General rusty top monts anyone?

[mitchc3]

OK - the deed is done. For the record, and to help other people tackle this job, this is the sequence.

These are the front suspension mounts. Note the corrosion after only 12 months and 6000 miles.

The Vaseline on the screw thread seems to have survived the winter, but the metal plate catches all the rain and mess that falls straight through the ventilation holes. I cleaned away the grot with a small wire brush, applied Loctite Rust Remedy, then coated the whole top mount with a generous coat of Waxoyl.
This is how FIAT engineered the suspension mounts on my wife's Cinquencento. (Designed 20 years ago and protected by rubber caps AND the bonnet).

The diameter of the rubber ring on the suspension mount is near enough identical on both 500 and Cinq. The main difference is the actual height of the suspension attachment assembly. This means that the Cinq rubber cap is too deep. I decided to leave the lower curly "brim" and reduce the height of the skirt to just a few millimetres using a pair of kitchen scissors. I put more Waxoyl on the inner locating ring, and the cap then easily stretched into place. (But watch your knuckles on the metal edges). You can tell it's properly located when it snaps into place.

I don't know the exact function of the lower "brim" - structural or cosmetic - but I decided to keep it as it covers the hole around the suspension mounting point, which is another water trap.
I purchased new caps from Big Mick at Eurocarcare http://www.eurocarcare.net/ but old ones from a scrapper would probably still be in good condition. New caps are just over a fiver each, which I hope will be a good investment as I hope to keep the car for many years yet.

 

[ru500]

I noticed today that the drainage hole at the base of the drivers side wiper is directly above the top mount. This is draining around half of the water falling onto the windscreen when parked into the top mount.

I have made a new drainage hole to the right of this away from the top mount and blocked the old drainage hole with silicon. Hopefully this will stop the top mount filling with water.

 

[weekesj]

I hate my car because of this problem. Ok, Fiat replaced my top mounts the first time out of goodwill but as long as I keep the car, the top mounts will need replacing regularly as they are constantly full of water from when it rains or I wash the car. Fiat are not interested in stopping the water from getting under the bonnet so the problem will always be there. They did spray some grease on the new ones, but that has already worn off. I also have rust spots around the glass roof inside the car. I will have to sell the car which is only just 2 years old. I cant keep a car which is going to cost me a lot of money all of the time.

 

[306maxi]

huh? The water doesn't affect the operation of the suspension. if you don't like rust then don't look at the suspension on any car that's been through a few British winters.

 

[frupi]

I hate my car because of this problem. Ok, Fiat replaced my top mounts the first time out of goodwill but as long as I keep the car, the top mounts will need replacing regularly as they are constantly full of water from when it rains or I wash the car. Fiat are not interested in stopping the water from getting under the bonnet so the problem will always be there. They did spray some grease on the new ones, but that has already worn off.

Like I said in a previous post, I just cut the bottoms off a couple of 1 litre fizzy pop bottles and placed them over the mounts after having coated the threads in vaseline. I haven't had a problem with water pooling in the mounts since.

 

[306maxi]

Like I said in a previous post, I just cut the bottoms off a couple of 1 litre fizzy pop bottles and placed them over the mounts after having coated the threads in vaseline. I haven't had a problem with water pooling in the mounts since.

Why take simple measures to combat an issue when you can "hate" the car instead? :idea:

 

[RobW]

Why take simple measures to combat an issue when you can "hate" the car instead? :idea:

indeed

Give it a damn good thrashing!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv0onXhyLlE

 

[306maxi]

indeed

Give it a damn good thrashing!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv0onXhyLlE

hehe

Just seems to me that some people make a huge effort to dislike their car rather than thinking about it logically and just enjoying the car. Weekesj is complaining about 3 things

"rust" on the glass of the sunroof, think about that matey. Glass doesn't rust
Rusty top mount washers. If you're THAT bothered about it then put something over it.
The inside of the screen freezing. We've had some pretty cold days over the last 3 winters. If you heat the inside of the car up to tropical temperatures then the interior is going to hold onto more moisture and at some point that moisture is going to condense and freeze, that's the way things go. Man up and wear a jacket or a jumper and it won't be such an issue.

Getting rid of a car for such small issues/non-issues is hilarious.

 

[RobW]

Getting rid of a car for such small issues/non-issues is hilarious.

i think the heart of the issue is that younger drivers are spoilt with how good cars are

my first 3 cars were all utter ****boxes, things improved when I started buying Fiats though

 

[frupi]

i think the heart of the issue is that younger drivers are spoilt with how good cars are

my first 3 cars were all utter ****boxes, things improved when I started buying Fiats though

Hehe, still never in my life going to forget the three cars I learnt to drive in over the space of a year back in '85/'86, an Allegro, a Hillman Avenger and a Vauxhall Viva. Not three cars you could exactly feel 'spoilt' in.

 

[306maxi]

i think the heart of the issue is that younger drivers are spoilt with how good cars are

my first 3 cars were all utter ****boxes, things improved when I started buying Fiats though

Pretty much!

The heater in my 131 never worked as my dad had bypassed it because it was stuck on......

My 406 was a heap but I still loved it

 

[frupi]

Today I did away with the pop bottle bottoms I had been using to cover the front suspension top mounts and I replaced them with a pair of Cinquecento rubber mount covers I got off a guy on ebay who breaks Cinquecento's. Cost me £7.50 for the pair, delivered.

I would have taken a photo, but they look exactly like these from caz360's original post back in 2009:

https://www.fiatforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=69329&d=1255011744

https://www.fiatforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=69330&d=1255011744

I haven't cut any rubber off the ones I put on ours. They still fit just fine. Thanks to caz360 by the way for an inspired idea. I appreciate it.

What's more, I'm not using foreign parts - the car remains fully, a Fiat!

I found them a bit fiddly to fit 'cause I couldn't get the retainers out of the plastic cowling and I've got massive hands). Anyway, they should stop any water getting in the top mounts now. Bonus is they look so much better than two wobbly bits of plastic!

 

[chas379]

Big Mick proved very helpful and the Cinq caps arrived overnight after my placing an order by phone. Cost was about a fiver each. I'll have a go at fitting them tomorrow. Thanks for the idea and the contact. Much appreciated.

I'm interested in getting hold of a couple of these, can anyone supply the contact details for Mick ??

 

[306maxi]

I would have taken a photo, but they look exactly like these from caz360's original post back in 2009:

https://www.fiatforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=69329&d=1255011744

https://www.fiatforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=69330&d=1255011744

I'm very much a fan of not posting duplicate pictures hence why there's no members motors thread for my car. There are plenty of BNW 500's out there, lots with side rubbing strips and 16" multispokes so why add pictures of another one?

 

[wellfan]

Part number 7692457. £5.32 each + VAT from local Fiat dealer. Total £11.49 including 10% Arnold Clark discount.
http://eper.fiatforum.com/eper/navi...=3&WINDOW_ID=1&SGRP_COD=1&SGS_COD=0&DRW_NUM=2

 

[chas379]

Part number 7692457. £5.32 each + VAT from local Fiat dealer. Total £11.49 including 10% Arnold Clark discount.
http://eper.fiatforum.com/eper/navi...=3&WINDOW_ID=1&SGRP_COD=1&SGS_COD=0&DRW_NUM=2

Thanks for the information, but they could not help as I live too far away. However found a link for Eurocarcare and did on line with PayPal £11.77 for the pair.

http://www.eurocarcare.net/front-suspension/7692457.html

 

[wellfan]

Thanks for the information, but they could not help as I live too far away. However found a link for Eurocarcare and did on line with PayPal £11.77 for the pair.

http://www.eurocarcare.net/front-suspension/7692457.html

Coming in at £15.22 delivered for me. How did you manage to get them for £11.77?
I would order them, save me a trip to Fiat dealership.

 

[chas379]

Coming in at £15.22 delivered for me. How did you manage to get them for £11.77?
I would order them, save me a trip to Fiat dealership.

Apologies I forgot to add on Delivery which brings it to the same as you. They only had 2 left in stock, but must say 30 mins after ordering I received an e-mail to say order was dispatched.:worship:

My local dealer's parts dept. are a bit on the slow side and can be unreliable at times, unlike the servicing team who are very good. Hence mail,order for these items was my best option.

 

[chas379]

Apologies I forgot to add on Delivery which brings it to the same as you. They only had 2 left in stock, but must say 30 mins after ordering I received an e-mail to say order was dispatched.

20 hrs after ordering, they were delivered by 1st Class recorded

2 mins work and a snug fit without having to modify

 

[weekesj]

To Caz360 Thank you very much for your tip. I went to a car breakers today and found what you suggested. My top mounts are now protected from the rain and hopefully these new ones will not rust like the original ones did. You have saved me a lot of money, I now wont have to keep replacing the top mounts. All I need now is to get a solution to my interior roof. I have loads of rust colour dots on the fabric of my roof and they are increasing in number every week. Fiat Ancaster doesnt want to know about it.