Front suspension bushing install

EricH

Eric Hamilton
Moderator
Is there any trick or special tool required to remove and install the hourglass-shaped suspension bushing for the front control arm (not the radius arm)? Getting the old one out isn't too hard because I don't worry about damaging it, but I'm not at all sure how to get the new one in.
 
I replaced mine with polyurethane. I just pressed them in using a vise. Lubed them up with some silicone grease first. They deform and want to pop out sideways, but once they're started, they just pop in. Press the center sleeve in last.

Is there any trick or special tool required to remove and install the hourglass-shaped suspension bushing for the front control arm (not the radius arm)? Getting the old one out isn't too hard because I don't worry about damaging it, but I'm not at all sure how to get the new one in.
 
Bushing install

Hi Eric. I would also like to do this one of these days, so am very interested in your progress.

I have personally never changed one of these bushings before, but my official Fiat factory service manual does describe the procedure. As usual -it seems - the service manual contains some confusing and conflicting instructions. But for what it is worth, they say:

1) The metal sleeve is peened in place at both ends to hold it in place. Thus they say first you must - with a drill press - drill into one end of the sleeve to remove the peening.
2) Then, from the side you drilled, push out the sleeve using a press.
3) Then press out the rubber bushing.
4) To install the new bushing (Fiat part # 4288726), they claim Fiat tool # A.74225 is required. But I think you could do it with a press or vise and some sockets/spacers/washers. They say to coat the new bushing with silicone grease first.
5) After the new bushing is in place, then you must insert the steel sleeve into it. The Fiat tool shows a bullet shaped leader to ease its entry. Makes sense. Maybe instead find an old 10mm bolt and grind the head to a taper shape ? Then press it into the rubber bushing.

At this point, the factory manual says " position washers on both ends of spacer, then peen over spacer to lock washers in place" Direct quote. BUT the accompaning diagram shows NO washers, the official parts manual shows NO washers, and I see NO signs of washers on my spare control arms, so....something is amiss here. Wouldn't be the first time the factory service manual is nonsense.

Actually I see no signs of peening at all on my spare arms, so I think I would actually try first to press the sleeves out of the old arms to see what is really going on here.

If they really are peened, and you have to drill the ends to remove the peening, then you WILL need new sleeves. The factory manual says you do. Sleeve is Fiat part # 4269111 but it looks like neither Midwest or Obert have any.

I think all this peening talk is just BS and you should be able to just press in new bushing followed by old sleeve. With a vise or press. Or maybe with just some long bolts/nuts/spacers to draw them in ?

And I think I would be hesitant to use lots of grease. Remember what you really want in the end is the sleeve and the bushing to be fixed firmly in the arm and the only movement to be the twisting of the rubber. You sure don't want so much grease that the sleeve can move in the bushing. I think maybe I would just used soapy water as an installing lube. When the water dries everything should be fixed in place ?

When re-installing in car, remember the bolts should be tightened with the wheels on the ground. But I see no reason the ball joint to knuckle nut couldn't be tightened with the car in the air.
Torque figures:
Ball joint - 58 ft/lb
Tension rod to control arm - 51 ft/lb
Control arm to body - 29 ft/lb

Hope this has been of some help to you. Good luck, and please let us know your progress.

Cheers, Doug
 
?

Any luck Eric ?

Trying to decide whether to change the bushings or just buy new arms.

Thanks
 
BUMP

Any update on this? I see new bushings in my future so would love to learn from your experience...
 
I think all this peening talk is just BS and you should be able to just press in new bushing followed by old sleeve. With a vise or press. Or maybe with just some long bolts/nuts/spacers to draw them in ?
The manual refers to earlier models ... very early 128 sedans and 128 coupes did in fact use a central steel sleeve that was peened over onto two large washers to hold the washers in place, it's an old racers trick. fit washers on the outside faces of rubber bushings as it lessens the deflection of the rubber. Early 124 rear trailing arms are the same.

drilling the peening to be able to remove the washer and still being able to reuse the crush sleeve was in fact possible if you were careful and didn't use too large a drill bit, if you did it right there was still enough "edge' to be able to roll over (peen) the edge again and hold the washer captive. If you look at really early 124 rear control arms or very early 128 coupe / sedan in a parts book it will show the washers etc, in later editions of the manuals it disappears and the associated parts are no longer offered as replacements by Fiat

In later production the peening and use of the external flat washers was dropped, probably a cost reduction method more than an "improvement" in methods or technology.

SteveC
 
The manual refers to earlier models ... very early 128 sedans and 128 coupes did in fact use a central steel sleeve that was peened over onto two large washers to hold the washers in place, it's an old racers trick. fit washers on the outside faces of rubber bushings as it lessens the deflection of the rubber. Early 124 rear trailing arms are the same.

drilling the peening to be able to remove the washer and still being able to reuse the crush sleeve was in fact possible if you were careful and didn't use too large a drill bit, if you did it right there was still enough "edge' to be able to roll over (peen) the edge again and hold the washer captive. If you look at really early 124 rear control arms or very early 128 coupe / sedan in a parts book it will show the washers etc, in later editions of the manuals it disappears and the associated parts are no longer offered as replacements by Fiat

In later production the peening and use of the external flat washers was dropped, probably a cost reduction method more than an "improvement" in methods or technology.

SteveC

Aha......thanks Steve for that info. Makes sense now !! But note this initial post was from 2013....

My info above was straight from my 1500 X1/9 genuine Fiat X1/9 factory shop manual. But no...on ANY X1/9 front control I have ever seen...there were NO washers or peening in sight. I'm guessing the guys who wrote the factory shop manual never talked to the guys who were making the cars.....and weren't told of the design change made 10 years previous...... :rolleyes: No wonder it didn't make sense to me.....

i'm sure you have seen worse screw-ups in Fiat factory info.......
 
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'm guessing the guys who wrote the factory shop manual never talked to the guys who were making the cars.....and weren't told of the design change made 10 years previous....
Nope - just straight cost cutting from the bean counters. These are the people who don't care if the company they work at makes teaspoons or dog food or cars... Manual updates cost money better spent on long lunches and shag pile for the Finance Department offices.
 
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