up at MOT.
In both cases I changed the bushes at around £15 each for TRW bushes. If you have the arms off then it is only another 30 minutes to change the bushes, which in my experience are the parts that fail.
The bushes have a lot of compliance from new and have two holes on either side of a rubber bridge between the inner and outer sleeves. I would think the orientation of the bushes is important. I aligned them as the original Fiat parts. I can imagine that early failure could result if they are not positioned correctly. It is also recognised good practise to pull up the arm bolts with weight on the wheels.
Our cars have run for years after changing the bushes. Of course, if you have a ball joint failure then new arms may well be required.
I think if you are seeing failure of the bushes after only a few months then something is awry with substandard parts and incorrect fitting being favourites along with tracking and suspension alignment. This is another advantage in just changing the bushes, you are much less likely to disturb suspension and tracking.
Hope that helps.
Thank you for your input. It seems to me that the rear rubber bush is too soft causing a lot of movement. I refuse to pay £150 each per fiat oe wishbones. I've had to fit 2 new tyres as both worn within a month. I also had the tracking done which was way way out. So the garage fitted new wishbones but never checked the tracking causing tyre wear.
The supplying garage has an obligation here. If the parts are not of acceptable quality the garage should replace them, with good ones, at their expense. They should also compensate for the tyre wear. They won't pay for new tyres, but should pay for the amount of extra wear suffered.
Go back to the garage, NOW. Be polite and firm but not rude. It is their responsibility. If no joy, consult trading standards, but do not threaten this.
Go back to the garage, NOW. Be polite and firm but not rude. It is their responsibility. If no joy, consult trading standards, but do not threaten this.
babbo_umbro
Established member
Agree with that - also, make a note of anything that's said so that, if things get sticky, you can put it in a letter as some companies react much more sensibly if things are in writing.
just changed my arms after 11 years,
totally shot on the rear bush ( time expired)
as others have said they are VERY flexible items from new ( by design)
remember the "void bushes" on Cortina rear axles..?
everyone fitted SOLID "void bushes" as the originals took VERY little abuse
Charlie
totally shot on the rear bush ( time expired)
as others have said they are VERY flexible items from new ( by design)
remember the "void bushes" on Cortina rear axles..?
everyone fitted SOLID "void bushes" as the originals took VERY little abuse
Charlie
I called at the garage today. Apparently the bushes are supposed to be flexible. Funny how the original ones I bought from eBay were too flexible! I never asked for compensation as they'll only say no.
I'll take it for mot a few weeks early next year and if it fails it's up to them to replace them.
I'll take it for mot a few weeks early next year and if it fails it's up to them to replace them.
