91 164 L Steering rebuild in progress....

[donliznev]

Folks,

The long postponed steering rebuild is in full swing.

Steve's "Rosso" thread has proved invaluable.

I don't know how one could possibly remove the steering rack without dropping the sub-frame.

Cardisc is absolutely no help in this regard.

With the engine six inches lower the rack bolts and pipes etc are easily accessible.

I realize now that I should probably have flushed the old fluid before I started by running the engine with one of the pipes undone.

Is there a way to flush the steering pump now that the engine is lowered?

I am confident the fluid is all new as it leaked out so fast I was topping up weekly with about a quarter pint.

I would like to do the job properly though and flush it all out if possible.

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Ta,

Neville.

[Alfissimo Int.]

Feed some clean fluid in the inlet pipe to the P/s pump while rotating pulley, obviously remove pipe so that it drains. Use a paper towel to catch drainage of fluid. Make sure it is clean and free of metal bits. Flush until fluid is clean.

As far as the lines themselves, you can remove them, use mineral spirits and blow them out with compressed air in both directions. Place your finger or rag partially over the exit hole to create some back pressure.
Once or twice each way should be plenty.

To bleed rack once installed, keep car raised and with fluid topped, cap off, turn wheel each direction to lock while keeping the fluid from overflowing, you will see bubbles appear. Do that about 20 times each way until bubbles are gone.

Jason

Quote:

Originally Posted by donliznev Folks, The long postponed steering rebuild is in full swing. Steve's "Rosso" thread has proved invaluable. I don't know how one could possibly remove the steering rack without dropping the sub-frame. Cardisc is absolutely no help in this regard. With the engine six inches lower the rack bolts and pipes etc are easily accessible. I realize now that I should probably have flushed the old fluid before I started by running the engine with one of the pipes undone. Is there a way to flush the steering pump now that the engine is lowered? I am confident the fluid is all new as it leaked out so fast I was topping up weekly with about a quarter pint. I would like to do the job properly though and flush it all out if possible. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Ta, Neville.

[donliznev]

Thanks Jason....

I became aware that the front suspension struts at one time had rubber boots, which have since disintegrated.
I found bits of evidence in a small pile at the bottom of the strut.
The struts are fine but I suppose I should replace the boots to keep dirt out etc.

Whilst I have the whole suspension dissembled now would be the time to replace the strut boots.

Is boot replacment feasible without the special tool to compress the springs?

Ta,

Neville.

[Alfissimo Int.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donliznev Thanks Jason.... I became aware that the front suspension struts at one time had rubber boots, which have since disintegrated. I found bits of evidence in a small pile at the bottom of the strut. The struts are fine but I suppose I should replace the boots to keep dirt out etc. Whilst I have the whole suspension dissembled now would be the time to replace the strut boots. Is boot replacment feasible without the special tool to compress the springs? Ta, Neville.

[Alfisto Steve]

Thou must not try to disassemble front strut without spring compressor. Rent one free from autozone or like parts store in your area.

Be sure you have new lower strut bearings. bump stops and boots before you start project.

[donliznev]

Thanks Steve and Jason,

I figured there was no sneaky way to replace those strut boots without the special tool, but thought I would ask just in case....I will save that job for another day.

I had Monday off so was able to continue to install the recon steering rack from Jorgen.
Pipes and pump flushed with new fluid before I installed the rack.
The old drained fluid was clean and dirt free in any case as it had been leaking so badly.
Bolts are torqued.

I am about ready to raise the subframe but that will wait until I finish changing all the suspension rubbers, CV boots and the ball joints.
I had to order CV boot ties/clips from DiFatta as the local parts stores had nothing suitable.

A quarter inch layer of black goo came off the suspension and subframe, the result of a couple of years leaking steering fluid.
I was tempted to use the pressure washer.....in the garage.

How does one drive the cylindrical rubber bush out of the suspension arm tube?
I tried using a suitable size socket and hammer to push the bush casing through the tube, but it did not budge.

Ta,

Neville.

[ChazzyD]

I assume you mean the front bushings in the lower A arms? You'll have to have those pressed in and out on a shop press. It is possible to remove them by hack saw, but then you will need the press to put new ones in.
Charles

[donliznev]

Thanks Charles,

I spent most of Saturday fruitlessly doing the rounds trying to find a workshop with a suitable press and willing to do the control arm bushes.
One fellow thought he had the right equipment but was too chicken to try in case he damaged my control arms.
That job will have to wait until Monday when I can approach some real machine shops.....

Meanwhile I am having extreme difficulty unscrewing the allen head screws that hold the inner axle to the inner CV joint.
I have loosened all but one screw by attacking the nuts at the back.
I bent and rounded two allen keys trying from the front.

Reading all the related articles I see no description of how these screws are loosened apart from the fact the nuts at the back have locking mechanisms.

Is there a technique to loosening these allen screws that I should know about?

Ta,

Neville.

[donliznev]

Folks,

Not to worry about the inner CV joint screws.
These came off in the end with 5/16 allen attachment to an extension bar and rachet.
It still needed plenty of muscle which had me thinking the whole car was going to fall off the stands, then snap it came loose.

Ta,

Neville.

[Alfisto Steve]

Drill out rubber or burn it out then push out metal center rod with two bolt holes, hacksaw just outer metal shell of front "silent block" and bend and push out with hammer and chisel. If trying to insert OEM new "silent blocks" aka front suspension bushings with metal case and metal center you need to freeze it in dry ice and heat suspesnion arm and be quick with hydraulic press or a large vise.

If using poly bushings (one piece) lub up outer surface with special grease that comes with bushings and press them in with a press then lub up old cleaned up center rod and press it into new poly bushing.

[donliznev]

Thanks Steve,

Dry ice on a hot Sunday in FL.....?
I tried the heat experience and burnt out one of the cylindrical bush center pieces with a blowtorch.
I only managed to distort the end of the cylindrical casing after a few hard hits trying to drive it out of the control arm.

I could not figure out the hacksaw option unless one is doing less than one inch strokes back and forth.

Tomorrow very early I will unload the whole caboodle on a machine shop together with strict instructions.
I just know a serious challenge lies ahead......

If I had know upfront I might have purchased the whole control arm assembly for +- $90 each instead of messing around as I am now saving about $100 on both.
I just hate to waste good parts....

Meanwhile the axles are tilted upright and hanging by the lowest strut bolt so that the leftover grease can be cleaned out.

There is a spring clip accessible from the inner side of the outer CV joint.
Does this allow the axle and CV joint to be removed from the hub?

If so how does that work??????

I was unable to slide the axle out from the hub together with the outer CV joint.
I would like to clean these and repack with grease.

I found also that the brand new inner rubber boots have a far inferior collar so that the DiFatta supplied collars do not adequately clamp them.
I have refitted the old boots tightly with the new collars as they show very little wear and are not being constantly flexed anyway.
I will save the new boots until something goes wrong.

The outer boots are totally disintegrated but fortunately no grit had found it's way into the CV joints.

Locally I am unable to find anything that would work as a collar on these boots except the nylon "handcuff" ties.
These are not a bad option as far as I am concerned.

Have a very good week all....

Ta,

Neville.

[jontg428]

I would just buy the control arms complete with ball joints and bushes allready pressed in, saves time and much frustration, just my .02 cnets

[donliznev]

Folks,

On the right hand hub to strut connection are four bolts which screw directly through the strut into the hub.

On my 91 Alfa 164L one of these bolts is different to the other three.
The left side has all four bolts the same size.

The bolt in question seems to be size M10 1.0 and has a #14 head.
The other three bolts are #17 head, as are the four left side bolts.

Is this normal phenomena for the right side only.

The odd bolt has stripped on tightening to Cardisc torque specification.
Any of the other bolts cannot be used instead as they are fractional larger.

I need to know whether the stripped bolt is correct size?
This is the top outer bolt on the right side.

Ta,

Neville.

[Craig]

G'Day Neville,

M10 bolts normally have either 16mm or 17mm heads (roughly 16mm industrial 17mm car or stainless).

I suspect the bolt in question is a 3/8" bolt which is very close to 10mm and the threads are almost the same pitch. 3/8" bolts seem to have a 15mm head.

[Alfisto Steve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donliznev Folks, On the right hand hub to strut connection are four bolts which screw directly through the strut into the hub. On my 91 Alfa 164L one of these bolts is different to the other three. The left side has all four bolts the same size. The bolt in question seems to be size M10 1.0 and has a #14 head. The other three bolts are #17 head, as are the four left side bolts. Is this normal phenomena for the right side only. The odd bolt has stripped on tightening to Cardisc torque specification. Any of the other bolts cannot be used instead as they are fractional larger. I need to know whether the stripped bolt is correct size? This is the top outer bolt on the right side. Ta, Neville.