General Rear creaking noise

[sunflower888]

Hi All

I'm new here. I have an old Fiat Punto and it has a loud creaky noise from the rear left. I took it to the local garage and they have said that the rear suspension axle needs changing that the shock absorber too was needed on both sides, but as the shock absorber fluid was dry it had likely affected the axle and so it was worn due to age.

They have quoted the shock absorbers to be £152 (for 2) and the rear axle arm part of the suspension they are going to get back to me, but think it will be about £250.

Does that sound right, because £400 is more than the value of the car!!! I've had the car for a long time, kind of attached to it!

Any suggestions? Thank you.

 

[Eklipze3k]

Assuming the £152 for the shocks includes labour that's a pretty good price. I can't see why they need to replace (I assume) the swinging arms though, but I also don't think they're available as new parts because they almost never need replaced. If they are fubar (which I doubt) then 2nd hand ones should be fine. The part I think they're talking about is #7 in the below picture.

 

[sunflower888]

Yes thats the kwik fit normal price for the shock abs x2 inc labour.

Yes its that part, but he seemed to say that the whole arm to the wheel hub needs to be changed due to age. But it was only when he held that part and pushed it up and down did it creak. Thanks

Whats fubar?

 

[Eklipze3k]

I think it'll just be the bushes creaking, they're a lot cheaper to replace than £400! Get out of KwikFit for a start though, where in the country are you?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fubar

 

[sunflower888]

South Herts/NW London

Can the creaky bush be fixed??? (That doesnt sound right, excuse the puns!)

 

[Eklipze3k]

It's a replacement job, ~£40 a side for the parts, quite time consuming though. Well, it was on my Seicento anyway, suspect it'd be similar for the Punto. Possibly some local folks can suggest somewhere a bit more trustworthy to go than KwikFit, or may even be able to do it themselves.

 

[dumbledore]

Creaky noise from the rear on punto mk1 from my experience is always due to a failing radious arm bearing. The bearing can be replaced by replacing the whole arm or buying a bearing kit. If the bearing is left worn into the arm for too long time the kit cannot be used and a new arm will be required. If you lift the rear wheel were the noise comes from and rock the wheel 9-3 position and you feel movement then the radious arm bearing is confirmed to be bad.

 

[portland_bill]

This is a common failure on mk1 Punto. As well as the bush kit, or new arms, there used to be reconditioned arms available, but I can't fiind these now.

Eurocarparts list the rear arms complete at about £55 each, and rear shocks at £23 each. Suspension repair kits on Ebay range around £12-£15.

Find a better repairer and let them advise whether arm or kit will fix it.

 

[tinytim]

I replaced the radius arm bearings on my Mk 1 at 190,000m (had car from new); it was very difficult ot remove the old bearing; also I had to get a second hand radius arm as the bolt holding the anti roll bar sheared off; it is doable by someone with patience and reasonable skill; shock absorber replacement is easy but the top connection on the beam axle is often corroded; if using recon arms then the hub has to be removed but not if replacing bearings; this job is quite involved and brake pipes etc need to be disconnected. Frankly, I would suggest getting a mechanic to do it.
If doing it yourself I would take the oppportunity to:
check?replace handbrake cables; brake shoes; wheel cylinders; brake drums; brake hoses; also the rear brake pipes corrode (were subject to a recall) and are best replaced with copper ones.
You will also need a spring compressor and may need to replace the rubber inserts where the springs fit.
Clean and anti-rust paint everything you can get at...
Good Luck!

 

[sunflower888]

Hiya, how much would the labour be at a guess?

So interesting, just had the MOT done today, and it failed on the arm and bush (rear). I have been quoted £120+vat.

Last year I got a fair amount of welding done (the only issue) and expected it to be fine this year, so was surprised to be told by the same garage that it needs welding again, and being quoted £130+vat which I am surprised at given they did it last year!! The guy said its something to do with it then occurring on nearby areas causing oxidizing? I'm a bit concerned about the seemingly added on further welding needed when it was done last year. Is this normal?

Bizarrely they did not find any problem with the shock absorbers, yet Kwik Fit looked at them and said both had failed and the fluid had gone. (While I was in the queue they also said that to another female customer with a suzuki car).

Oh and while they were doing the MOT they apparently managed to snap the handbrake cable! So they have said they will fix it and charge me only for the part, £22 apparently. :?

Im trying to work out whether it's worth fixing the car or not now....

 

[peterainbow]

me i just replace my shockers ( £60 for pair and that was the expensive option, but quick)

and all creaking has gone

easy job to do, just 2 bolts on each, well easy as in tools/skill, but lying on floor in 25degrees wasn't fun...

so i'd get them done first and see...

 

[sunflower888]

[/QUOTE]

easy job to do, just 2 bolts on each, well easy as in tools/skill, but lying on floor in 25degrees wasn't fun...

so i'd get them done first and see...[/QUOTE]

- I think mine is like one mentioned above, as there is play when you turn the wheel, which means I think it's the arm too.

 

[liggo55]

Have same problem so took car for an early MOT (at a council run test centre) would recomend.All they do is MOT so have no issue getting any extra work. Was shown under car shockers were passable (if I had not pointed out the fact of creaking it would not have been picked up).Was suggested disconect shockers and lift swinging arms up to check for normal movement.In the case of my car the drivers side had normal swing while the kerbside is stiff.Could be just the shockers so am having them replaced at National Tyres for a price of £136.00p.Will get the arms checked before new shockers fitted. Hope this helps anyone with same problem.