Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
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BammBamm
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Your car is a: 1982 Pininfarina Spider
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Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by BammBamm »

A few things I need info about. The crossmember bolt to the lower control arm, is it pressed in? Mine is spinning. I'm thinking about welding it. How much camber and caster and toe in do I need? Is there an easy way to do it myself? It appears to change camber and caster is a pain. I don't want to pay a shop I do it.
Bill Woodbury
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Zero Shock Seating
1982 Spider 2000
bobplyler
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Re: Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by bobplyler »

Alignment isn't too hard. I used a quicktrick https://www.quicktrickalignment.com/shop/pro-series/.
I used cheap flooring tiles, with grease between them instead of turn plates. I used tape on the ground, laid out with a protractor to get the angles. I got the shims from Harbor Freight. It took about 4-5 tries per side to get the caster/camber correct. The toe was easy.
These are the specs I used. Note, these are UNLADEN.
Image
1979 Fiat Spider (since new)
2005 Lincoln LS (the wife's car)
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier (daily driver)
1999 Honda Shadow VLX 600
1972 Grumman Traveller 5895L (long gone).
bobplyler
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Re: Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by bobplyler »

Also, the crossmember bolt to the control arms is welded. Sounds like the weld broke.
1979 Fiat Spider (since new)
2005 Lincoln LS (the wife's car)
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier (daily driver)
1999 Honda Shadow VLX 600
1972 Grumman Traveller 5895L (long gone).
njoconnor
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Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:06 pm
Your car is a: 1972 124 Spider

Re: Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by njoconnor »

One of my crossmember bolts was spinning as well. On inspection, it was clear that the PO had subbed in a regular bolt for a (probably) stripped or sheared off crossmember stud.

I sourced a hardened bolt of the same diameter (I'm thinking 12mm wide across the threads, but can't recall) and proper length, and we put the car up on my mechanic's lift. There was a slot on either side of the crossmember, and we were able to thread the new bolt up into the crossmember, then lever /jam the bolt's hex head with a large screwdriver; this kept the bolt from turning as we applied torque. We could then torque the lower control arm to spec. When I had the car aligned, the alignment shop had no problems with the fix, and the car aligned nicely.

It's a fiddly piece of work, but doable. My crossmember was intact, no cracks, no broken welds. Otherwise, I thin we would have replaced the entire crossmember.

Neil
Neil O'Connor
Madison, WI
72 FIAT 124 Spider
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and a host of Audi's, Saabs, VW's, MOPAR's, Fords, and a Bimmer....
BammBamm
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Re: Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by BammBamm »

Bob- Did you buy the jig that attaches to the rim or did you make one?
Bill Woodbury
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Zero Shock Seating
1982 Spider 2000
bobplyler
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Re: Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by bobplyler »

BammBamm wrote:Bob- Did you buy the jig that attaches to the rim or did you make one?
The jig is part of the tool.
1979 Fiat Spider (since new)
2005 Lincoln LS (the wife's car)
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier (daily driver)
1999 Honda Shadow VLX 600
1972 Grumman Traveller 5895L (long gone).
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engineerted
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Re: Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by engineerted »

If you are looking to spend that kind of money, i would get this one and use the string method.


http://www.longacreracing.com/products. ... A2+Adapter
Ted
1978 124 Spider, Complete Restoration
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RRoller123
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Re: Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by RRoller123 »

You can also use an IPod with a free (or very inexpensive) carpenter's level app, very accurate. Place it on a straightedge placed across the rim. Not too fancy, but will do the trick.

Pete
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pwilliam
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Re: Some tips on new suspension installation needed.

Post by pwilliam »

When putting the new sway bar bushing on, and bolting the sway bar back to the a-arms do it with the car on the ground. It will make life much easier. The second trick I found to be very useful is place a hydraulic jack beneath the sway bar and jack it up. As the sway bar is moved up towards its final location, pry it away from the a-arm with a long wrench or the wood handle of a mallet. You just need something to give you enough leverage so you can push the sway bar out past the bolts on the a-arm and then into place.
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