General Bang from the rear when going over bumps then read this!

[Deckchair5]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Your rear suspension bushes are fluid bearings- a bit like those ghastly cough sweets with syrup inside them - a tough outer case with thick oil inside- so they allow some steering or tracking movement of the rear wheels when cornering to make the back end tuck in better

Looks like the outer seal has gone on one of those bushes and it's that fluid now leaking out

Replacement rear bushes I'm afraid. Have a look in the Stilo Guides to see how some people have managed them but my advice would be


GET SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT

If you are going to do it yourself then I would do as some others have done after removing the rear beam, swipe out the centre rubber bush part then hacksaw through the outer bush sleeve just enough without damaging the hub so it allows the sleeve to collapse inwards , then it should drift out fairly well

Pressing the new bushes back in
I'd really clean up the hub inside and use plenty of lub but, to get the power to force the bush in, you're going to need a lot of force so rather than use studded bar through the centre of the bush like others have done- which restricts the diameter and therfore how strong the studded bar is going be. I'd use a hefty two armed extractor/ press and a thick steel plate at the rear of the bush mount and push the bush in that way as then you can have a hefty thread, thick diameter screw and a fine thread for more power without stripping the thread

Still get someone else to do it

 

[Davren]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

You learn something new every day, oil filled rubber bushes eh?

I was going to try fitting my bushes by heating the axle housings to expand them then sliding the bushes in (just like fitting a flywheel ring gear) and then cooling it all down quick enough so as not to melt the rubber but not quick enough to temper the housings.

Have to re-think that one now, back to 'plan A' I suppose, make up a press with some old body rams I've got in the garage somewhere.

Dave.

 

[Davren]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Part number for the bush is 50706312 (x2) but I've heard the bolts seize in so it would be advisable to get them too 50701018 (x2).

Dave.

 

[Big Black Stilo]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

cheers dave, is it the same part for the whole 3dr/5dr/mw range?

 

[Davren]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

cheers dave, is it the same part for the whole 3dr/5dr/mw range?

Just found version 41 of ePer. Part numbers have changed to:

Bush 50706505 £15.79 each
Bolt 60657242 £2.34 each

Same for all models.

Dave.

 

[Big Black Stilo]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

parts all bought and got someone to fit them for me as well who has done something similar before. work being done on monday eve when i get back from London

 

[cris1117]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Hi. I have done 3 sets of these bushes now on different stilo's the first set took 2 days I have now got it down to 5 hrs with the help of a friend.
A word of warning these bushes are extremely tight, I doubt your friend has done anything like these before, they are like no other car.
Some tips that will be handy.
You need to get the car up high I used axle stands on the chassis rail near the back door. Firstly you must remove the beam from the car Get a jack under the beam on both sides near the back wheels
Undo 2 brake pipes, 2 handbrake cables and the abs sensors and the lower shock absorber bolts. The nearside is the obvious bolt through the middle of the bush, the offside you must undo the shackle, 4 bolts to the bodywork, this is because the fuel tank is too close to remove the centre bolt.
With everything disconnected drop the jacks and you should be able to remove the springs and the beam.
If you look at the old bushes one end has a plate with 3 cut outs in it, knock the plate off. You can now see the rubber insert pay careful attention to the position to the two slots in the rubber centre piece the new one must go back in the same position. I think the holes go top and bottom but check it.
The end where you knocked the plate off you will see what looks like a rubber rim if you get a chisel and make like you’re trying to knock the bush out the whole centre will come out ( took me ages to get the centre out before I realised the easy way).
Pass a hacksaw through the sleeve and carefully cut through it, knock out with a chisel.
O.K that’s the easy bit, pay particular attention to the inside of the carrier especially where the outside is welded to the beam, make sure the inside is dead smooth I used a half round file. I think the welding leaves a raised bit which will make your life hell when you try to put the new bush in.
The new bush.
Knock off the plate as with the old bush, the new bush has a rubber plate also on the other end instead of a second metal plate as per the old bush it makes life easier if you take that off as well.
Now the controversial bit. The first time I done these bushes I got them half way in and they locked solid, I ended up having to cut them out and start again.
Get a carbide sanding disk on a drill and give them a good sanding down, they will still be damned tight but you will have half a chance, you can’t get to the bit where the rubber collar is so you will need a file around that edge (trust me it’s the only way, these bushes are fitted with a 35 ton press at fiats)
Use a length of M12 studding to pull the new bush in, you will need some heavy steel plate to make some spacers and plenty of grease.
Leave the centre bolts loose, when you have reassembled everything use the two jacks to lift the car off the axle stands and tighten the centre bolts, the centre bolts must be tightened at ride height.

Good luck

 

[NumanR]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Seems a bit silly to ruin the new bush to fit it. The bush has to be fitted in with a press pushing on the bush through the three cuts in the outer washer. Better to take the axle to a machine shop or engineering shop to have them pressed in properly than cut the new bushes about.

 

[cris1117]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Hi
You obviously misunderstood my post, you don’t have to cut or ruin the new bush the end plate is only finger tight and you replace it before refitting the beam.
As for having them pressed I have tried many engineering companies, none would touch it.
Most didn’t have a press powerful enough and others couldn’t get the whole beam in a position to even try.
These bushes are actually listed for the stilo now on the new Fiat spares computer disk, as some of you may know as far as fiat was concerned they didn’t exist up until now, so you had to buy a new beam.

 

[NumanR]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Hi
You obviously misunderstood my post, you don’t have to cut or ruin the new bush the end plate is only finger tight and you replace it before refitting the beam.
As for having them pressed I have tried many engineering companies, none would touch it.
Most didn’t have a press powerful enough and others couldn’t get the whole beam in a position to even try.
These bushes are actually listed for the stilo now on the new Fiat spares computer disk, as some of you may know as far as fiat was concerned they didn’t exist up until now, so you had to buy a new beam.

The service news was released in 2006, with part numbers, so you are two years out of date with your information, also we use a ten tonne press to push the new bushes in, and any engineering shop that doesnt have a ten tonne press aint much of an engineering shop.

 

[gmkelly]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

opps think this has happened to mine as well ....a couple of spots of oily liquid each morning on garage floor. car going to garage on wednesday. is it safe to drive car at moment and should i get both sides changed ?if this is the prob......

 

[Big Black Stilo]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

all my local fiat dealers where happy to get the part but said they are unable to fit it as they dont get provided with the equipment to do so as the cost of the equipment wouldnt be recouped in the repairs.

However person doing these repairs is a mechanic by trade and i must say has been rather good with my other repairs.

Driving the car feels no different, i just drove to and back from london and had no issues, but there is play in the rear axle, on that side only.

I actually feel that this bush could have been faulty since the car was new because i have always had extreme wearing on the tyre on that side, which when the car was 4 wheel checked, is within tolerances, and no other problems were apparent (FIAT and independents checked this at the time).

I will post up how its done and how it goes on

 

[NumanR]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Very few dealers have the special tools to do this job as they cost £650 and are not particularly good apparently. Our dealership made our tool ourselves which works perfectly and locates the bush correctly before pressing it in on a 10 tonne press. We donot dismantle the new bush, because we made a three legged press tool to fit the new bush in pressing on the correct thrust points. The job is not difficult, just a little time consuming. We have one tech take the subframe off, then two work as a team to remove and press in the new bushes and then the single tech refits the subframe.

 

[gmkelly]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

opps think this has happened to mine as well ....a couple of spots of oily liquid each morning on garage floor. car going to garage on wednesday. is it safe to drive car at moment and should i get both sides changed ?if this is the prob......

Local garage confirmed this is the problem, offside bush gone , near side not.
he is awaitng parts to come in to change. he is confident he can do it as he has done a few before.
couple of questions how long is it car ok to drive the car until changed and should just get both changed since he will have to drop axle etc at moment to do one?

 

[Deckchair5]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

10 tonnes is large but not enormous. A really good press/ extractor tool with arms should be able to produce that but too much for studded bars or hammers approach. Like NumanR says, with good fitting adapters it should be slow, tediuous, gruelling but manageable

 

[Big Black Stilo]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

well, tried to get out the old bush and the extractor tool we had kept slipping out, so its still bust. Is hacking it to pieces the only option now?

Im not driving mine at the minute as its got another fault and an electrical problem, meaning its sat on my drive doing nothing at the minute.

 

[Deckchair5]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Have you knocked the middle of the bush out and used a hacksaw to carefully break through the outer sleeve?

 

[Big Black Stilo]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Have you knocked the middle of the bush out and used a hacksaw to carefully break through the outer sleeve?

no, we were trying to get it out with an extractor tool for bearings, which was modified to fit this bush, but it wouldnt keep in place once it had huge amounts of pressure on it.

The way it was being changed was by dropping the axle on one side only, which is easy enough, but didnt want to butcher it as it would make the car unmovable if the worst was to happen.

If its butchered, is it 100% certain we will get the new one in using clamps to press it in?

and is butcherey the only way forward?

Also it was noticed the new bush is a slightly different design from the old one with extra rubber, either that or my OEM one on the car has fallen to bits

 

[yampug]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Get yourself a big blacksmiths vice and a scaffold pole

https://www.fiatforum.com/stilo-guides/145729-mutliwagon-rear-suspension-bushes.html

 

[Deckchair5]

Re: Rear suspension bush leaking something

Originally Posted by Deckchair5
Have you knocked the middle of the bush out and used a hacksaw to carefully break through the outer sleeve?


no, we were trying to get it out with an extractor tool for bearings, which was modified to fit this bush, but it wouldnt keep in place once it had huge amounts of pressure on it.

The way it was being changed was by dropping the axle on one side only, which is easy enough, but didnt want to butcher it as it would make the car unmovable if the worst was to happen.
Once you cut through the outer sleeve you take all the pressure off just like removing a ring from someone's swollen fingers. It should then knock out very simply. Fact is it's been there for a while and you have surface corrosion to deal with as well as the tightness of the bush. But if you take all the pressure off then it's just the corrosion holding it

If its butchered, is it 100% certain we will get the new one in using clamps to press it in?

Clamps? I don't think so.
I'd use a very high quality fine thread press/ extractor tool with arms capable of producing the force required and you'd need to make up some thick metal plates adaptors of some kind to ensure a good fit. A good clean up internally and plenty of lub. Look at the pictures of how people have managed it.