Technical Shocking!!

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Technical Shocking!!

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Hmmm i wonder what that squeeking noise could be. :confused:......
 

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I guess I cant complain about a 23 year old shock absorber falling apart :eek:

but its a shame as it doesnt leak and it still damps so maybe I will bodge the guard back on somehow and put up with the dying mouse at the rear of the car :D

Si
 
yes oops indeed!!

There is no leak yet so I guess that the seals have not yet failed. There is a bit of oil in the picture but that is just me wipping out the old 3 in 1 can! It also explains why there was a rattle coming from the rear too. That sheath will be bouncing around all the time as the suspension goes up and down....
....A job for tomorrow in between the other panda restoration project
 
oh yes a question...

will I have to order a 4x4 specific pair of rear dampers? Or did fiat actually use something on 2 cars in their range for a change :D

Seems unlikely though, as the cars suspension is different and the weight too.

Si
 
Just replaced my 4x4 rear shocks from a local motor factor £43 each inc VAT.
Still easily available,
 
Ive got some mk1 rear shocks brand new, but im not sure if theyre good for a 4x4 ??

Thanks for you're feedback guys!! I will try to find out if the 4x4 used different ones and get right back to you panda van. If they are, how much would you want for the pair?

Cheers,
Si

EDIT: Just a thought, but didnt the mk1 have leaf springs at the rear just like the 4x4? Or was the suspension travel different?
 
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Si, I think 4x4 rear shocks are a different length to 4x2 shocks. I'm just firing up ePER now to check for you....

Not sure if the sheath needs to be on for an MOT, you could probably get away with just cutting it off. It won't make any difference to the way it damps.
 
Well, that wasn't very helpful. I went through every model option and it just shows the omega axle on all 4x2 models from 1986 to 2003. When were the first Pandas introduced? I thought it was before 1986. Sorry Si, I can't answer your question definitively but I have a niggling suspision that they are different. petel is usually very good for technical info, hopefully he'll see this and post.
 
Well, that wasn't very helpful. I went through every model option and it just shows the omega axle on all 4x2 models from 1986 to 2003. When were the first Pandas introduced? I thought it was before 1986. Sorry Si, I can't answer your question definitively but I have a niggling suspision that they are different. petel is usually very good for technical info, hopefully he'll see this and post.

Hi, yeah dw about it. Eper only covers 86 onwards and mk1 4x4's popped into existence 1984 to early 1986. You'll be suprised how many times that I get ignored when I say to suppliers that its not a fire engine panda its pre-86. Most places dont keep records of them anymore.

I have found a very good local car accessory shop which can find bits though, and they told be earlier today that the mk1 4x4 and mk1 2wd have different shocks. Doh!!

Thanks for trying anyway, I expect that the mk2 4x4 uses the same shocks as the mk1 anyway so shouldnt be too harad to get hold of!

Cheers,
Si
 
Hey all,

Got the old grey matter fired up a moment ago... you might've seen the plooms of smoke originating from gloucestershire!!

The dampers control the sprung weight of a car and looking through my cars handbook the mk1 2wd had a rear axle and leaf spring design just like the 4x4. But correct me if I am wrong but the weight of the car above is pretty much identical to the 2wd? Or is the extra weight in the gearbox and the propshafts worth accounting for? They are quite heavy I supose, and they are sprung too. I just really want to justify why there are different part numbers really.

Any thoughts?
Si
 
They look very similar geometrically, but unless you have them both side by side i guess its hard to be sure. It might just be safer to get the ones I know are for the 4x4. £30 each I supose could be much worse...:eek:

I'll keep digging anyway

Si
 
Ah yes I see your point. Same dampers, different position on axle, and different damping effect?

Si

edit: I'm thinking that the angle may be the difference so they mount at the same point on the axle but attatch at the top to a different point on the chassis.
 
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