FIAT 500
Suspension trouble
► Having just failed the MOT on a lower swivel, the owner of this Fiat 500 was on the phone to me asking for a quote for the job. I looked up the job time and gave a quote based on the book time of 1.2 hours which is the allowance for replacing the arm.
The time given is though quite stingy as the front bumper needs to be removed, to access the front support arm bolts. This front support arm needs to be removed as it hides the front fixing on the lower arm, making the job a lot longer than it would have been if this extra support had not been fitted.
I remember the first one of these lower arms I renewed and was in disbelief at the amount of time it took, and the need to remove the front bumper, because the front support arm bolts were fitted from the front. If the designers had just fitted captive nuts, and bolted the arm from the rear, it would have been so much easier.
But this is something I come across so often, the consideration to the stripping and repairing of vehicles once they have left the factory assembly line is not a factor, as long as they can bolt them together easily at the start.
AUDI A3
Rear wiper removal
► This is a problem
