Technical Strut Towers

[adlarplant]

Just replaced the front struts on my MY11 Ducato and found the rhs totally cracked away to the point of i dont know how it didnt push through and the lhs just starting to crack while i admit i dont baby it and shes done a few kms im wondering if anyone else has seen it or has reinforced the towers finally does anyone know if there is an eccentric top mount available to make wheel alignments easier Cheers adam

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi Adam,

Do you mean the top of the front strut assembly ?,
or the structural part of the inner-wing? ?,

do I take it your are over 500K clicks now? - good news for us "occasional drivers",

Charlie

 

[adlarplant]

547000kms now works been slow at the end of the financial year and yes the top of the strut tower/fender/body good thing i know someone that can weld in awkward places finished up fabricating 6mm plates to put on top of the fiat alloy pieces which are hollow to spread the weight over a larger area cant complain too much 547000kms out of factory units

 

[varesecrazy]

As you say that's a lot more than some will cover in a lifetime..,

so you made-up an oversize 6mm CAP to site on the top of the Strut itself - spreading the forces over larger area of the inner wing / body. did I read that right..?,

sounds good to me !!,
Charlie

 

[adlarplant]

thats the idea will check every service now to see if it works as planned

 

[varesecrazy]

out of interest what frequency is a "service" for you ( in KM's and Weeks..??),
thanks,
Charlie

 

[adlarplant]

engine oil and filter air filter and pollen filter every 22000 to 25000kms coolant and gearbox oil every feb or yearly im using cat coolant as ive a mixed fleet of vehicles and it suits everything and is about a 1/4 the price and ive found that australian spec ford power steering fluid is the same as as the fiat spec gearbox oil and synthetic and also about 1/5 price im also about to switch over to fleetgard oil filters as well $14 compared to $85 being an ex cummins mechanic i know their quality on a side note the shortest service interval was 29 days my local dealer looks after me

 

[ecunotemu]

ive found that australian spec ford power steering fluid is the same as as the fiat spec gearbox oil and synthetic and also about 1/5 price

Interesting have you used that power steering fluid in the gearbox the last two years?

 

[adlarplant]

i most certainly have as well as cat coolant and fleetgard oil filters as well cheers Adam

 

[K333fer]

engine oil and filter air filter and pollen filter every 22000 to 25000kms coolant and gearbox oil every feb or yearly im using cat coolant as ive a mixed fleet of vehicles and it suits everything and is about a 1/4 the price and ive found that australian spec ford power steering fluid is the same as as the fiat spec gearbox oil and synthetic and also about 1/5 price im also about to switch over to fleetgard oil filters as well $14 compared to $85 being an ex cummins mechanic i know their quality on a side note the shortest service interval was 29 days my local dealer looks after me

Crikey do you only switch it off for servicing !!!
I know of a fleet of small vans over here in the uk that cover in excess of 200,000 miles a year the only time they are switched off is for fuel and servicing