General Tightening Front Strut Mount - Panda

[JAMLAX]

I noticed on YouTube the AutoDoc (and also Auto Knight) the nut of the replaced front Strut was threaded on but purposely only tightened after lowering the car on to its wheels. Is it the case that this is essential i.e. the normal car weight should be 'transmitted' to the strut mount bearing in order to properly secure the top nut that holds the Strut arrangement in place?

In other words - if all the nuts on the replacement front strut are tightened (to the proper Fiat Panda torque) while the car is still jacked up off the ground could this result in early failure of the newly installed front strut mount bearing?

 

[koalar]

I noticed on YouTube the AutoDoc (and also Auto Knight) the nut of the replaced front Strut was threaded on but purposely only tightened after lowering the car on to its wheels. Is it the case that this is essential i.e. the normal car weight should be 'transmitted' to the strut mount bearing in order to properly secure the top nut that holds the Strut arrangement in place?

No idea what's going on, or why for the low nut

Maybe link to the video, I can't find the auto knight one

Normally you tighten the nut before fitting the strut to the car

Unfortunately it requires the strut piston holding still with a torx so you can't torque it up properly without something like this

The top nut, the one that holds the top hat washer on isn't critical, in the autodoc video the car is on a lift, and would need step ladders to do the nut up, as the wheel nut need doing up as well it makes sense to do it at the same time on the ground

 

[JAMLAX]

Thanks Koalar, if I've misunderstood the Auto Knight 'advice' at least I now have my anxieties calmed by your welcome response. I had mentioned the same concern to my brother who has been sorting the Panda and he, like yourself, had no concern about installing and tightening all the strut assemblage nuts while the car was still jacked up off the ground. So thank you once again

 

[DaveMcT]

Rightly or wrongly, I have always assumed the top nut retains the strut retaining "plate" 51707691 and locks the spring retainer nut ("spacer") in place. The very top nut 15506221 is an ordinary spec nyloc type. The real work is done by the special nut directly above the rubber mount and top bearing. Fiat call it a "Spacer 51857579" but it's clearly a nut with internal thread, six sides and a cut away bottom edge to sit into the spring top "plate".
Note how the spring retainer plate has a tab that lines up with the spring wire end. Get that wrong the the spacer 51857579 nut will never site correctly.

Strut top image from EPER

Image key from EPER

 

[JAMLAX]

There is a saying that "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!" However, this is helping me to visualize and understand the details of replacing the front struts - thanks very much for those excellent responses!

P.S. This video (from about eight and a half minutes in) sheds some light - for me anyway

 

[DaveMcT]

I should add that getting an accurate torque onto the stepped nut ("spacer") is difficult because even with the correct tools you cannot stop the strut rod from turning. The little hex on the end (10mm AF or even smaller hex socket) is enough to resist the retaining nyloc nut but its all we have.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I should add that getting an accurate torque onto the stepped nut ("spacer") is difficult because even with the correct tools you cannot stop the strut rod from turning. The little hex on the end (10mm AF or even smaller hex socket) is enough to resist the retaining nyloc nut but its all we have.

Yes, stopping the damper rod from turning is a problem. I have to admit that I find it easier to just "whang" them up tight with an air gun - oops! The spring is still compressed with the compressor at this point so you can spin the damper rod to line things up if needed.

 

[koalar]

There is a saying that "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!" However, this is helping me to visualize and understand the details of replacing the front struts - thanks very much for those excellent responses!

P.S. This video (from about eight and a half minutes in) sheds some light - for me anyway

The 169 panda has a different top mount to this video

It needs to be orientated correctly

The autodoc video is correct

There's no big deal tightening to the correct torque with simple readly available tool

I'd use a hex bit in a ratchet,


Everything is held in place with the weight of the car

The big top hat washer only prevents the strut popping out if the car go grabs some air or ends up on its roof, it's torque isn't critical

For the top hat washer, some deep offset ring spanner will work, other are too shallow of an angle and catch the top of the washer

 

[JAMLAX]

If you listen to the Norwegian 'mechanic' at 8 minutes and 10 minutes you can hear him mentioning the idea of tightening the top nut to the specified 45nm torque WHEN THE PANDA IS ON THE GROUND. I still have a lingering 'why' and 'does it matter' to this idea. Hmm

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

If you listen to the Norwegian 'mechanic' at 8 minutes and 10 minutes you can hear him mentioning the idea of tightening the top nut to the specified 45nm torque WHEN THE PANDA IS ON THE GROUND. I still have a lingering 'why' and 'does it matter' to this idea. Hmm

So this top nut is just keeping the plate in place which stops the strut assembly falling out of the wing when there's no load on the suspension - for instance, when jacked up. I can't think of any reason why the weight of the car needs to be on the suspension when this is done other than that it will keep the top mount seated in the inner wing which just might make it slightly easier to fit and tighten the top nut.

 

[koalar]

Your over thinking it

Some suspension parts are important to tighten at the correct ride height

This isn't one of them

It spends most of the time doing nothing, touching nothing

 

[JAMLAX]

Thanks again for helping me grasp the details in their proper context. I appreciate your patience towards my incomplete understanding. But I'm now feeling completely reassured that my new front struts have been installed perfectly well by my brother (mechanic) whom I rate highly and always will. He and yourselves on the Fiat Forum - Koalar, Auld Jock Puggit and others - are all on the same page. "So thanks!"