I got problems

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

I have not had a chance to check anything yet,but I did look and the control arms are new,
Does vicks sell the Russia kind :shock:
I will not buy shit from them again
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

Update

Here what I'm going to do.
I need the rear springs changed being the height from the front and back is a 1 1/2 inch differnt,
So maybe in changing the rear,makin it the same height ,it will change the alignment! Then I will go from there
Any thoughts?
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
bobplyler
Patron 2022
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Posts: 823
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:58 pm
Your car is a: 1979 spider 2000
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: I got problems

Post by bobplyler »

I just did some checking. From very rough measurements, if you put the left arm on the right side, and right arm on the left side, it will make the caster off by about 11 degrees. (arctan(2/10). On your sheet, it shows this being off about this amount. Also, with this amount of negative caster, it will be very hard to drive (no self-centering). This would also affect the camber.
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).
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

I just got a new passenger side upper and lower control arms at that time,I swap out the ball joints on the driver side.im going to talk to a guy Monday and see what he says about this

Here is what puzzles me. I got this alignment done long ago,after I installed the crossmember,and control arms,put new brakes in,then I got the seat rails in
Then finally I got to get alignment done,the guy told me that I'm better off getting the life time alignment just because I may have to tweak it now and then,so I did, now mind you this car had the springs cut, the alignment came back good at that time,the guy told me it was so close but can't get it to the specs,but that both sides where great and the tires would wear evenly,
Ok so in driving the car after I was happy but the steering was wierd,and plus it road rough, ok so my next thing was getting the front springs changed,well I did,and now it all messed up.
Now you know the rest,
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

here is a thought> since i did the new cross member there was a metal plate that goes in between the cross member and frame, would it matter what side that spacer went in? it on the driver side, should it be on the passenger side?

would that make a difference? thanks
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
User avatar
81SPIDERMATT
Posts: 1239
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:10 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider 2000
Location: FORT COLLINS, CO

Re: I got problems

Post by 81SPIDERMATT »

as stated the passenger side is the problem side..... curious if you moved the plate to the passenger side would then you have a problem on the drivers side..... that plate is a way to push out the top of the arm (?????) ... which would solve your problem .. in theory ...

disclaimer..... just throwing darts... easy for me to say from my comfy computer chair .... the visual in my head seems like it might work... but again ... just guessing

your post and azruss are the first i have heard of a plate between the cross member and the frame....
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

matt from vicks called me back, after i asked him of that plate. some 79 have it some dont. why i dont know
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

Ok I got an look at the towers, here what I notice,driver side top where the drain plug is ,that's straight
Passenger side ,same area, look at the photo
Image

Do you think this coud be the problem,
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
BEEK
Posts: 1833
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:45 pm
Your car is a: 1975 Spider
Location: clermont fl

Re: I got problems

Post by BEEK »

that is a very common problem. the car has been bottomed out hard at some point, that causes negative camber that cannot be adjusted out sometimes. the shock towers can be moved back into place and reinforced. but if you are not having any camber problems, you can just leave it alone too
Automotive Service Technology Instructor (34 year Fiat mechanic)
75 spider
, 6 Lancia Scorpions, 2018 Abarth Spider, 500X wifes, 500L 3 82 Zagatos. 82 spider 34k original miles, 83 pininfarina, 8 fiat spider parts cars
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fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

BEEK wrote:that is a very common problem. the car has been bottomed out hard at some point, that causes negative camber that cannot be adjusted out sometimes. the shock towers can be moved back into place and reinforced. but if you are not having any camber problems, you can just leave it alone too
Ok great.the passenger side is negative ,tire rubs , How do you move them back?
I'm taking it to a shop today and see how it can be fixed, I hope it cheap :D .
Any suggestions
This has got to be why the alignment is off on the passenger side,
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
User avatar
81SPIDERMATT
Posts: 1239
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:10 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider 2000
Location: FORT COLLINS, CO

Re: I got problems

Post by 81SPIDERMATT »

fiat218 wrote:Ok I got an look at the towers, here what I notice,driver side top where the drain plug is ,that's straight
Passenger side ,same area, look at the photo
Image

Do you think this coud be the problem,

that would do it.... good job... curious what the shop will say.... glad you found the problem
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

here what he told me

he pulled down the chassis , passenger side and the alignment changed, so he said to put the lower springs back in

well that aint going to happen. he said he cant do anything.
so i went to a body shop and he can pull that over he said. i do need some spec,if there such
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
User avatar
81SPIDERMATT
Posts: 1239
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:10 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider 2000
Location: FORT COLLINS, CO

Re: I got problems

Post by 81SPIDERMATT »

frame specs will be hard to find.... or should i say unibody specs... my frame work was best guess with info from alignment ... worked out fine...

somebody has them ... somewhere ... out there ....
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

Thanks, I guess we just see what happens, won't happen till next week,so maybe some one has some sort of specs
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
fiat218
Posts: 5745
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 5:06 pm
Your car is a: 1969 124 AS spider

Re: I got problems

Post by fiat218 »

It was sorta funny today,after all the news I got,I call my grease monkey ( mechanic) and told him that I got close 5000 already in this car,price,shipping etc, I said I might as well pull the engine and part out this hunk of :roll: , he said dont get hasty on this lol ,he a man that shakes his head every time he works on it so I thought he would be happy with me when I said I'd get rid of it . Maybe the fiats are growing on him :lol:
Jim
East Grand Forks MN
1970 Fiat Spider BS1 ( FOR SALE
1969 124 AS Spider
2017 Abrath
2018 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider
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