[dicey]

I replaced the drivers side wishbone about a week ago, which involved loosening the three nuts at the top of the strut. So just this evening I went to check the tightness of these three nuts. I went to tighten one a little further as I thought it was a tad loose. SNAP!! The f**king bolt/stud snapped off. See picture. What do I need to replace, the whole shock, or just the top mount.?

 

[dicey]

http://i508.photobucket.com/albums/s321/paddy737/24082011256.jpg

 

[jbsmith1]

Sorry to see that, thats unlucky.
Yep top mount and spring top hat assembly with rubber doughnut in it which can be extracted, whole assembly bolted down on that center nut to the shock shaft, had my shocks in and out and stripped down quite a few times, its a shock out job and spring out too to replace or repair it.

I can't remember if the stud is press fitted through the top hat or welded, may be possible to replace the stud once its stripped down.

 

[stevepen]

Might be worth trying to drill and tap first, then replace with a bolt. They don't really do that much.

On another note.... How easy was it to change the wishbone?

 

[dicey]

Changing the upper wishbone is hanndy enough. Rather than removing the whole strut assembly, just disconnect it from where it connects to the lower wishbone, and take off the three nuts that tighten the strut to the chassis. This way you will be able to push the strut out of your way, so you can get at the two inner long bolts that hold the wishbone in. Changing this wishbone, cured an annoying hollow knocking noise going over bumps/rough roads. Your wheel geometry will be out, after doing this though.

 

[Mark_S]

Having done all the springs myself recently I would be apprehensive about replacing the stud with a bolt; only because it will probably impinge, (good engineering word!), on the top of the rubber donut, which will soon wear through so the main spring will come into contact with the bolt creating some good thudding noises!

As JBS states; just replace the top hat (at some cost I suspect), obviously this will give you the piece of mind that you craved by over torqueing it in the first place!:cheese:

The front struts are relatively easy to strip down see the "Fitting Eibach Springs etc" thread. The only special tools you will need are some spring compressors! Hope that helps and dont forget to put a torque wrench on you Christmas List!!!

 

[stevepen]

Cheers dicey

Is it the bushes in the wishbone that cause the knocking noise?

Did you have to change the whole wishbone or just the bushes?

 

[dicey]

@Mark_S

1x Torque wrench from santa.

@Stevepen

You have to change the whole wishbone, bushes dont come out. Got mine from EB spares for ~ £120. Spurious though.

 

[Mark_S]

Having done all the springs myself recently I would be apprehensive about replacing the stud with a bolt; only because it will probably impinge, (good engineering word!), on the top of the rubber donut, which will soon wear through so the main spring will come into contact with the bolt creating some good thudding noises!

As JBS states; just replace the top hat (at some cost I suspect), obviously this will give you the piece of mind that you craved by over torqueing it in the first place!:cheese:

The front struts are relatively easy to strip down see the "Fitting Eibach Springs etc" thread. The only special tools you will need are some spring compressors! Hope that helps and dont forget to put a torque wrench on you Christmas List!!!

Sorry for being slack, here you are:

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-159-brera-and-946-spider/289361-fitting-and-suspension-set-up-eibach-pro-springs-1-9-a.html

Dont see that it will be a problem for you since you've undone most of the bolts previously!

 

[dicey]

Cheers Mark. Will be adding Spring compressors to christmas list too.