Rear Bushes - advice please

Bigphil1474

Okay, so admittedly I have no idea what they are, but I've been told they may be the problem.


Long story short - around September time, I started noticing a bit of a knocking sound/creaking when the car went over a bump on one side. Mentioned it to a guy at work who has virtually same car (Fiesta Titanium 2009 Petrol) and he said he'd had similar and it was his bushes. It got a bit worse, so went to my mechanic who basically said it was nothing to worry about, and as it was booked in for MOT and Service in October, he'd take a look then. Took it in, and after the MOT and service was done, he told me that he'd looked at the bushes, said they looked fine, he'd lubricated them and I was on my way.


The creaking/knocking wasn't as bad but is still there. There's no issue with handling, and only seems to happen if one side of the car goes over uneven surface different to the other side e.g. if I go over a whole road speed bump, no problem, if I go over a split speed bump with one side of the car, get a noise. Similar with a rough road (like my street) where I get creaking and knocking, but on motorway journey, all quiet. I'm not wanting to spend money if I don't need to, but I tend to think if car doesn't sound right, then there's probably something wrong. Any help anyone?

societys_child

I have no idea what they are

Rubber bushes, various sizes, various types, here's some:

Goudy

It's fairly common for the rear spring isolators to creak on a Fiesta when they get on a bit.
These are shaped rubber pads fitted to the top and bottom of the suspension springs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsPTlDVQOzE

If you slide under and liberally spray some WD40 on both top and bottom spring isolators, both sides and the creak improves or changes pitch, you found the issue and perhaps need to replace them.

debtdebt

If it's passed an MOT with them like that, I'm sure it'll be fine.

System

debtdebt wrote: »

If it's passed an MOT with them like that, I'm sure it'll be fine.

Just because it passed a MOT doesn't mean there's not a fault, it merely means the MOT tester didn't see one and in the case of the rear spring isolators unless they'd fallen to bits which never happens the MOT tester would see nothing wrong.

angrycrow

The bushes locate the two sides of the rear axle to the body of the car. Warn bushes will not cause anything to fall off but do makes for a noisy poor ride.

Pig of a job getting them out of the axle and the new ones in.

Bigphil1474

Thanks all. For info, the mechanic is the MOT tester and said he checked them out properly. I'll give the WD40 a try. It's going back in for a small leak in the thermostat housing next week, so maybe get him to sort this at same time. Plus I'm on a diet, so that should help.

Goudy

angrycrow wrote: »

The bushes locate the two sides of the rear axle to the body of the car. Warn bushes will not cause anything to fall off but do makes for a noisy poor ride.

Pig of a job getting them out of the axle and the new ones in.

If it is the case of the axle bushes, I would replace them with Polyurethane ones.
I think Powerflex make them for the Fiesta, they'll last a lot longer than metalastic bushes and will hold the axle a lot firmer.

I think Powerflex make replacement spring isolators out of polyurethane too.

There are various ways to get them out but the easy way is a bush winding tool, though most garages will cobble something up with some threaded bar and large sockets.

As Poly come it two halves with a separate stainless insert, they are pretty easy to fit as they pop in rather then requiring pressing in.