Is Mel's Bumpety Bump Van Alone ??

[HymerVan]

Reference my post "Clunky sounds from Wheels" my Van has now been fixed and I will post detail in my thread as soon as I have road-tested it. It looks like my Van (Citroen Relay) and Mel's Ducato have a similar problem

The problem was that the bump stops on both sides were moving up and down the suspension leg and my mechanic reported that they are not fixed or constrained at one end except by friction.

PERHAPS there has been a design change or a change of manufacturer of the suspension components. My Van would have come off the production line at SEVEL around January 2012.

Consequently it is possible that other Vans have or may develop the same fault. It turned out not to be a huge problem with the diagnosis taking much longer than the cure.

[Mel B]

For those who haven't read my thread, here it is:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/-and-the-van-went-bumpety-bumpety-bump-/30348/

 

I've just heard from Fiat that the part for my van has come in so we've scheduled it to be fixed next Thursday (should take no more than 90 mins) - we've had quite a wait for the part as it has had to come from Italy! 8-)

 

Whilst they have it I'll ask them to check the other side to make sure that's okay to be safe. :-S

[Steve928]

No, not alone - I've had the same problem too and managed to fix it thanks to the information in your 'clunk' thread i.e. "There is not technically a faulty part, the bump stop is designed to be free moving, but appears to be knocking against the top strut plate resulting in the noise".

 

We've had a 'pop' (definately not a 'clunk' though!) sound from the OSF corner over little sharp bumps. Nothing at all when the suspension is working hard but slow over rough ground but then this annoying 'pop' over fast, small bumps: those little depressions that the HGVs make in otherwise smooth dual carriageways are ideal to provoke it as the suspension first extends then compresses a small amount in a short time.

 

Having looked for play everywhere I was about to change the strut top mount - a nasty job particularly on the offside, but it was in fact this bellows/bump stop unit loose. If you pushed your fingers into the coil spring from either side you could use them to shoot the unit up the strut shaft whereby it went 'pop' into the top strut plate. On the nearside the bump stop is tighter on the shaft and stays up against the top plate as the suspension works the bellows from below.

 

I just put a zip tie around the shaft and worked it up to where the bump stop should sit then eased the bump stop over the zip tie and it now sits snugly. Didn't even need to remove the wheel and now silence reigns - will see if it lasts..

[HymerVan]

How very interesting and delighted that my thread helped you.

Just shows the "power of the internet"

[Mel B]

Well, we took the van in for the 'fix' today. I asked what had actually been ordered and was told the bump stop, I mentioned that others have had a problem and that they also check the one on the nearside front too which they said they would, and we left the van with them at 2.20 pm (booked in for 2.30 pm) and went for a potter down the road to the shops, saying we'd return later (the job was supposed to take a maximum of 90 mins). At approximately 4.10 pm we returned and saw that the van still had the front end in the air so it was obviously not ready but as it was perishingly cold outside we decided to sit and wait. Approx 30 mins later we asked for an update and was told it would take another 20 mins, so as I was absolutely gasping for a drink and my sugar levels were dropping we asked if there was anywhere to get a drink ... yes 10 mins back up the road at Asda! *-) One of the girls took pity on me and made me a nice hot sweet cuppa tea which was great and really revived me (hubby thinks it runs through my veins! :D ).

 

At 5.00 pm the van was finally finished - it had taken them 2 and a half hours so I'm glad it was done under warranty! 8-) The chap explained that the bump stop was too loose on the R/H front suspension so the clunk noise we had been hearing was due to it being able to move around on the rod rather than it being held tightly at the top of it. Basically when we went over a pothole the bump stop, now sitting at the base of the suspension rod and being loose, was pushed up by the suspension and the clunk was caused by it hitting the top plate as per Steve's finding. They did check the L/H one and it was much tighter so didn't drop down out of position, hence why we hadn't had a problem with it.

 

Having driven it home we can report that there is not 'clunk' now - great stuff! :D

 

At NO TIME did they attempt to claim it wasn't covered by warranty. The original bump stop is being sent back to Fiat in Italy for investigation.

 

I took a couple of photos of the bump stop for those of you who want to see it! :-)

[maggyd]

Glad you got sorted Mel :-D nice to know you had no trouble with them replacing it under warrenty. Now get packing for the off. :-D

[kevina]

I'm just swapping over the front wheels and recalled this thread. I've found exactly as Steve describes but on both wheels, strongly suspect every X250 has it. One of the shrouds is slightly creased where it seems to have got caught and crushed a little, I've left it all alone though.