Technical Rear shock absorber bush - Punto mk2b 2005

[Joelz0rz]

Hi all,

Sorry to bug you all again, but I'm in need of some advise.
Since buying my 2005 Punto Mk2b, I've just gone for my first MOT.

Unfortunately it failed.

"Rear upper shock absorber has an excessively worn bush" x2

The MOT center offered to fix it for £160 - broke down into £36 per part (x2) the rest being labor. (This doesn't include the extra £22 to re-test the vehicle)

However the bloke was down to earth and said it's quite easy to fix myself "You just need to take a few bolts off and watch the springs"

Questions:

1) I'm not too sure what the "bush" is referring to - Google throws up images of a rubber end/a physical shock absorber/mixed images in other words.

I understand the shock absorber is the long cylinder.
Is the bush the upper part of it/the bottom part is it or where it bolts in on the top/bottom?

I've attached images of my car.
Unfortunately it's dark and it's been pouring for the past 2 days pretty much non stop so the quality is dreadful although looks much better minimized.

2) I'm currently calling around for quotes for the job, but is it rather simple replacing this part? I'm assuming the shock absorbers come with this "bush" as standard, so that means replacing the whole part?

If I do decide to work on it, I have two car-literate friends who should be able to help out. Although none of them have changed a shock absorber before.

3) Finally,

I had a few advisories:

"Rear coil spring corroded" (Both nearside and offisde)

"Steering arm slightly corroded but serviceable" (front - both nearside and offside)

My springs are quite corroded, how easy is this to change? By that I mean can I do this myself?

I assume they're in good nick - just looking corroded which is why they're advisorys.

However I don't believe the garage will swap them out - however I might request it (If I go down the garage route). I assume this can be easily done when doing the shock absorbers - is that correct?

Many thanks for all your help as always.
Really appreciated.
Cheers

Joel

 

[atom0007]

£160!

I got a second hand one at scrapyard for £5, ten minutes to replace, really simple.

Bush is rubber part, integral to shock absorber at either end, can't replace separately.

It's fairly unusual for those bushes to go, more often shock itself goes.

You don't have to worry about springs on back, just take wheel off, undo nuts, remove. But bottom bolt can be a nightmare.

 

[Ziggy122]

£160!!

£160 friggin quid!

Thats a pure SWIZ

The bottom bolts can often seize in due to rust, so with an impact gun and oil possibly heat you may be able to work the buggers out

if the snap, the hole is big enough for you to nut and bolt it instead, but its 10x easier if the bolt survives

Ebay for 2seconds got this

for £40 you can 2x New shock absorbers, with new bush's already as there not replaceable, Better then 2nd as they could fail in 1months time
Risk you take


Ziggy

 

[atom0007]

Swapping the springs is a separate job from replacing the shocks.

I personally would inspect springs, iif they look ok, clean up and paint.

 

[fingers99]

For the bushes, you could either get new dampers or see if any of the manufacturers of polyurethane bushes, see if they have anything to suit. But, hell, it's a bog standard old Punto, the rear shocks will be well past their best, I'd just replace. If it's just a cooking car, shop around for the best deal on cheap ones.

For the springs, I'd visit the scrappy with a breaker bar or two in hand. Try and get some decent looking ones off the same model Punto.

To refit, lots of a real penetrating oil -- Plus Gas or GT-85 by choice -- on the bolts a few days (and every day after) before you start. eurocarcare.net will have replacement bolts (but the website is such a mess at the moment that I'd ring or Skype Big Mick).

The process is identical to that described in the Cinq/Sei guides.

 

[Joelz0rz]

Thanks for the responses - was just looking up guides.
Happened to have been reading Ziggy122's guide - is your car a Mk2/Mk2b?

I'm on a slight time limit with my car and road tax ending at the end of this month. So I've got under 13 days to fit and get everything sorted.

So the general consensus is, £160 is a **** take.
(Sorry if I'm repeating things, just want to be crystal clear!)

I'll buy new rear shock absorbers - these will come with the "bushes" integrated.

So simply put I need to:

Jack up my car, remove the wheel.
Remove the top bolt which holds the rear shocks in place
Remove the second bolt which holds the bottom part.

Take shock out, place new one in and follow the instructions in reverse.
Then slowly test drive and hope for the best.


Ziggy, can I quickly ask you another question (hope you don't mind me asking here)

In your guide here:
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-gui...tting-checking-rear-shock-absorber-gars6.html

"If you decided to lay you shocks flat, you'll need to re-prime them
Ie complete 2 full movements to allow the air to sit at the top out the way

If you have a New shock - again they will need priming, so complete 2 movements"

Being new shocks, I'm going to need to prime them.
Don't suppose you can give me a quick run-down of what to do?

I assume you mean manually open/close two times with your hands before putting it in your car, or have I just completely miss-understood it?

Many thanks for the responses as always.

 

[atom0007]

I'd have a go at the bottom bolt before jacking the car up, you can get access. If it's a total nightmare, advice as above, roll your sleeves up and crack on. Make sure you use a 6 sided socket

 

[Joelz0rz]

Swapping the springs is a separate job from replacing the shocks.

I personally would inspect springs, if they look ok, clean up and paint.

Thanks I'm assuming the clean up/paint would mean I would need to take them off? After doing some research I see it's a slight pain to take off and put back in - you need some special tool by the looks of things to compact the spring down.

Once it's stopped pissing down with rain, I'll take a photo once it's dry.
The best way for me to explain the look of them is that the outer coated layer is flaking off.

Definitely a separate job though.

 

[Ziggy122]

Prim'ing a shock is really simple

but the bottom to the ground and in a vertical position, then literally, push the shock to the shortest position and then to the largest position, repeat twice

This allows the air sit at the top out the way

You lay the shock down, the fluid inside mixes with the air again

literally pump it up and down all the way 2ice

ziggy

 

[atom0007]

do what you can with a wire brush and hammerite, take off the blown powder coating

 

[Joelz0rz]

Just went through my MOT receipt a second time and I've just discovered a second page with more information.

I had a brake advisory:

Measurements:
"Brakes Advisories: RBT Service Brake Efficiency: 80%"

Instantly I just assumed the brake pads were a bit worn/dusty and therefor not 100% and as it was an advisory I wasn't too concerned, which was reinforced by the garage saying nothing else was really to worry about.

But on the next page, I see further information which the bloke didn't point out to me at the time:

"Service Brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair".

I've just looked on the direct gov (UK) site and the minimum Service Brake efficiency is 58%

Anyone got an idea on what that means?

Does that simply refer to brake pads not being fully operational, or do I have a slight issue somewhere? The pads were cleaned around 3 months ago and still had life in them.

Thanks again for your assistance again.
I had a feeling my first MOT was going to be a pain.. I just knew it..

Service Brake Efficiency
For “M1” vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2010 the minimum service brake efficiency is
increased to 58%. “M1” in the MOT scheme means passenger vehicles with 4 or more wheels (except
quadricycles) and not more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat,

 

[fingers99]

Probably does indicate nothing more than the pads (possibly the disks) need changing and the fluid bleeding. Check the disks and pads for uneven wear.

Still, you can wait a little.

 

[puntoboy27]

That garage will be on cowboy traders if its charging that much for simple jobs like that!! When I did my shocks I just replaced the whole shocks costing me around 40/50 for 2 since I get parts at retail price ! Must be a common problem on puntos because my shock bush was absolutely shagged !

 

[Brendan W]

"Brakes Advisories: RBT Service Brake Efficiency: 80%"
"Service Brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair".

I had a feeling my first MOT was going to be a pain.. I just knew it..

Could that 80 be a 60 ? It would explain the advisory. 80% is quite good and would not be an advisory unless there was significant imbalance between sides. Do you have brake force numbers for each wheel?
As for the £160 - he's probably looking at the lower screws on the shocks and remembers all to well the pig of a job the last ones were. They look nasty.
You could buy new shocks and springs for half that amount.
First MOT is always going to be potentially an out of control experience - get's more manageable as the various bits are sorted.

 

[Ziggy122]

If you went down the spring route - they are £30 a pair on ebay

ziggy