Technical Rear bump stops about to fall out due to corrosion

[AAB1992]

Having successfully sorted the oil leak, now my attention turns to a more sinister issue.

The underbody of the car is in great condition for the age and mileage (2004 165K) aside from the turrets that mount the bump-stops for the rear suspension. Both already have holes in and barely hold the bump stops in place.

I've seen this issue has been covered before but I have a few questions.

Would it be possible to drive without them until a permanent solution is found?
Finding a donor car for spares would be the way to go but has anyone had any luck just welding the affected area in situ?
Can anyone recommend a garage in Yorkshire as its beyond my remit welding.

Seems a massive shame to scrap the car for such a small area of corrosion.

Thank you.

 

[koalar]

Yes they can be repaired, welded in situ, just needs a couple of bolts undoing

Normally just needs a plate. It's hard to assess without seeing how bad it is

It's fairly safe to drive one up front

It's fairly dangerous with three adults in the rear

I would temporarily silicone in place if it's just the hole that's now too big

Yorkshire garages I can't help with

 

[AAB1992]

Yes they can be repaired, welded in situ, just needs a couple of bolts undoing

Normally just needs a plate. It's hard to assess without seeing how bad it is

It's fairly safe to drive one up front

It's fairly dangerous with three adults in the rear

I would temporarily silicone in place if it's just the hole that's now too big

Yorkshire garages I can't help with

I’ll try and get a picture without pulling them out completely for now. I can see metal is beginning to break off it’s become that weak.

For the vast majority of the time it’s just me driving or with an odd passenger in the front. It’s not my main car anymore, more of an ongoing project and I no longer drive the panda during winter to prevent any corrosion getting worse.

 

[koalar]

The suspension has two different spring rates at the rear

The first the standard coils are quite soft for better ride when not carrying any weight

The bump stops aren't just bump.stops,.and are dual purpose, a stiffer rate spring for when carrying weight and a way to stop metal to metal contact

In normal driving one up front, the axle never touches the bump stops

It's a cheaper option similar to progressive springs

The problem with removing the bump stops, is if there is metal to metal contact, unlikely one up, the spring rate suddenly jumps effecting the handling in an unpredictable way

 

[rmjbn1]

I've been running with one for over a year...
...but I agree should ideally be repaired.

My plan is as above, weld a plate over the end of the turret, I've seen a few repairs on this forum doing exactly that. Fairly simple repair and good as new.

There are a couple of recommendations for Leeds and Huddersfield here:

Garages

www.fiatforum.com

I would just find out where the back street indy garages are near you, take a walk around and pop into one that looks right for a chat

 

[AAB1992]

Yes they can be repaired, welded in situ, just needs a couple of bolts undoing

Normally just needs a plate. It's hard to assess without seeing how bad it is

It's fairly safe to drive one up front

It's fairly dangerous with three adults in the rear

I would temporarily silicone in place if it's just the hole that's now too big

Yorkshire garages I can't help with

Apologies for the delay. N/S is worse than O/S

 

[koalar]

Assuming the top of the turret is solid, it will plate fine

Still not cheap when you add it all up

Putting on the lift springs and bump stops removing
Some plate steel
Cutting out and preparing
Consumables, cutting discs, grinding discs
cutting out new piece
Welding up
Consumables, wire and gas
Clean up
Primer
Stone chip


In a garage it's tying up their lift for several hours, where as the can do multiple brake shoes, shocks, services and so on in the same time, they are likely to quote fairly high if they are fully booked, because they don't want the job

An out of the way garage, fabrication, body repair.or freelance type company, might give you a better quote

It's pot luck, probably a fair bit for driving and or ringing around


I know your going to ask how much is a reasonable cost

1 don't know, a simple plate over a sill hole is £50 a proper outer sill repair £150, a proper outer sill repair plus, inner sill repair £350-750 depends how bad, that per side plus VAT, around here


I'd estimate the time involved for both would be about the same as one proper sill repair, I might be out, but I don't think I could be miles out, time wise

 

[koalar]

Looks like it drills off fine, and plug welds from a donor car


I am surprised I can't find a pattern part, I can for virtually every other fiat

But not for the

Panda
500
KA mk2

 

[AAB1992]

View attachment 473001View attachment 473002


Looks like it drills off fine, and plug welds from a donor car


I am surprised I can't find a pattern part, I can for virtually every other fiat

But not for the

Panda
500
KA mk2

If only it was a job I could tackle myself!

I suspect many older cars will suffer with this. Do you think later panda models from 2012 would share the exact shape and dimensions?

I would happy pay someone to do a quality job like that as I’d like to keep the car for as long as possible and get to 200k!