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alan a Alfa Arna
Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 13
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Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:51 pm Post subject: spring removal |
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im wanting to change the springs on my 33 accept almost all of the bolts/nuts are dead!! just cant seem to undo them. i tried to spray crc on them bt this doesnt seem to work. any ideas or know how to get around this??
cheers alan |
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alan a Alfa Arna
Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 13
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 4:42 am Post subject: |
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also it anyone has a diagram explaing how to take the springs out that would b great. because im not sure what i have to unbolt and which bits i should do 1st etc...
thanks alan |
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Ken McCarthy Alfa Sprint
Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 153 Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 6:40 am Post subject: |
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Alan
If you don't know what a spring compressor is and how to use it, get some advice or have someone do it for you. The springs are under compression. If they are released without being contained in spring compressors you are risking serious injury. If you survive that, you will not get them back together.
Please be careful. _________________ Ken McCarthy - 16V Sprint |
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bobbber P4
Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2162 Location: The Greatest Town on Earth - Swadlincote, UK
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:29 am Post subject: |
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Ken is not messing around. This is a SERIOUS subject.
You could REALLY take your head clean off.
Bob _________________ Fiat Bravo 165 Sport |
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alan a Alfa Arna
Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 13
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 10:21 am Post subject: |
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yer ive been shown how to use a spring compresor but im not sure what to unbolt 1st and when i need to put the spring compresor on.ive searched the web but cant really find any decent info on the steps to take when doing the procedure. i jst bought new springs and dnt have enough money to pay for installation. i am confident to do it myself though....
so if anyone knows of a good site etc theat would be very helpful
thanks alan |
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Eddie W Alfa 33
Joined: 31 Jul 2003 Posts: 375 Location: new zealand
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 10:24 am Post subject: |
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I thoroughly endorse the above advice. DO NOT release the springs without using compressors, and take careful note of the relationship of the springpan etc (photos would be ideal) as it is possible to get the offsets out of sinc which makes life difficult.
Regards Eddie _________________ A LITTLE FURTHER A LITTLE FASTER |
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bobbber P4
Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2162 Location: The Greatest Town on Earth - Swadlincote, UK
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 10:28 am Post subject: |
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Funny Eddie - reminds me of when I did my Strut Pan bearings the first time.... took both sides off at the same time - and then had absolutely NO idea which bits were for which side, or which way round it all went!
I learnt my lesson that day! Took 2 days to get it all right again! The Haynes Sud Manual showed the set up though. _________________ Fiat Bravo 165 Sport |
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gritsop Green Cloverleaf
Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 766 Location: Ekali, Athens - Greece
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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Hi,
Undo the 4 nuts on the engine bay that keep the strut & spring in place. (right and left of the battery and servo more or less). Pop out the ball joint of the steering bar and undo the 4 screws that hold the shock to the wheel hub. Now you have the spring/shock assembly out;notice a big nut in the centre of the top mount. This will release the shock from the spring PROVIDED you have used the spring compressor. Compress the srping only by little amount so as to feel the top mount loose.
Then you can undo the central nut and take out the shock from the spring.
Having the spring left on its own undo the spring compressor so as to use it in the new springs (which is the reverse preocedure).
As a security precaution work behind the lower mount of the spring so that if something goes wrong , the spring will pop to the opposite direction and not towards you. It is better to hit a wall than you.
Regards, _________________ Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive
http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop |
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paulhide P4
Joined: 20 Dec 2003 Posts: 1607 Location: Oh Beautiful Billingham
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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If you can't pop open ball joints (you'll need a splitter) can be much easier to undo steering arms from the steering rack, but make sure you do them up just as tight as when you took them off as this can affect tracking a little, although the tracking on the 33 isn't that accurate anyway. _________________ Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188 |
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paddy granger Alfa Sprint
Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 248
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Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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Although I can imagine the risk involved of removing springs, my mechanic made it look like the easiest job in the world. He used his own hands to compress them Then again, he probably does it every day.
Maybe it was easy for him, having a air drill to do up the main nut at the top?
All the same, be carefull mate. The warnings are serious. |
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alan a Alfa Arna
Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 13
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Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:53 am Post subject: |
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thanks for all the info guys. hopfully ill be installing the new springs soon!! just waiting on the spring compressor from a friend
alan |
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alan a Alfa Arna
Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 13
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:38 am Post subject: |
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is the bolt on the bolt on the steering arm ball joint supposed move, or have i broken it |
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Ken McCarthy Alfa Sprint
Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 153 Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:46 am Post subject: is the bolt on the bolt on the steering arm ball joint suppo |
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Alan
Not sure what you mean. The ball joint on the end of the steering arm has a "bolt" coming out of it with a tapered section then a threaded section. The "bolt" is able to move in the ball joint to allow for suspension movement. The tapered section fits into a matched taper in the end of the steering arm on the hub carrier. This is the joint that is usually difficult to release. When the nut is tightened on the end of the "bolt", the tapered sections should lock together and not move relative to each other so the only movement is in the ball joint. Sometimes you have to hold them together to get enough friction in the taper to hold the "bolt" so the nut can be done up.
Have I covered it?
Regards _________________ Ken McCarthy - 16V Sprint |
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alan a Alfa Arna
Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 13
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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ye thanks that was what i was reffering to. how do you get this out though?? i just compressed the springs enough so i didnt have to completley remove the shocks (as i couldnt get it out) |
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Ken McCarthy Alfa Sprint
Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 153 Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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Alan
You need a small wheel/gear puller but finding one that will fit is difficult. Alfa have a special tool but I made one up using a piece of rectangular steel tube, a bolt with the end ground to a cone (the end of the "bolt" on the ball joint has a small depression to locate it) and a nut. If I can dig up a drawing of it and maybe organise a photo, I will email it to you (be a couple of days). Once you can put some force on the taper (in a direction to separate it) it will either come apart by itself or with a light tap with a hammer on the end of the steering arm. You have to be careful not to damage the ball joint itself.
By the way. It is easier if you remove the whole spring and shock assembly from the car, put it in a vice and then apply the spring compressor and separate the spring. It is only the centre nut on the top of the shock absorber that retains the spring. The three or four smaller nuts around it retain the assembly in the car and can be removed safely.
Keep going. It is rewarding once you have done it.
Regards _________________ Ken McCarthy - 16V Sprint |
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