Hello, having issues with my Fiat 500. I've recently had the dreaded knocking and creaking noise when turning the steering wheel. A few months prior to the noise I'd changed the bottom arms and drop links. The shockers started leaking so i recently replaced the front shocks aswell as the top mounts and plates. The creaking and clunking os still present and driving me mad. So i cleaned and regreased the steering knuckle. Which stopped the clunking noise. Just the other day i disconnected the drop links started turning the steering and the creaking noise stopped. I'm now thinking the D bushes are knackered on the sway bar. Unfortunately for this vehicle the bushes are welded into the bar so you need to replace the bar. Has anybody had this issue? Its driving me insane. Been looking online and you need to drop the subframe to remove the sway bar. An i missing anything? I've tried greasing the bushes and the creaking has sort of stopped. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks
Technical Sway Bar Help!
- Thread starter Nbhad
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Technical Sway Bar Help!
Hi
So you greased the steering joint.. 50% better
Uncoupling droplinks cuts out the rest..
Did I read that correctly?
Given how cheap new drop links are (£12 A pair) replace again, one of ours lasted only 12 months and 6k.
Having replaced "everything " on our front suspension I still have a noise over certain bumps, I wonder if my noise is the springs on the spring cups(No plastic end coverings on the springs.
Try some spray grease on your bushings that said creaking tends to be metal on metal no rubber bushings
Having replaced "everything " on our front suspension I still have a noise over certain bumps, I wonder if my noise is the springs on the spring cups(No plastic end coverings on the springs.
Try some spray grease on your bushings that said creaking tends to be metal on metal no rubber bushings
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I think they mean the ARB rubbers have given way..
but they are not slide ons.. but a part of the ARB
but they are not slide ons.. but a part of the ARB
I've checked for play in the drop links and its been less than 6 months since I've replaced them. I thought drop links only cause a knocking noise not a creaking sound. Someone once told me if your ARB bushes are on their way out the sway starts to rust. Mines is really heavily rusted.
I greased the ARB bushes yesterday with lithium white grease and the creaking has pretty much disappeared. You can hear the odd knock going over bumps which makes me think its has to be the sway bar that needs changing. N
Are they definitely not shown on the parts diagrams..?
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Yes, the anti roll bar and bushes are one part number. 51857019
There's a trick to packing out worn D bushes on anti roll bars but I'm not sure you can get at the ones on these without first removing the bar from the car.
What tends to happen is the bush wears so now does the bar and you get some movement that causes the creak and knock.
The trick is to undo the bush clamp and slide the bush along and wind a turn or two of electrical tape tightly to the bar were the bushes fit. Then refit the bushes over the tape.
It works a treat if you get the tape tight, even and smooth to the bar.
There's a trick to packing out worn D bushes on anti roll bars but I'm not sure you can get at the ones on these without first removing the bar from the car.
What tends to happen is the bush wears so now does the bar and you get some movement that causes the creak and knock.
The trick is to undo the bush clamp and slide the bush along and wind a turn or two of electrical tape tightly to the bar were the bushes fit. Then refit the bushes over the tape.
It works a treat if you get the tape tight, even and smooth to the bar.
Yes its a 'fits where it touches' job
In my past I ended up with a Citroen as a 'gift'
MOT fail.. but worth fixing
6 minor jobs and a Free retest..
The bushes they sent were wrong.. so I unbolted them.. flipped over.. to an 'unworn' part.. bolted back MOT pass
It only takes a bit of contact to dampen the noise
I assume the rubber has aged and therefore 'relaxed' away from the steel rod
You COULD inject 'araldite ..epoxy' in the gap.. its only a 'packer.. gap filler' same as electrical tape
The rubber will still do the damping
The fixes..
New whole FIAT design unit probably wont need another..
Or find suitable bushes and carriers.. grind off FIAT originals.. rebuild with the new parts.
My experience of anything subframe mounted..
High chance it is seized... could be a can of worms getting things strpped off
In my past I ended up with a Citroen as a 'gift'
MOT fail.. but worth fixing
6 minor jobs and a Free retest..
The bushes they sent were wrong.. so I unbolted them.. flipped over.. to an 'unworn' part.. bolted back MOT pass
It only takes a bit of contact to dampen the noise
I assume the rubber has aged and therefore 'relaxed' away from the steel rod
You COULD inject 'araldite ..epoxy' in the gap.. its only a 'packer.. gap filler' same as electrical tape
The rubber will still do the damping
The fixes..
New whole FIAT design unit probably wont need another..
Or find suitable bushes and carriers.. grind off FIAT originals.. rebuild with the new parts.
My experience of anything subframe mounted..
High chance it is seized... could be a can of worms getting things strpped off
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If there's any sizeable gap inject tiger seal into them it's a poly urethane based glue does a good job of bodging worn bushes last quite a while too
Thanks guys for the advice. Spoke to a mate that works at Ford he can get me the sway bar for around £60. Spoke to a local Fiat breaker he's got a low mileage Fiat and is asking for £25. I'm in 2 minds in regards to what to do. We're only planning on keeping the car for another year or so. Do you think silicone will also work? My worry is dropping the subframe and i know the bolts will be rusted to death as the car is 12 years old. What you do in my position ?
Big wrench on the bolts, GENTLE persuation im sure they will come out as often they go into box sections crack off backwards and forwards, dont simply try to undo.
So picked up the used sway bar from Italia 500 and drop the subframe and with alot of faffing swapped the bar. Went to tighten the steering rack bolt and overtighten it. So now the bolt just spins. I thought i could stick a nut at the top and tighten it. But the bolt sits flush with subframe. Any suggestions on where i could get a longer bolt or what i can do?
Probably pulled half of the good thread out on the disassembly..
What kind of bolt is it..??
If its small and short.ish.. look at the rear seat mounts
Anything bigger is probably standard pitches..
From what youve said there is precious little 'thread' remaining..
so just diameter is important.. not the pitch
M6 x 1.0
M8 x 1.25
Are the likely candidates
What kind of bolt is it..??
If its small and short.ish.. look at the rear seat mounts
Anything bigger is probably standard pitches..
From what youve said there is precious little 'thread' remaining..
so just diameter is important.. not the pitch
M6 x 1.0
M8 x 1.25
Are the likely candidates
Can you tap the hole out to a larger diameter? Have a coffee and try and think round the problem
What message..?
The part where it bolts onto has snapped off.
