Gear Ring Bolts

[smokie joe]

My van has just got back from an 8 point recall (2007 Auto Trail Tracker EKS) The Fiat garage were only able to do 7, the 8th one was for Ring Gear Bolts, they said they don't have the facillity to carry out this work.

I am supposed to be going away next week and now have to try and find a Fiat garage able to do the job, can anyone tell me if this is a vital recall, should I perhaps not drive the van until done, the garage who carried out the other work was unable to give me any information, they just said they wern't sure, but to get it done. Can't say I was very impressed, they had the van for almost 3 days and didn't inform me up front that this job could not be done by them.

[smokie joe]

Sorry that was Ring Gear Bolts not gear ring bolts, don't know if that makes a difference, don't even know what they are!

[Clive]

At a guess I think it refers to the bolts that hold the starter ring on the back of the flywheel. That,s a major job to get at, similar amount of to changing the clutch I guess. If its a required recall by Fiat you must insist that its done and signed off as done on the paperwork that you must keep.

 

Contact Fiat directly if then sent you the recall and ask them who is to do it.

 

Good luck

 

C.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

smokie joe:

 

This is a worrying new twist in the Fiat Ducato tale.

 

As Clive advises, the term "ring gear" is normally applied to an element of the flywheel assembly. Accessing the ring gear usually involves prior removal of the gearbox and (particularly on front-wheel drive vehicles) this task is time consuming. If a flywheel-assembly component breaks or becomes detached the potential for serious mechanical damage resulting is high, so this recall is not something to be taken lightly. As recall notices will always describe the work involved, I find it difficult to understand why your Fiat dealership was unable to give you information on what needed to be done and why they couldn't do it.

 

Hopefully this particular recall applies only to a few vehicles, but, without details of the recall bulletin's wording, it's impossible to say. I can't find any other reference to it on the Internet, so, when you learn more, please could you let the forum know?

 

You could try contacting the Fiat Camper Services call-centre (00800-34281111) who may be able to provide more advice on the recall (Well, maybe!!) and should be able to point you towards a Fiat approved workshop with the necessary facilities and where (apparently) "motorhome drivers are always welcome".

 

(Incidentally, I was looking through your previous postings to see if your Tracker's motor-type could be confirmed (presumably it's the 2.3litre 130bhp unit?) and noticed your inquiry about fresh-water loss. Don't overlook the obvious possibility that the water-tank's filler-cap isn't sealing properly. I had exactly the same thing with my Hobby where I filled the 100litre tank to the brim before driving the vehicle and, by the time I reached my destination, sometimes a good percentage of the water had disappeared. Eventually, after the vehicle's exterior had become well dusty, I could see traces in the dust where the water had been emerging from the filler-cap and blowing backwards down the side of the motorhome.)

[webbocj]

Not another nail in the Fiat coffin or the way things are going, it could be mine!!!!!!!!

 

Chris

[webbocj]

Have a look at the m/h/facts forum re diff. recall.

 

Chris

[smokie joe]

We bought the van in Feburary 2008, its a 2007 Auto Trail Tracker EKS registered to Auto Trail late 2006 for conversion.

 

After buying we read in MMM there was a recall and our Chassis Number fell within the numbers given, so contacted nearest Fiat dealer who could accomodate Motorhomes, it was they who informed me that 8 recalls were outstanding on my vehicle and I arranged for it to go in to have the jobs done. It was on collection that they told me they could not do No. 5208 Ring Gear Bolts and gave me the phone number of the next nearest Fiat dealer. Since then I have rang 3 others all say they cannot do the job, the new chassis won't go on their ramps, waiting for a reply from number 4.

 

The dealer I am waiting for a reply from was aware of the job number and informed me they are very busy and I could wait a number of weeks before being seen. They also told me that its a chance you take if you go out in van some have broken others haven't. They were supposed to ring me back yesterday pm.

 

So cannot give the wording of the recall and will use the phone number you gave after Easter.

 

Of course in the meantime I have cancelled my week away don't feel I can take a chance.

 

Thanks to all for their help and suggestions.

[Guest peter]

That's funny, I always thought that the ring gear was a shrink fit to the flywheel.

[Basil]

peter - 2008-03-21 9:38 PM

 

That's funny, I always thought that the ring gear was a shrink fit to the flywheel.

 

Probably not relevent, but as you quite rightly say Peter ring gears were normally as you said, however they are bolted to the torque convertor on some auto boxes (Borg Warner on Rover SD1's anyway). Is it possible this only relates to an auto box, or whatever it is they are fitting to some now, at all? Maybe hat is why not many know of it?

Just a thought.

 

Bas

[Brian Kirby]

Derek Uzzell - 2008-03-21 8:32 AM smokie joe: ................Don't overlook the obvious possibility that the water-tank's filler-cap isn't sealing properly. I had exactly the same thing with my Hobby where I filled the 100litre tank to the brim before driving the vehicle and, by the time I reached my destination, sometimes a good percentage of the water had disappeared. Eventually, after the vehicle's exterior had become well dusty, I could see traces in the dust where the water had been emerging from the filler-cap and blowing backwards down the side of the motorhome.)

Hello Derek, and although off topic, snap!  It must be a Hobby thing, I've just had to do the same.

Doesn't the ring gear become the flywheel component that retains the perimeter clutch springs on a dual mass flywheel?  Is this the awaited daylight, or merely the oncoming train?

[Derek Uzzell]

There's a fair bit of Fiat-recall-related stuff on the MHF website and this particular link refers to a check of the gearbox/differential being required for the 3.0litre motor.

 

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-34317-days0-orderasc-585.html

 

I've no idea whether this has anything to do with the "ring-gear bolts" recall mentioned by smokie joe. There's seemingly nothing about potential ring-gear faults on MHF, but if you want to view what is there Fiat-problem-wise, try a GOOGLE search using "fiat recall site:www.motorhomefacts.com" (omitting the quotes) as the search-term.

 

As far as ring-gears being shrunk on to manual-transmission flywheels is concerned, then, yes, this is the traditional attachment method. However, an Internet browse reveals that welding, riveting and bolting have also been employed. (Surprisingly, it seems that certain Triumph TR motors had bolt-on ring-gears.)

 

Fiat Ducatos (and their Citroen/Peugeot equivalents) use a dual-mass flywheel (DMF), one part of which will carry the starter ring-gear. In this instance it appears that the latter happens to be attached by bolts. It's possible that a bolt-on ring-gear and a DMF are common bed-fellows, but I've no data to support this. Whatever the case, I don't believe the presence of a DMF has any relevance to the juddering-in-reverse problem. The only sure thing about a Ducato DMF is that, if it requires replacement, it's going to hurt the vehicle owner's wallet badly.