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General Broken back axle AGAIN!
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General Broken back axle AGAIN!
I nearly added in my message about the drain holes - 'beware spraying Waxoyl or similar into them, as this tends to clog the holes with a sticky residue which makes them block up even more easily'... but didn't
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I nearly added in my message about the drain holes - 'beware spraying Waxoyl or similar into them, as this tends to clog the holes with a sticky residue which makes them block up even more easily'... but didn't
Spot on.
You can use waxoyl but make sure the holes are clear. I've been using Lanoguard, it's quite thin and doesn't seem to clog.
How well it stands up in time is another story that as yet I don't know.
Herts Hillhopper: Well that is the great unknown with the test requirement here. If I could be arsed I could trawl the Test manual for here but I'd rather leave it to the tester on the day in December.
Hi.
I remember the beam in my lounge and when cleaning it up and waxoyling it how I thought it quite a little thin on the metal front. This one on the City cross is decidedly thicker, the mounts are the same and I would think it would still fit with sufficient clearance with the standard springs. If you are interested I can take more pictures and take measurements.
I remember the beam in my lounge and when cleaning it up and waxoyling it how I thought it quite a little thin on the metal front. This one on the City cross is decidedly thicker, the mounts are the same and I would think it would still fit with sufficient clearance with the standard springs. If you are interested I can take more pictures and take measurements.
gar074
Prominent member
murphyv310: Thanks for the offer but I will look out for any Pandas when I visit the scrappies, just to be nosey and ask how much they would want for one.
Hi.
No problem. It's actually raining here so my plan was to take photos and measurements either tomorrow or Tuesday. I'll do it anyway in case anyone else wants the info.
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Do all 2wd Pandas suffer this at some point?
I think Bimmer's is the only one ever seen on this forum, and that's been used on the less than perfect mountain roads of Malaga.
Thats why I stopped working on cars
Its certainly a rare failure..
But the comments about thinner section steel are interesting..
Its possible that its thinner to aid 'flexing' .. and a few warranty claims made a rethink over the previously Stiff version ?
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Hi.
You may have made a valid point. If its too stiff there is little compliance but if its made of too thin metal for more compliance it will be more prone to metal fatigue especially if pounded by rough roads. That's actually a serious defect and Fiat really should be informed. OK in the main its never going to be an issue but not all parts of the world have smooth roads and this has to be factored in. A sudden break on the beam could have dire consequences.
I've already said a torsion beam would be better, they are just a coil spring uncoiled.
If I was in the position of the OP I'd seriously consider the beam from the cross, not likely to be cheap especially as the exhaust may need to be swapped, if the cars a keeper then yes but if not and another Panda is on the cards then a 4x4 or city cross may be the best route.
You may have made a valid point. If its too stiff there is little compliance but if its made of too thin metal for more compliance it will be more prone to metal fatigue especially if pounded by rough roads. That's actually a serious defect and Fiat really should be informed. OK in the main its never going to be an issue but not all parts of the world have smooth roads and this has to be factored in. A sudden break on the beam could have dire consequences.
I've already said a torsion beam would be better, they are just a coil spring uncoiled.
If I was in the position of the OP I'd seriously consider the beam from the cross, not likely to be cheap especially as the exhaust may need to be swapped, if the cars a keeper then yes but if not and another Panda is on the cards then a 4x4 or city cross may be the best route.
I looked up the ITV (MOT) manual for axles.
There is no specific failure for any welding that has taken place provided the axle is secure and the welding is "sufficient".
There is no specific failure for any welding that has taken place provided the axle is secure and the welding is "sufficient".
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Welding it would certainly repair the result of the problem but would it cure the cause?
If it's fractured because of undue stress caused by the poor road, what's to stop it going again in a different place?
If it's fractured because of undue stress caused by the poor road, what's to stop it going again in a different place?
I agree that it could fracture elsewhere. Unless of course the area that cracks is a weak point.
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As it's not gone in the middle you could perhaps expect to it have two weak points.
Not looked but has the axle a similar point with hole on the other side of the axle?
https://www.fiatforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=216950&d=1618419282
Goudrons: The axle cracked on the right side in the same area as the left side previously.
Well that's it then, bye bye Panda because it can't cope with a 5km dirt track twice a day!.
But then I did say a friend suffered the same with a 500L in a similar environment....he's now got a Ford Kuga!
Well that's it then, bye bye Panda because it can't cope with a 5km dirt track twice a day!.
But then I did say a friend suffered the same with a 500L in a similar environment....he's now got a Ford Kuga!
I hadn’t spotted the round hole at the end of the crack. No similar hole in the 4x4 beam so far as I can see (And to confirm, the 4x4, Trekking and all the Cross models - even if 2WD - use the same suspension as each other...)
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I suspected as much.
The hole must be there for a reason and you wouldn't expect that to be drainage. Perhaps it's there to help with a bit of flex in the axle and your rough track is over flexing it at those points.
As you've suffered repeated failures it very likely you're asking just too much of the standard Panda's suspension setup, but that shouldn't stop you Pandaing!
I wouldn't be comfortable welding it up to use or sell on.
You could replace it and keep your fingers crossed, but you've already tried that.
You could replace it and strengthen that one. Get someone to weld in a couple of strengthening strips above and below the holes that run past them by a fair way.
That will mess with the handling some, as you'll have taken out a fair chunk of flexibility between the rear wheels, then again the Trekking, 4x4 and City Cross all have thicker beams and handle reasonably well, but you might just find the next weak spot in the axle anyway.
Try and source an axle from a Trekking, 4x4 or City Cross and try fitting that.
Probably more of an option for the diyer.
Swap the car out for a Trekking, 4x4 or City Cross.
The Trekking was pretty rare as it wasn't in production very long and the City Cross is fairly new which tends to mean it'll still be quite expensive.
The 4x4's are now becoming more affordable and they are a bit of a mountain goat, They have their foibles but I never had any trouble with mine off road apart from the fairly low splitter under the front bumper. (Something they sorted on the Cross and City Cross)
I did used to hoon around in it off road when I went to some off road motorcycle events at the weekends. A couple of us with various 4x4's egged each other on with some mad challenges when we got bored on the bikes, apart from a knarly front bumper it went everywhere the others went and a few more places my old Discovery couldn't.
If you do decide to swap it out for something, make sure it's fit for the job.
There are plenty of jacked up hatchbacks that look like they could handle the rough stuff, but they are mainly standard under the rough looking body cladding.
The Dacia Duster is pretty well thought of, they were built for pretty shocking roads in the first place.
I'd give the Sandero Stepway a miss though, I had a petrol one a short while and it was a pretty scarring experience, though I'm told the diesel is a little better.
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gar074
Prominent member
We saw lots of Dusters in Namibia. They seemed to cope very well with the dirt roads, and of the newer vehicles in use, they appeared to be the cheap 4x4 of choice.
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