General Punto rear suspension

[PuntoGold]

My Punto 90 ELX has just failed MOT due to "excessive wear of rear suspension radius arm inner bearings". This is on both sides. I understand (now) that this is a common problem on Puntos. Anyone any idea what it should cost to fix?

John

John

 

[Papa P]

I've never had mine done, but I have heard prices of around £60 for this.

What age is your car...just out of interest!

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[PuntoGold]

I have a friend that services my car who used to be in the motor trade but only works part time from home now. The garage he took it to for the MOT showed him what was involved to change the radius arms, quite a big job by all account. He couldnt do the job anyhow but the garage quoted..... £600!!! FIAT dealer in Winchester is less than half at £283. So quite an expensive job.
My car is 95 M reg and done just over 50000 miles so not high.

John

 

[geert]

Normally it takes about 4 hours to replace both sides. However when the bolt whose holding the arm to the rearframe is rusted into the armbush you have to get the rearframe from under the car. Getting the rusted bolts out can take some time and swearing.
Geert

 

[RiB]

I work in a small garage we get a lot of fiats in with rear radius arm bushes gone an average price is about £25 per side + parts it works out at about £75 both sides inc parts if anyting else breaks i.e the long bolt through the bush is rusted in it may be a little more £10 per side due to labour and supply new bolts
Hope this is of some help to to you.

RiB​

 

[Papa P]

can I just ask...how do you know if the rear radius arm bushes are gone?

is there anything that the car does that would suggest this?

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[RiB]

if you park the car on level ground look at it from behind the wheels will be at a slight angle top going in.
or you can jack the car up by the body so the wheel is about 25mm off the ground put a bar/tyre lever under the wheel try to lift/rock the wheel if there is play in the radius arm the bushes have gone.
if you can get under the car whilst jacked up with wheel off the ground put a bar/tyre lever between the part of the radius arm with the bush in it and the body(under the car)and pull down if there is movment your radius arm bushes have gone.
But you should have heard a knocking noise from the rear anyway.
If you not got it ask again will try to put it a better way if you want me to hope this helps ....

RiB​

 

[RiB]

we have had fiats in....p , r , s reg with radius arm bushes gone it seems a common problem with fiat.

RiB​

 

[Papa P]

Would this cause the car to be a little uncontrollable over unsmooth roads? At speed my car tends to do what it likes when it hits bumps of the road and I've really got to fight it to keep it straight.

It seems to be the rear that starts most of the time. I'll need to have a look at the wheels later.

Oh...and its a T reg so it'll probably need done soon!

cheers!

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[RiB]

It can make the rear of the car unstable at speed and going over bumps n lumps in the road it will bobble about a bit.

RiB​

 

[Papa P]

Ah well...looks like I'll be getting them replaced then when I put the car in to get my new Spax Spring Kit fitted!

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[PuntoGold]

Interesting replies. The thing I noticed with my car was that the body seemed to move from side to side in relation to the back wheels it had even rubbed against the wheel slightly on one side!. I did look online for the parts I thought they were about £50 each. Ive had it done now by AHF Auto FIAT main dealer in Winchester, very quick and efficient, they showed 1.65 hrs labour only on the invoice and total was £60 less than they first quoted. Im surprised at how cheap in comparison others say it can be done for tho, is it posible to replace the bush only and not the whole arm? I thought not but maybe wrong...

John

 

[Papa P]

So how much did it end up costing you?

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[PuntoGold]

Originally I was quoted £600 (!!!) by the garage that did the MOT. FIAT main dealer quoted £285 which I went for as it was half what the other guy said! On collection dealer knocked off another £60, dont know why but I wasnt argiung! When the car went back for MOT they wouldnt believe main dealer could do it so cheap but when shown the invoice the guy said perhaps FIAT did it partly under warranty as its such a common fault but I think this was an excuse and his quote was an attempt at a rip off.

John

 

[Papa P]

Sounds like it was an attempt at a rip-off! After all RiB above says that his garage would take £75 to do it!

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[jw1096]

Wondering if anyone can help - just had the brake pipes done today (fiat recall) and they have said that there is some knocking - the radius arm needs checking. Can anyone describe (in girl terms) exactly what this is and roughly how much that it will cost?? It doesnt seem to be very loud or anything, but i just want it fixed before i go back to uni and have no money, and my MOT is due next month so I need to do this kind of thing! Any help would be much appreciated!!

Cheers people,

Jo xx:I

j wood

 

[magikbilly]

the radius arm is where the rear wheel joins to the car if you look at the car from behind you will see the spring and the damper if you follow the damper and spring to the bottom then where it joins is the radius arm the whole block of metal plus if you follow it back you will come to a rubber cup this is a bush fiat make a replacment modification bush to stop the knocking. the bush is about a tenner the radius arm is about 60 and labour is abou 75 each side. good luck and let me know how it goes