Technical Rear bumpstop broken off - options?

[Jodsclass]

Hi everyone.

I'm sure the panda knows when it's coming up to MOT time. I'm unlucky enough to have a level crossing on my road, and the condition of the road keeps getting worse. When I went over the other day, the suspension hit its bump stops and on inspection actually broke one clean off. It seems the tin worm has got at it and rust it through.

What are my options for repair? Can you get hold of these entire suspension trumpet sections to weld in a replacement? The metal at the break seems very corroded, but about 1 to 2 cm up there might be enough good metal to weld in a repair panel.

I'd love your input on this, I know bump stops that are missing are no longer an MOT fail, but I'm not so sure if that's the case if the metal has corroded off with them.

Any pointers for a repair would be much appreciated. Would like to get the panda through at least this MOT as used car prices are still sky-high.

 

[DaveMcT]

I have these on my Pandas
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173878668374?epid=248742501&hash=item287bf9ec56:g:OrkAAOSwWs9gcKrD

You will red grease on the mushroom top and a stout timber to push it into place but its not a hard job.
Undo both of the bottom bolts holding the shock absorbers and drop the axle down. Remove the road springs.
Support the axle arms and use a stout timber to push the bump stop into place. It takes a bit of persuading.
Use a good anti seize paste on the bottom bolts and reassemble the lot.

PS While its dropped down, scrape away loose rust and spray the axle with chain saw bar oil thinned with white spirit. It soaks into the metal really well and very gradually plasticises leaving a non greasy coating.

 

[Jodsclass]

Thanks, Dave.

Am I correct in thinking that without the bump stops attached on a non-rusty panda, this would have a flat metal base with a hole in to screw the original bump stops in? From what I can tell, the originals didn't just push into place, but seem to be attached with a bolt through the centre of the bump stops.

 

[DaveMcT]

Good point. The Front Wheel Drive 169 Panda has a hole in the top bush mount to take the bump stop. If I remember correctly, it's built as part of the body shell. Maybe you have something different?

 

[koalar]

Thanks, Dave.

Am I correct in thinking that without the bump stops attached on a non-rusty panda, this would have a flat metal base with a hole in to screw the original bump stops in? From what I can tell, the originals didn't just push into place, but seem to be attached with a bolt through the centre of the bump stops.

just push in on my two pandas 05 and 06 fwd

not looked on my 09 eco


I be tempted to clean up and silicon back

 

[DaveMcT]

I've just looked at ePer which shows the bump stops fixed to the swing arm spring pan. Odd because both of mine are plugged into the top but hey yours might be as ePER shows.

 

[Jodsclass]

I checked the other side, and mine are definitely not pushed into the hole. Looking at the good one, they sit outside the cone shape at the top and are bolted through the middle.

Closest thing I could come up with for a comparison is this off the alfa gtv/spider.

This has the bolthole in the middle, and one mine it would appear that the entire top edge has rusted off, which also seems to be common on the alfa. Arghhh!

 

[koalar]

what year is it ? what model is it ? RHD ?

 

[Jodsclass]

what year is it ? what model is it ? RHD ?

It's a 54 plate, right hand drive 1.2 petrol model. Just a standard fwd dynamic. It could well be a press fit, but if that's the case it's definitely only via a small 'nipple' in the middle of the rubber bump stop as opposed to the whole bump stop pushing up inside the opening which is now there. It’s dark now, so no good for photos, but I'll take a picture of the top of the rubber bump stop tomorrow to show you what I mean.

Trust me to buy a panda with some kind of non-standard/transitional parts. I've had the same problem with both spark plugs and oil filters on this car too over the 7 years I've owned it.

 

[koalar]

its usually this bit that snaps off


could still be in there blocking the hole ?


its also possible none standard ones have been fitted. Its a common modification to change the bump stops for shorter softer one for comfort.

or longer stiffer ones for heavy loads


some types will feed through the spring coils without unbolting the rear dampers.

 

[Jodsclass]

its usually this bit that snaps off


could still be in there blocking the hole ?

Thanks, that's what I thought. Does that mean in my photo the metal has indeed rusted away, and it should have a visible metal plate and drilled hole in the centre of that cone-shaped metal cup bit? In my picture, you can see it's now just a gaping hole with rust edges.

My bump stops are a lot longer than that, but the car only had 22k miles on when I got it & on old lady owner, so I can't imagine she had anything uprated or changed.

 

[irc]

I think the bottom of the bump stop turret has rusted away. Picture is from an 04, showing the turret with hole, which is welded to the chassis rail. All FWD Pandas I can remember seeing are like this.
Bump stop pushes into hole with no additional fixings

 

[Jodsclass]

I think the bottom of the bump stop turret has rusted away. Picture is from an 04, showing the turret with hole, which is welded to the chassis rail. All FWD Pandas I can remember seeing are like this.
Bump stop pushes into hole with no additional fixingsView attachment 220432

That's exactly what I was looking for. Are they available as a spare to weld on? I wonder if they are available as a general part used across different models? It would seem that mine was already corroded, but after repeated bottoming out over the level crossing I have to use to get to & from my house daily, it's broken completely off at the bottom.

 

[irc]

I don't think they are listed as an individual part, just as part of the bodyshell.
You could weld a plate on, with suitable hole for bump stop.

Or cut the relevant piece of chassis rail out of a shell, grind it back to just the turret, and replace.
Not sure if they are handed - don't look like it, but probably safest to replace like-for-like.

 

[Jodsclass]

I don't think they are listed as an individual part, just as part of the bodyshell.
You could weld a plate on, with suitable hole for bump stop.

Or cut the relevant piece of chassis rail out of a shell, grind it back to just the turret, and replace.
Not sure if they are handed - don't look like it, but probably safest to replace like-for-like.

It's booked in for its MOT, which already includes a welding repair on the offside rear sill. This rot is also on the offside rear, so it would seem this rear corner has suffered much worse with rust than any other part of the car. The bump stop & turret on the nearside are fine & not even showing signs of surface rust.

I have a wonderful garage/mechanic our family have all used for years, so if it can be repaired, I'm sure they will be able to do it. I've got them doing the MOT before any work, so I can know the repair costs to get it through an MOT before we begin. It might be reaching the point in its life where it isn't economically viable, which is annoying.

 

[irc]

Turret repair looks pretty straightforward, so as long as the sill isn't too bad, it should live on.
.

 

[DaveMcT]

Make sure the body inside is treated with anti rust wax otherwise it will rust through within 2 years or less as the internal metal protection gets burnt off by welding.

 

[koalar]

well done irc for posting a clear photo

I was under there a few months back but couldn't remember what they were like

its part of the side member

http://eper.fiatforum.com/eper/navi...=3&WINDOW_ID=1&SGRP_COD=6&SGS_COD=0&DRW_NUM=3


some breakers cut parts off with a petrol stil saw. However this type of breakers is getting rare. There is a breakers near me but you would have to cut it of yourself and they only have a few cars in


probably easier to fabricate from sheet

 

[Jodsclass]

I've sent photos over to my garage, along with the one irc posted for reference. I'll let you know as soon as they get back to me. Funny thing is, the family garage I use for anything big is 600 miles away in Scotland (I'm on the Cornish coast). I was already heading up for a few other jobs and fresh MOT, so it's already booked in, fingers crossed they can tackle it as this panda has become like a member of the family.

 

[DaveMcT]

My garage http://www.garageteignmouth.com is really well run and likely to be able to sort your problems. Teignmouth is not Cornwall of course but it's well worth a visit and they are neatly on the way from Cornwall to Scotland. Worth a phone call I think.