Front Suspension And Hubs; Front Suspension Removal And Dismantling - Fiat 500L Workshop Manual

FRONT SUSPENSION AND HUBS

Description
8:1

Front suspension removal and dismantling

8:2
8 : 3 Leaf spring
8 : 4 Swinging arms
Kingpin housing
8:5
Steering knuckle and wheel hub
8:6
8:1 Description
The independent front suspension assembly fitted to
the 'new 500' range comprises a transverse leaf spring
which is anchored to the body through two rubber
mountings and kingpins through 'estendblocks' as
shown in FIG 8 : 1 . The leaf spring also acts as an anti-
roll bar which gives normal spring reaction even when the
front road wheels encounter a rough road surface.
Special polyethylene
between the five springs leaves which are all clamped
together by two rubber cushioned clamps.
Upper movement of the kingpins in the swinging arm
is obtained by 'estendblocks'. The half arms are anchored
to the body as shown in FIG 8:3 and pivot on their pins
through rubber bushes. Double acting hydraulic shock
absorbers are fitted to the kingpin housings at the lower
end and anchored at the top to the vehicle body. Two
rubber buffers are secured to brackets mounted onto the
body to limit the spring oscillations. The spring centre
bolt is also fitted with a rubber pad.
8:2 Front suspension removal and dismantling
To remove the front suspension assembly proceed as
follows:
F500
CHAPTER 8
insulating strips are fitted
8:7 Hydraulic damper
8:8
Front suspension assembly and
installation
8 : 9 Steering geometry
8:10 Modifications
8:11 Fault diagnosis
1 Remove the hub caps and carefully slacken the road
wheel retaining bolts. Using a garage hydraulic jack
raise the front of the vehicle and place on firmly
based stands. Remove the road wheels.
2 Disconnect the steering linkages from the pitman arm,
the drag link and the steering knuckle arms.
3 Remove the shock absorber upper mounting nut from
the body, lift away the half rubber bush and push down
the outer cylinder.
4 Blank off the brake fluid reservoir outlet by inserting
a suitable wooden peg through the reservoir filler
opening and disconnect the brake hydraulic lines at
the wheel cylinders.
5 Fit Fiat crossbeam Arr.2072 under the leaf spring
and support this, using a garage hydraulic jack.
6 Remove the self-locking nut securing the leaf spring
to the kingpin housing and ease out the spring
mounting bolt taking care not to damage the thread.
Also remove the nuts securing the swinging arm pin
to studs on the body and remove the swinging arm
assembly. Carefully lift out the adjusting shims and
spacers from the studs making a careful note of the
number of the shims and their locations.
7 Remove the nuts securing the leaf spring elastic
mounting to the body (see FIG 8:4), and lower the
87