Front suspension re-assembly

[StescoG66]

Hi Folks

Have a long-ongoing Sprint resto project, mine is a 1988 on F plate.

Bought new front shock recently so obviously dismantled the front suspension. However getting it all aligned when putting it back together is proving a bit tricky. I know the spring pans are sided, but just can't seem to get it to sit correctly. From what I can work out, the end of the spring should sit at 90 degrees to the inside of the arm that the steering rods attach to. Equally the notches on the top suspension mounts should sit at 45 degrees pointing rearwards. A cherished advisor also told me that the shortest overhang of the bottom spring pan is the forward facing part. For the record - the Haynes manual is fucking useless on this count as it says the usual 'reassembly is the opposite of dismantling' ......... Last night I reattached the struts then tried to fit up the bottom arms but the alignment is miles out. Does the suspension strut and arms need to be put together as one then married to the body?

Anyway, there are a series of notches and cutouts in the various mounts that are self explanatory when putting things back together. However there is one notch on the top mounts that serves no purpose other than seemingly being an indicator.

Can anyone give any helpful hints/tips?

[PETROLHEAD]

Hi mate

to be honest, iirc, the shortest overhang of the lower spring pan should face inwards towards the inner wing/engine bay.


i'll very likely stand corrected shortly, but i'm pretty sure that's how ive always done mine.

[KevJTD]

same here.

bottom of spring facing inner wing.

however you end up aligning them they never seem to sit nice, always under tension somewhere.

[PETROLHEAD]

evening mate,

yeah, they are awkward at best, never "drop" in sweet and smooth when ive done them, and can be a bit of a fight up the top end no matter what you do!

[AlfaCorseChris]

I'm afraid I dont know what you are on about

The top plate turns and goes wherever you want it to.
What I do is simply look under the car before fitting them and wee where the deepest position is.
I align that position with the highest position of the top mount, and up it goes.

Simply slides in, no problems or stress whatsoever.

.... or am I on a different page here

[StescoG66]

I'm afraid I dont know what you are on about

The top plate turns and goes wherever you want it to.
What I do is simply look under the car before fitting them and wee where the deepest position is.
I align that position with the highest position of the top mount, and up it goes.

Simply slides in, no problems or stress whatsoever.

.... or am I on a different page here

Ermmmmmmmm

[StescoG66]

same here.

bottom of spring facing inner wing.

however you end up aligning them they never seem to sit nice, always under tension somewhere.

Exactly what I have done. The bottom of the spring is at positioned at 45 degrees to the steering arm, facing inward the inner wing. If you follow the direction of the coil it runs up left to right

[PETROLHEAD]

yes but did you Wee at the deepest position?


clearly this is where we are going wrong in the UK, we're not wee'ing on it enough!




sorry, am i taking the p155?

[AlfaCorseChris]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA


Is it now where the punch line "Stupid auto correct...." comes in ?

I'm falling off my chair


Yes mate. Clearly, it wont go on if you dont wee !

[markalfa83]

Hi Steven. Good to see you here

I can't remember how mine went but I do remember fitting the arms to the struts first before putting them back in place.

[Alfasixnut]

I also had to fight with the front struts - and yes - I ended up putting the lower arm on the strut and then fixing it at the front.

[AlfaCorseChris]

You guys are really confusing me....

What ON EARTH are you talking about ???

[StescoG66]

Well thanks to the assistance of Franco (GTCoop on the other side) it is all now back together and looks fine. I must remember to be a bit more forceful . . . .

[Johnboy]

That's about the only way 156 and gtv suspension goes together