Technical Rear axle replaced

[ambiant]

Okay, this is my first post, although I have read a lot of posts on this forum over time.

Anyway, I have a 2008 Fiat Panda dynamic 1.2, and drove over a deep pothole. The force fractured my rear axle and the drivers side spring cup support on the axle cracked and hung worryingly at about 45 degrees towards the floor.

So I had to bite the bullet and replace the axle with a brand new axle. This has been done. From the original axle, I had to salvage the triangular axle support brackets that attach to the body with 3 bolts and I also salvaged the stub axle/brake drum components. Brake pipes, hoses, coil springs and the like were renewed. All bolts have been torqued.

However, my question is in relation to the highest point of the rear wing to the floor. I have seen the Fiat repair manual and it says it should be 626mm. My measurements read about 670mm. I'm wondering whether in fact my ride height is in fact too high or whether this is a standard measurement?

If my height is too high... will this mean I need to jack up my car onto axle stands, loosen the axle-to-axle mounting support bracket bolt (both passenger and drivers side), lower car to ground and then torque them again to 115nm?

Advice most appreciated!

 

[timmycm850]

Always torque up the bolts and fixings including the shock mounts whilst at road height.

 

[DaveMcT]

The axle spring pans corrode fastest about an inch away from the welds - stress corrosion. They can be repaired but pattern axles are now cheap so just replace. When I did mine I took the support triangles off the car. It's just easiest that way.

I also replaced the brake lines from underbody joint to the brake with a braided stainless hose. Two couplings and no worries about rubber hoses ever again. Cost is about £30 per side. Careful use of anti-seize paste on the threads avoids the ferrous ends suffering with galvanic corrosion.

 

[koalar]

Always torque up the bolts and fixings including the shock mounts whilst at road height.

I to always leave the shock loose and lower the car to the ground


there just enough room with the wheels on



although I have only tried with 155/80r14


the gap from the top of the tyre to wheel arch is around the size of my fist

 

[DaveMcT]

The shock-absorber top mounts are easy to cross-thread and the self-cleaning tips will easily screw up the threads in the car body. Fit them first leaving 1/2 turn loose. Fit the bottom bolts, jack up the swing arm until the car body lifts off the axle stands and then tighten both bolts. Lower the jack and repeat on the other side.

 

[koalar]

The shock-absorber top mounts are easy to cross-thread and the self-cleaning tips will easily screw up the threads in the car body. Fit them first leaving 1/2 turn loose. Fit the bottom bolts, jack up the swing arm until the car body lifts off the axle stands and then tighten both bolts. Lower the jack and repeat on the other side.

way too high if you jack up the arm until it lifts off the stand ????


Why over complicate it. There enough room to tighten both bolts with the car on its wheels and lowered to the ground. It has to be right ??? And you will be doing this anyhow.

 

[koalar]

Okay, this is my first post, although I have read a lot of posts on this forum over time.

Anyway, I have a 2008 Fiat Panda dynamic 1.2, and drove over a deep pothole. The force fractured my rear axle and the drivers side spring cup support on the axle cracked and hung worryingly at about 45 degrees towards the floor.

So I had to bite the bullet and replace the axle with a brand new axle. This has been done. From the original axle, I had to salvage the triangular axle support brackets that attach to the body with 3 bolts and I also salvaged the stub axle/brake drum components. Brake pipes, hoses, coil springs and the like were renewed. All bolts have been torqued.

However, my question is in relation to the highest point of the rear wing to the floor. I have seen the Fiat repair manual and it says it should be 626mm. My measurements read about 670mm. I'm wondering whether in fact my ride height is in fact too high or whether this is a standard measurement?

If my height is too high... will this mean I need to jack up my car onto axle stands, loosen the axle-to-axle mounting support bracket bolt (both passenger and drivers side), lower car to ground and then torque them again to 115nm?

Advice most appreciated!

full fuel tank ???

 

[The Panda Nut]

40mm or so too high is not right. I would be concerned. I will measure ours and post the ground to wheel arch measurement. Where did you buy the axle from. It is possible that something has not gone back right or the axles is not correctly made. I think you should check it out carefully ion case the cars handling as badly affected. How does it drive?

 

[jrkitching]

However, my question is in relation to the highest point of the rear wing to the floor. I have seen the Fiat repair manual and it says it should be 626mm. My measurements read about 670mm. I'm wondering whether in fact my ride height is in fact too high or whether this is a standard measurement?

Rear ride height is very load dependent, but 670mm is definitely too high.

Here's mine, 11yrs old and >100k, everything untouched since leaving the factory. About a quarter of a tank of fuel.

As others have said, leave the final tightening until the full weight of the car is on its wheels.

 

[DaveMcT]

The 500 axle (with integral anti roll bar) is laterally stiffer than the 169 axle so has to be used with softer springs from the 500. It rides very high and hard with Panda springs. I used the spring top rubbers at both ends of the springs to correct the ride height.

It's possible that a pattern 169 axle is stiffer than OEM so will need softer springs.

 

[ambiant]

Thanks for the replies.

I have measured all wheel arches around my panda after removing front axle stands and all wheels to ground. Fuel tank was empty so have filled it up.

Measurement is now 640mm all wheels front and back. Didn't realise measurement would be affected so much with front end in the air and no fuel in tank.

The axle was from IM Axles and is definitely an improvement on the piece of rusty metal that I took off, although the worst part of changing the axle was getting the brake pipes separated. Hence, I needed to replace almost all the brake pipes and they weren't cheap.

Car drives much better over bumpy roads/potholes. Feels much more solid.

 

[DaveMcT]

I went for braided hoses as one 600mm long hose at each side does it all from main body underfloor to brake. To avoid twisting the metal pipe, you have to cut the original rubber hose and spin the fragment off the flare nut. The nut can then be warmed with a piggy lighter to soften the plastic sheath. Once it's free, protect the exposed metal with a good dose of copper grease.

However you "can" ignore the stuck flare nut issue, because braided hoses have a loose male fitting that you can fit up without spinning the whole hose. It's stainless to stainless so a smear of anti-seize on the spigot and threads always makes sense.

 

[Decronium]

The genius of the oe brake pipe is steel unions on ally pipe. I replaced them from the front (Couplers just under passenger) to the beam with cunifer. Good point about the braided hoses though, almost worth the extra just for that.

 

[jrkitching]

Measurement is now 640mm all wheels front and back. Didn't realise measurement would be affected so much with front end in the air and no fuel in tank.

Glad you've got it sorted.

As I posted earlier, the rear ride height is very load dependent. Put a few bags of sand in the boot and it'll practically bottom out the rear suspension. On those occasions when I do need to carry something heavy, I generally fold the seats, keep the load as far forward as possible, and do it when the fuel tank is nearly empty.

The Panda is a great little load carrier, providing you are sensible about how you load it.

 

[DaveMcT]

The genius of the oe brake pipe is steel unions on ally pipe. I replaced them from the front (Couplers just under passenger) to the beam with cunifer. Good point about the braided hoses though, almost worth the extra just for that.

I had thought the pipes are aluminium, but they are actually zinc plated steel with a plastic coating. Check them with a magnet. The zinc oxidises just enough under the flare nuts to lift the plastic layers and jam the nuts in place.

I went for braided hoses on the 100HP because it has two rubber hoses at each side so the costs were not "that" much more. But at £30 per side less the cost of rubbers and much less hassle made them a no-brainer. Check out the costs they make sense in all sorts of ways. Though Ive never needed to do any more work on the brake pipes.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I had thought the pipes are aluminium, but they are actually zinc plated steel with a plastic coating. Check them with a magnet. The zinc oxidises just enough under the flare nuts to lift the plastic layers and jam the nuts in place.

I went for braided hoses on the 100HP because it has two rubber hoses at each side so the costs were not "that" much more. But at £30 per side less the cost of rubbers and much less hassle made them a no-brainer. Check out the costs they make sense in all sorts of ways. Though Ive never needed to do any more work on the brake pipes.

D'you know Dave, I've seen a number of posts on here about the brake pipes being aluminium. I've never come across aluminium brake pipes on any car, and that's more than a few, I've ever worked on. My own Panda's are obviously steel - they rusted! I've been reluctant to raise this before because who am I to say I think aluminium pipes are unlikely, so I've been emboldened by your post here. Therefore can I ask if anyone knows for sure whether some of the Pandas - maybe other models too for all I know - do use aluminium pipes? Just seems unlikely to me?

 

[DaveMcT]

If I ever need to replace an under-body brake pipe I will strongly consider braided stainless lines right back to the ABS unit. Time will tell of course. Everything for now looks just fine.