Technical Top mount rust again.

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Technical Top mount rust again.

BEFORE you fit them and forget may I suggest you liberally spray the threads with WD40 then use a wire brush to clean them finishing with a coating of grease. Then fit the caps ;)

If you don't do this then you will have next to no chance of removing the top nut (and you will) without heat and a 3ft bar!

Good tip - plan to do this on mine at the weekend.
 
They might cover the nut head and dished well, but my free 2ltr plastic bottle bottoms cover the entire moulded upstand, covering the gap which could allow water to get in.
 
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Hi my pop is 4 years old, cleaned as much rust off as pos. using anti rust gel, wd40, wire wool brush etc. smeared Greece around, and fitted cups. I would have liked to have taken the plastic rain/wiper cover off, but the plastic poppers that hold it on look like braking. Can I get more off these poppers some where and what size are they. Then I can have a better go at it in the summer. As the plastic cuts the hands off you. Cheers.
 
I went to the dealers to buy some and they gave them to me no charge, for both our 500's!
They are special 595 colour versions too : )
 
Slightly off topic, but I had the car up on stands to clean up and free off the front brakes and found both of my top mounts have play, and the car is only just 18 months old. As ever, FIAT group cars have suspension components made out of cheese, don't they?

Still, it's a good way to get to know the car better. And not a particularly difficult job, 3 bolts.
 
Slightly off topic, but I had the car up on stands to clean up and free off the front brakes and found both of my top mounts have play, and the car is only just 18 months old. As ever, FIAT group cars have suspension components made out of cheese, don't they?

Still, it's a good way to get to know the car better. And not a particularly difficult job, 3 bolts.
Not a surprise. Being away from the city, my 500 tends to get an easy life with very few speed bumps and I know where most of the potholes are, so my top mounts lasted about 33 months and 36k miles before they went. I've got a spare set of top mounts waiting for when the current ones go!
 
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Mine is subjected to those bowling green smooth roads we have in London. Errr, NOT!

:)

Still, at least it's nice to acknowledge the reason for the thump thump when traversing large bumps, the play was much worse on the nearside (not surprisingly). As long as the weather is good when I do the job, I'll take pics and do a how to.
 
Mine is subjected to those bowling green smooth roads we have in London. Errr, NOT!

:)

Still, at least it's nice to acknowledge the reason for the thump thump when traversing large bumps, the play was much worse on the nearside (not surprisingly). As long as the weather is good when I do the job, I'll take pics and do a how to.
Warranty job :) Just make sure you get your tracking checked afterwards...... I think I had about 4 or 5 degrees of toe out afterwards......
 
Warranty job :) Just make sure you get your tracking checked afterwards...... I think I had about 4 or 5 degrees of toe out afterwards......

Not letting those **** (choose expression here) near my car, you should see the state of the sump plug; I suspect the workshop trainee had a go and decided to round off every single corner of said bolt. So I had to abandon the planned oil change on account of needing a decent surface drive socket (and a new sump plug).

Yes, good point on toe.
 
Not letting those **** (choose expression here) near my car, you should see the state of the sump plug; I suspect the workshop trainee had a go and decided to round off every single corner of said bolt. So I had to abandon the planned oil change on account of needing a decent surface drive socket (and a new sump plug).

Yes, good point on toe.

Here's a link to a supplier. I've used them before and they're really good. They stock loads of 500 stuff so it's worth ordering filters and the like and other stuff which is likely to wear over time if you're going to keep the car a while. The Lemforder top mounts are, I suspect, the same part as the genuine Fiat ones. The ones I've got sitting on a shelf in the lounge have a ground off logo which means it's probably genuine Fiat

http://seekpart24.com/lemfoerder/suspension-strut-support-bearing-3444601?c=100371&at=19093

If you're feeling lucky, Optimal (never heard of them!) do a strut top mount -> http://seekpart24.com/optimal/suspension-strut-support-bearing-f87427?c=100371 it's 10 euros more expensive and could end up being the same part anyway......
 
Good site, very good site..

Unfortunately (as I've found now I've bought ePER), the TA has different top mounts to the 1.2 (and others) - and I can't see them on the site..

Look about similar price wise to what ePER says, but that's before a dealer puts their markup on.
 
Yup 51807101 for the 1.2/1.3/1.4 and 51876262 for the TA. ePER is very specific about saying that the first number is not for my car when I chuck the VIN in.

I'm guessing there's either a difference in the damper, or the geometry is different (although you'd have to move the top mount a fair distance to change anything - that's the 'benefit' of a Mac strutted car - was designed to be assembled more cheaply).
 
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