blaven Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 I’m hoping to squeeze another three years use out my 2003 Murvi and read that this model (X244) has history regarding wheel bearings and front suspension mountings. I know about the former, but I would be grateful if someone could illuminate further the suspension mounting problem please and what to look out for. Current mileage is 65k. I’m just replacing rear shock absorbers and treating patches of rust currently. I think it was Nick (Euroserve) who touched on this on the X250 engine problem post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 I have one of the last of the X244s (2006) and I'm hoping for a lot more than another three years from it! I've replaced the front wheel bearings (three times on the left front, once due to bad installation, failure to preload it correctly) and the left front coil spring broke some years ago (probably triggering the first wheel bearing failure) but no problems with suspension mountings so far. Mileage now 50,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroserv Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 Hello blaven, First, could i please suggest some caution regarding your title for this thread. It suggests that there are new problems with X244 2.8JTD vehicles; and there are not. Also imagine your disappointment when you are searching on google for X244 2.8JTD engine problems and all you get is a suspension query! It has occurred to me recently that everything we put here is pretty much immortalised out there on the web. Anyway, to answer your question..... Prior to the 2002MY facelift, the top suspension mounts were made of steel and were very substantial. They had bearings underneath that eventually wore out or became excessively corroded but that was it. The 2002MY brought with it a new cast aluminium mount that was of a webbed design; supposedly to add strength but it was absolutely useless. They would snap after a pretty minor pot hole or bouncing up a kerb. They were replaced in 2005 vehicles with a much stronger solid aluminium mount that became available for replacement purposes during 2004. The bearings still become corroded over time and you will feel a grinding sensation and probably noise while turning the steering wheel. In the worst cases, the steering becomes very notchy or fails to centre properly. If the bearing seizes it can damage the mount and the plate that the bearing sits on. A broken mount will make a very noticeable knocking noise. The mounts on the X250 are similar to the earlier vehicles and still use the same bearing but these are much more reliable, probably due to the slightly different steering geometry that they have. Since 2014 the top mount module has been updated to a more enclosed design that uses a lot more plastic. It seems to be reliable and i hope it stays that way because the units are double the price of the old type! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted December 8, 2017 Author Share Posted December 8, 2017 StuartO Thanks for your observations. Like yourself, I would also hope for an extended life for both our vehicles! Alas, one has to be realistic, and being a glass-half- empty bloke I'm constantly looking to trouble shoot problems before they reduce me to depending on roadside assistance in a foreign country. At the same time i'm aware of the old adage,-'if it aint broke, don't fix it'! It thus becomes a programme of rolling maintenance carried out over the winter months. In addition, as previously mentioned by Nick (Euroserve), replacement parts for these models are already in short supply and the situation will, inevitably, become worse. A prudent owner with deep pockets might well start acquiring repair/replacement items for known model weaknesses and squirrelling them away against a rainy day, secure in the knowledge that they can always be sold on at a later date if not needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted December 8, 2017 Author Share Posted December 8, 2017 euroserv - 2017-12-08 9:35 AM Hello blaven, First, could i please suggest some caution regarding your title for this thread. It suggests that there are new problems with X244 2.8JTD vehicles; and there are not. Also imagine your disappointment when you are searching on google for X244 2.8JTD engine problems and all you get is a suspension query! It has occurred to me recently that everything we put here is pretty much immortalised out there on the web. Anyway, to answer your question..... Prior to the 2002MY facelift, the top suspension mounts were made of steel and were very substantial. They had bearings underneath that eventually wore out or became excessively corroded but that was it. The 2002MY brought with it a new cast aluminium mount that was of a webbed design; supposedly to add strength but it was absolutely useless. They would snap after a pretty minor pot hole or bouncing up a kerb. They were replaced in 2005 vehicles with a much stronger solid aluminium mount that became available for replacement purposes during 2004. The bearings still become corroded over time and you will feel a grinding sensation and probably noise while turning the steering wheel. In the worst cases, the steering becomes very notchy or fails to centre properly. If the bearing seizes it can damage the mount and the plate that the bearing sits on. A broken mount will make a very noticeable knocking noise. The mounts on the X250 are similar to the earlier vehicles and still use the same bearing but these are much more reliable, probably due to the slightly different steering geometry that they have. Since 2014 the top mount module has been updated to a more enclosed design that uses a lot more plastic. It seems to be reliable and i hope it stays that way because the units are double the price of the old type! Nick Many thanks, Nick, for your input. I'm aware that you have a busy business to run and that your time is precious. Many of us on this forum are retired and therefore have more time on our hands for tapping away on keyboards! It seems then from what you say that my 2003 facelifted X244 has the weaker Aluminium mountings with the attendant potential for problems. Where would i source the 2004 replacement kits if push came to shove? Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroserv Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 Good point, and i should have said.... The mounts are available from motor factors for much less than you can from them from Fiat and they are all of the later type. Nobody ever replicated the disastrous early webbed type. I have found that all suspension parts for these and earlier Ducato's have been well supported by the after market; so in this area at least there is little cause for concern. If you do ever require a top mount, ask the supplier to make sure that a new bearing is included in the box; they normally do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted December 8, 2017 Author Share Posted December 8, 2017 euroserv - 2017-12-08 1:11 PM Good point, and i should have said.... The mounts are available from motor factors for much less than you can from them from Fiat and they are all of the later type. Nobody ever replicated the disastrous early webbed type. I have found that all suspension parts for these and earlier Ducato's have been well supported by the after market; so in this area at least there is little cause for concern. If you do ever require a top mount, ask the supplier to make sure that a new bearing is included in the box; they normally do. Many thanks, Nick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 blaven - 2017-12-09 2:32 AM.... being a glass-half- empty bloke I'm constantly looking to trouble shoot problems before they reduce me to depending on roadside assistance in a foreign country. At the same time i'm aware of the old adage,-'if it aint broke, don't fix it'! ... Quite. Older MHs, built on to base designs intended for high mileage regular use, are inevitable going to be prone to breakdown as they get older because they have been underused and ageing has had its impact. I aim to almost over-maintain mine, so it gets an annual major engine service and brake check regardless of mileage but you are still at risk of breaking down abroad. That happened to me in October on the way back from France; a worrying engine noise turned out to be the cam belt tensioners working loose 18 months after a cam belt renewal because the tensioner centring and spacer washers had been reasembled the wrong way around. Happily the French Fiat Dealership I went to turned up trumps and did an expert repair quickly and at reasonable cost. Really nice people in a small family firm - and much better for the customer than UK Fiat Dealerships, who seem to be less approachable and much more exploitive. Next cam belt change I'm going to take the MH to France and get them to do it for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 euroserv - 2017-12-08 9:35 AM Hello blaven, First, could i please suggest some caution regarding your title for this thread. It suggests that there are new problems with X244 2.8JTD vehicles; and there are not. Also imagine your disappointment when you are searching on google for X244 2.8JTD engine problems and all you get is a suspension query! It has occurred to me recently that everything we put here is pretty much immortalised out there on the web. Nick Nick, I have edited Blaven's original thread title to hopefully be a little more meaningful as you suggest. Blaven, I hope you don't mind me editing your title as Nick suggests. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted December 8, 2017 Author Share Posted December 8, 2017 Keithl - 2017-12-08 7:24 PM euroserv - 2017-12-08 9:35 AM Hello blaven, First, could i please suggest some caution regarding your title for this thread. It suggests that there are new problems with X244 2.8JTD vehicles; and there are not. Also imagine your disappointment when you are searching on google for X244 2.8JTD engine problems and all you get is a suspension query! It has occurred to me recently that everything we put here is pretty much immortalised out there on the web. Nick Nick, I have edited Blaven's original thread title to hopefully be a little more meaningful as you suggest. Blaven, I hope you don't mind me editing your title as Nick suggests. Keith. Not at all, be my guest. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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