Suspension help required. Egads!

[rjkoop]

In montreal right now but driving back at noon and may have time this afternoon to come by and check out the progress. I'll send you my email and phone number via private message.

[phaetn]

No worries, Richard.

I got the rears done with 4uall and SpiderDan's help. It took longer than I would have liked, but it was okay in the end; and I really enjoyed their company!

We ended doing one side and then the other by having one floorjack to lightly support the differential (the frame was on jackstands) and another floorjack under the coil perch to lift it, thereby dropping the other side. This easily gave access to the opposite coil (no compression on it whatsoever) and we did one damper at a time, so the axle was always supported or connected in three places at a time. It was like a see-saw, with the differential as the fulcrum. One side then the other, with no need to disconnect brake lines or support calipers.

I'll give you credit for the bungee idea, but Spiderdan really wants it and it's how we supported the coil before taking it out.

What took the most time was to undo the brace on the perches to be able to get at the bottom bolts for the dampers, but the tops were easy-peasy -- they just dropped right out.

The finished product:


The car is so much tighter at the rear with the Konis. Now the tired forward dampers are clearly evident as the car will bounce at the front as it never did before, probably because all four shocks had been bad previously so the "float" was distributed to all four corners. Now that the back is tight, it's magnifying the effect at the front and it's like it's just riding on springs.

We has some issues with the front dampers (tackled one side only then had to stop and put it all back together), but I'm working on getting that sorted out.

Cheers,
phaetn

[rjkoop]

Glad to hear everything worked out. Hopefully see you driving soon on the Parkway. Sometimes jog along there and hear the unmistakable sound of your fiat zipping by.

Rixhard

[So Cal Mark]

you'll find it's much easier to deal with the lower shock bolt if you reverse the spring and put the short space coils at the top

[phaetn]

Glad to hear everything worked out. Hopefully see you driving soon on the Parkway. Sometimes jog along there and hear the unmistakable sound of your fiat zipping by.

Rixhard

Ha! That and the tell-tale puffs of blue smoke when I let off the throttle. Next project is to get valve seals done this year so I'm not a total embarrassment at FFO because of my noxious fumes (again). Are you thinking of making it to Detroit in late July? So far AriK from Montreal and I are going. 4uall is a maybe if he can get time off work.

you'll find it's much easier to deal with the lower shock bolt if you reverse the spring and put the short space coils at the top

Thanks for the tip, Mark. Actually the coil didn't get in the way at all -- we just lifted it up off the perch; the first time 4uall's hand held it out of the way, the next time we supported it with a bungee that was looped to the trunk. This pic must be from when we dropped the other side so the axle had levelled out. Otherwise we had no compression on it at all.

If I remember, though, the A/R installation instructions said to put the tighter coils at the bottom. Is is different for your set? Does it may any difference?

For me the issue wasn't access through/under the coil, but that the lower shock bolt couldn't be removed without having to undo two retaining nuts that hold on a u-bracket that is affixed to the perch (bolts welded in place at the top of the perch). One side was easy, the other was a real pain and I rounded off the rear nut, but its still in place and torqued. No problem: I have no plans on changing that blue progressive coil or the Koni Yellow for the remainder of the car's naturally life. If I have to change the damping characteristics of the shock I'll loosen it at the top.

I wonder if it's not a type of safety feature to prevent the lower bolt from ever dropping right out should it ever come loose...

Thanks and cheers,
phaetn

[rjkoop]

Never considered Detroit in July but you never know... 7 1/2 hour drive... Oooh. Never did more than 1 hour in the car. If I get the car running the way I want it might be a possibility.

[spiderdan]

Always a good time wrenching with the local Spider guys on a beautiful day.
Although my job was limited to moral support and supplying the Italian installation fluid (Moretti Birra & Peroni Nastro Azzurro)

A few pics of our forums' head googleologist (4Uall) and Phaetn.

[124JOE]

glad you guts had fun

[4uall]

glad you guts had fun

GUTS?

[124JOE]

sorry type-o
i mean guys