General fiat multipla 1.9 jtd 04 front subbframe

[alanheyal]

hi guys
when preparing my lovely multipla for mot i noticed corrosion on the front sub frame around the torsion bar bolts on both sides it has actually gone through i was just wondering if there was any after market plates available to strengthen these parts or the full subframe would have to be replaced, if thats the case does anyone know of a supplier for either and how difficult is a full replacement to carry out.i really dont want to have to get rid of her

cheers guys

 

[widemouthfrog]

Probably best to get another one from a breakers. They are a reasonable amount of work to replace, but not horrific. The engine, gearbox and driveshaft's can stay in place but you need to put a chock under the sump. Undo the drop links & bottom ball joints, power steering pipes and the clamp at the bottom of the steering column in the cabin. You can then undo the bottom rear engine mount & the four main bolts holding the sub frame. Then the whole subrame drops off, complete with ARB, steering rack & wishbones. Even with that lot still fitted, it's a fairly easy one-man carry.

When scouring eBay for a replacement, look for one that's been well coated from engine & gearbox oil leaks. That way, it shouldn't be a rusty one! There are lots of Multiplas going to the breakers at the moment so finding one shouldn't be difficult

 

[martyc5674]

I had to do mine last year. Got one in a breakers for 50€. From memory there are 4 bolts holding it up in the corners. You’ll need a breaker bar to crack them. Then there’s the rear engine mount.
Undo the drop links..either top or bottom whichever is easier it shouldn’t matter. And the bottom ball joints. The anti roll bar comes down with the subframe. There are 2 bolts holding the steering rack IIRC. undo these and leave the rack behind...just tie it up with some strong cable ties first and you won’t need to disconnect any pipes or the column.
No need to chock the sump either...there will be 2 engine mounts holding it all up still.
That’s about it really. I’ll have a look for the thread when I did mine and I’ll stick it on here. I think I’d it done in about 3 hours...it was much easier than I thought. I’d not put on the wishbones onto the new subframe until it’s loosely in position. Makes the whole thing easier to line back up with the balljoint when it’s lowered.
Marty.

 

[martyc5674]

Oh yeah there’s the exhaust... I effed up and took out a section...ended up shearing a bolt which cost me some time drilling and tapping. So just break it after the turbo and take the whole thing down...much easier...use some lube on the rubber mounts and “walk” them off.
Re reading my old post I actually recommend putting the wishbones back on before raising...so go with that just be careful not to snag the rubber gaiters on the ball joints off anything. A second pair of hands be handy for this part of the job.
Marty.