springs and bushings, old vs new

[SpiderJunkie]

Original Front Spring

New Front Spring VS old

Wire Diameter Old Front

Existing Rear Spring Height

Upper Control Arm New Bushing Partially Installed


When installing the new rubber bushings do you push them in till they stop, or push them in some and when the bolts are torqued that draws them in?

[81SPIDERMATT]

push them till they stop

[wizard124]

I remember working the bushings in a little at a time. My concern was if the bushungs were fully seated, they may not span the tower.

[engineerted]

I would measure the distance between the old ones then press the new ones to match.

[redcars]

It has been three years since I did my bushing, but I know that either the top or bottom bushing do not go in all the way. I do not remember which it is. If you push the ones in all the way that are not suppose to be you can take them out and put them in the trash can. If you only have one side apart look at the other to see which it is . Other wise ask for a picture or someone on here will know and tell you.

[toyfiats]

As noted by others, do NOT press the upper bushings (as shown in your picture) all the way in. If you do you'll have to start over with new bushings.

Look at how the existing bushings are seated, follow the method in the following link, and press them in gradually and test fit them as you do, and you should be fine.

http://www.mirafiori.com/~thad/bushing.html

The bottom bushings, on the other hand, need to be pressed in all the way.

[SpiderJunkie]

thanks for the replies.

http://www.mirafiori.com/~thad/bushing.html

I used the above method on the upper bushings, except I used a vice to compress the assembly, there's more control with a vice on the amount of insertion and keeping them square to the arm. My top ones went in all the way to the stops and the arm slides nicely over the structure. In my theory unless someone has over torqued the assembly and bent the arm the top bushings should go in to the stops, or why would they put stops on them? The bottom bushings have no stops.

[toyfiats]

thanks for the replies.

http://www.mirafiori.com/~thad/bushing.html

I used the above method on the upper bushings, except I used a vice to compress the assembly, there's more control with a vice on the amount of insertion and keeping them square to the arm. My top ones went in all the way to the stops and the arm slides nicely over the structure. In my theory unless someone has over torqued the assembly and bent the arm the top bushings should go in to the stops, or why would they put stops on them? The bottom bushings have no stops.

Glad it worked out for you. Pushing them in "to the stops" versus pushing them in "until they stop" is two different things, as you _can_ drive the upper bushings all the way in, which you obviously don't want to do. Many years ago when I was much younger I was fumbling around trying to do this and brought it to a mechanic friend who actually worked at the Fiat dealer at one point. He took the bushings and control arm from me and before I could say anything he had driven in both bushings all the way in, ruining both them and the control arm as the hole became too enlarged as a result. Needless to say that was the last time I asked for his assistance with anything on my car.

[SpiderJunkie]

Thanks for the reply Sam, I could see easily pushing them in past the stops if someone was using a hydraulic press, using a vice give you a lot better feel as to how far you should go.

[SpiderJunkie]

Which way do the lower control arm inner washers face, it would make sense to me for the cup to be out and cradle the bushing. Mine were installed with the in cup away from the bushing.


thanks Bruce

[SpiderJunkie]

What a great forum, found my answer:

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 14&t=26300

Thanks Bruce