Re: Need Help with a TI Rear Axle

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

In AD7-633 Colin and Richard Broughton asked about the measurement between 
the bottom of the rubber bump stop and the top of the axle on their Giulia 
T.I.. The manual says that this measurement should be between 0.2 to 0.6 
inches, while theirs is 4.1 inches with the car a lot lighter than it would 
be in running condition, without engine, transmission, bumpers, etc. (Which 
'etc'?)

In AD7-634 Les Singh and Brian Shorey addressed the problem and added a few 
questions. I will add what I can to the confusion-

Les says "I don't know which 'manual' you are using but the figure appears to 
me wrong". The manual I will be using is #1507, "Wheel and Suspension- Front 
End Geometry". This gives the dimension "C" for the T.I. as 5 to 15 mm, in 
the tables on page 50. HOWEVER as I read the rest of the manual this has no 
necessary relationship to the appearance of the car ("To get the trim 
dimension to the manual specs, the top of the tire will disappear up into the 
fender well and it will look like a lowrider!") or to the normal attitude of 
the car in use. On p.6 it says "There is a close relationship between the car 
trim and the front wheel alignment", and on p.15, under the heading of 
"Checking and adjusting the front end geometry", it says "Make sure that the 
spare wheel, the jack and the tool kit are in the boot and that the fuel tank 
is full" AND "Put the car under static load by placing weights (sand bags or 
similar) as specified." Back on p.50 it gives the loads as 45 kg in each seat 
and 25 kg on the floor in front of each seat (for four-door models; two door 
models are half, front seats only thus loaded.)

So- my suggestion to the Broughtons would be to go by the book: install the 
engine, transmission, bumpers, jack, spare tire, tools, and everything else, 
fill the tank, add the 620 pounds distributed as specified, disconnect the 
stabilizer rods and shock absorbers, rock the car up and down first at the 
front and then at the rear to allow the suspension to take up a static 
position, and THEN measure and adjust the front and rear spring sags, and 
finally check the front-end geometry, which is what this is all about. Take 
out the sandbags, hook up the shocks and sway bars, and enjoy.

The only deviation I would suggest from the "Book" would be to compare their 
thirty-five year old buffers with some new or fairly new ones; the buffer is 
a loop, with a big hole, and if rear motor mounts can deteriorate with age I 
would think these might also. And if the car will almost invariably be used 
as a two-seater, one might use the Giulia Sprint values, as the Giulia T.I. 
Super does, loading the front seats only.

Cordially,

John H.
Raleigh, N.C.

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