Labor cost for replacing Control arms and front suspension?

[Fiat88]

So I've been cleaning up the crossmember in which the PO welded to the car and reinforced. I'm using the POR-15 starter kit to coat it, its not really rusty, mostly surface which came off with the rust stripper. While I'm under there I notice how really bad the control arms bushings are, dried out,cracked,split. Looks like they have never been replaced! My mechanic did fix the balljoints but I'm wondering how much I could expect to pay to have new control arm assemblies put in. I'm planning to buy all new complete assemblies.

Also, while I'm at it what other suspension pieces should be done? I'm planning to try and attempt the sway bar bushings myself in which i ordered with the tie rods, even though the inner ones I heard are a bi***. What's the hardest part about installing the control arms, compressing the springs?

I am on a budget though so any money saving advice would be appreciated but safety does come first.

[perthling]

I'm in the middle of this at the moment.

Hard parts:
1) compressing springs without the right type of spring compressor
2) getting ball joints separated from hub assemblies
3) getting enough pressure on the ball joints to tighten the nuts without spinning the shank
4) compressing inner sway bar mounts

You could probably do it over a weekend if you have an internal spring compressor, tie rod/ball joint splitter, torque wrench, and the right size spanners and sockets (from 10mm to 22mm). Plus all the necessary replacement items.

I would (and do) inspect and replace the tie rods and drag link, and seeing as you'll probably want to pull the brake calipers off anyway I'd replace the master cylinder and/or overhaul brake hoses, pads and rotors (and calipers if needed) at the same time.

Make sure you check and tighten all nuts to the specified torques. MAke sure you install the ball joints on the correct sides of the wishbones.

[Fiat88]

I replaced the brake hoses and rebuilt the calipers last summer. Maybe I could eventually do the control arms with the help of my more experienced friend. He's always doing suspension work on his 90's civics.

[perthling]

The difference will be noticeable, you will notice the car doesn't wander all over the road once it's done. Oh, don't forget to have a wheel alignment after it's all back together too.

[baltobernie]

This may be too late for Fiat88, but for those of you with new-to-you Spiders, my experience leads me to suggest that if you're going to work on the front suspension, you might as well replace all of it at once. The individual components are not expensive individually, but replacing them piecemeal requires another trip to the alignment shop, and separating them often ruins them. You can buy everything for $250, and installing all at once will save you at least that much in labor alone.

Replacing the entire front suspension is doable in your driveway, but proper tools and a lift make it a three-hour job. "One and done", particularly if you're paying somebody else to do it. Just make sure he has a manual, so he knows torque values, how to tighten the bushings, and other unique attributes of the Fiat Spider.

[perthling]

Regarding correct tightening of the bushing nuts (i.e. when loaded) all my manuals say something like "tighten when car is sitting on its wheels" or words to that effect. Noting that this isn't particularly easy, the way I do it is to place a jack under the hub and jack it up until the load just comes off the jack stand. Then I tighten the wishbone bolts to the specified torque. Not sure if that is the 'correct' way but it works for me.

[TronDD]

That should work ok if all of that corner's weight and only that corner's weight is on the suspension. The suspension has to be at ride height, the car as a whole can be at any height.

Tim.

[perthling]

That's typically the way it works for the stand arrangement I use, I have one stand on each end of the rear axle and one under each side of the front cross-member. I find if I jack up the hub to just take the load off the nearest stand, the other front stand is still loaded. However, I can't verify what level of load reduction the other stand would be encountering. For the accuracy of my torque wrench it's probably as good as I can do though!

[azygoustoyou]

compressing the springs is the easiest part. Just put the front of the car on jack stands. Jack up the lower control arm all the way. Use some chain and a chain link, wrap the chain around one end of the spring through the middle and use the link to hold it. The chain doesn't have to be super tight. You'll want to be able to get it off but tight enough so when you lower the bottom control arm, the chain is compressing the spring. The spring will come right out. Leave the chain on the spring until you put it back or you won't get it compressed again. Don't use a strap to do this! It is unsafe.

[perthling]

Agreed, as long as you're reinstalling the same springs. If you're installing different springs you might as well invest in an internal compressor - I think the one I bought was USD $25.

[azygoustoyou]

You can borrow one from Auto Zone. You give a deposit and get it back when you return the tool.

[perthling]

We don't seem to have the same kind of philosophy here for the backyard mechanic. Mind you, for the number of times I've done this job I think the investment has worked out at about $2 per spring...