Replacing Spider springs

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

       One of the reasons I do not run a sump guard on my lowered Alfas is it 
makes the car even lower and rubs even more often.  I normally remove the 
"cow catcher" from any Alfa that arrives at my house with one.
       I wrote the below some time back.  It is probably in the Alfa Digest 
archives some where:

     To remove the front springs on an Alfa spider,
GTV or Berlina, buy four lengths of all thread from
your local hardware store.  The all thread should be
3/8 diameter and nine inches to a foot long.  You will
also need eight nuts and eight washers.
     Put the front of the Alfa on stands and remove a
front wheel.  For safety, put a floor jack under the
lower spring pan.  Replace each of the four bolts in
turn with a length of all thread.  Clearance at the top
is tight, so the majority of the all thread will be 
below the spring pan.
     Undo the nuts on top of the spring pan alternating
among the four.  Periodically hold the nut on top and
the nut on the bottom and screw the all thread up so 
that more of the all thread is on top.  Of course, the
piece of all thread that you do that to has to be 
loose at the time.  This takes a great deal of time.
     To speed up the operation, get a 9/16 or 14 mm gear
wrench.  It would be nice if there were a way to operate
on the bottom of the spring pan.  The only way to do 
that would be to get a socket that the all thread will
pass through.  I believe Sears sells such a ratchet, but
I have not tried one.
     As the spring pan lowers, it may help to hold some
pressure against the lower spring pan with the floor
jack.  Let pressure off the jack periodically as the
spring pan lowers.
     The stock springs are very long.  That is why the
all thread has to be so long.

     I have heard of people holding the lower pan with
a floor jack, removing all the bolts and letting the 
jack down.  That sounds dangerous to me.  It might work
if you place a heavy chain though the suspension and
around the spring to keep it form flying out and killing
you.  
     However, you still need the all thread to install
a new spring.  Luckily, aftermarket springs are shorter
and thus easier to install than the stock springs.
Installation is the reverse of the above.

     Rear springs are easier.  Support the body with 
jack stands under the rear jacking points.  Put a floor
jack under the center of the rear axle.  Remove the 
shock absorbers and the axle limit straps.  Lower the
axle as far as it will go.  Watch that you do not put
tension on the brake line from the body to the axle.
     At this point, you can undo the trailing arms at 
either the front or the rear.  Support the end you undo
with the floor jack.  The trailing arm should pivot
down far enough to take pressure off the spring.  The
bolts at the front can be hard to remove.  It may be
easier to remove the bolt from the axle end of the
trailing arm.
     With the trailing arm this far out, it would be a
good time to replace the bushings in the trailing arms.
Also replace the bushing where the T shaped trunnion
arm bolts to the rear axle.
     This might also be a good time to take the rear 
axle apart and shim the limited slip differential.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City


In a message dated 09/28/2002 12:52:36 AM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:



> Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 01:41:47 -0400
> From: Simon Body <body@domain.elided>
> Subject: Replacing Spider springs
> 
> Greetings
> 
> I've recently been bothered by the sump guard hitting relatively minor 
> bumps. Inflating the tires helped! The engine mounts are fine.
> However while changing the front bushings and idler arm I looked at the 
> spring lengths and it is possible that the PO installed "performance" 
> springs, as the lengths are less than 8 inches. One side is also shorter 
> than the other by almost an inch. Alternatively, they are just worn out, 
> although I understand that is rare on Spiders.
> So I bought new front springs and plan to install them. I don't have the 
> approved Spider tool for spring replacement, nor does the local club. Is it 
> possible to do this with a carefully positioned jack and car supports or 
> shall I get the local shop to do it?
> Many thanks
> 
> Simon Body
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