Centerline's Suspension Rebuild Kits

[BattleBug]

I'm about to drop some $$$ on refreshing my Spiders suspension. I intend to get Centerline's front & rear rebuild kits as well as their performance springs. Already got the Koni's. I'm looking for is some feedback-good, bad, indifferent on other's experiences with these items from this vendor. Seems a good value to me and I've had positive dealings with Centerline before. Any comments welcome.
Thanks,
Paul

[Tifosi]

You mean like the front one that's all the balljoints, tie rod ends and such all in one package?

Well worth the investment IMO, especially since you end up with adjustable upper arms when it's all said and done. (nice feeling to know everydamnthing has been replaced with new too)

Just remember to order ARB bushes at the same time.

[Zunige]

I have purchased the sport springs, and they are excellent. I didn't purchase my front upper adjustable control arms from them, or their rear kit, but I did purchase all the poly bushings. I like poly everywhere in a Spider (including motor mounts), and do have adjustable control arms, plus a chassis stiffener. I would highly recommend all upgrades...

Best regards,

[BattleBug]

Cool Any omissions...pieces/parts not included that should've? Already got the chassis stiffener and I liked it--'tho it highlighted other deficiencies...

[jjb]

I just finished a full front sus rebuild with Centerlines's parts. Bought them separately as I got into it. Should have just bought the kit. I liked everything, although two things I found are:

1. The new spring pans had a very thin black finish that was flaking off when they came. I was refinishing everything else with Eastwood's Chassis Black anyway, so I did them as well. (Many would say go with powder coating)

2. I head about this plastic washer for the caster bushing that I have never come across before in the thread below. See Papajam's reference in post # 6 of the thread.

105 upper A arm inner bushing problem

Good luck

Jeff

[Tifosi]

Oh, you 'might' find that you need to grind a little bit of the corner off one of the tie-rod ends on the drivers side.

Something about the way they are made now is just a wee bit bigger, so it bumps up against stuff as you turn the wheel. (if it's going to happen, it'll be obvious as to what it is and where it's hitting)

From spooking around the forum, it's not all that uncommon an occurence with the newer parts.


2 seconds with a disc grinder and it's done.

[whagan]

Warning!
Don't get burned like me, don't use the inner bushings already installed in the adjustable upper control arm. See the link 105 upper A arm inner bushing problem on that one

[BattleBug]

Good warning. In fact I ordered two extra lower bushings for the inside of the upper arm.
Thanks!

[BattleBug]

I replaced those two bushings last evening. Not a task for the sqeamish. Tried to press then out with my bench vise and a couple of sockets--no luck. Tried a gear puller--still no luck. Finally just drilled the rubber out and got after the shell with my sawzall. Easy. For the reinstall, I heated the arm end to 400F whilst I froze the new bushings. A little grease and some carefully measured kinetic energy seated the new bushings quite nicely. Can't wait to do the others... Not.

[BattleBug]

I'm now neck deep into my suspension rebuild--no way out but to forge ahead. It seems every part I remove involves some key tidbit of knowledge I learned in this BB--cool.
Couple of questions re rear suspension:
1. The rear springs from this vendor are a smaller diameter than stock--will this pose a problem?
2. When removing the trunnion/T-bar/reaction triangle, is there enough space to wiggle it out WITHOUT removing the exhaust and fuel supply/return lines?
3. Does the large bolt at the diff/T-bar joint penetrate into the diff case?
4. How does one remove the top sway bar links from the rear sway bar?
5. Lastly, I'm not looking forward to removing/reinstalling my chassis stiffener, but I see no other solution to re-align the holes for the trailing arms--I guess I could pound the bolts back in with a BFH but that would trash the threads more than they already are--any tricks?

Thanks in advance
Paul

[BattleBug]

Sitting at the computer filthy but satisfied...So I'll answer some of my own q's.
1. Still don't know...anyone?
2. Nope, Rear exhaust pieces need to move.
3. Yes (pass side)...didn't need to pull it tho--put back in haste when I saw/smelled Spirax.
4. Press fit. Gear puller might work but mine was too big (story of my life) Used my sawzall to cut the inner sleeve.
5. Stiffener is coming off...rats!





anyone out there?

[Tifosi]

Quote:

#5 from post #10......any tricks?

[sfisher71]

About your #3... I've done the poly trunnion bushings on my Berlina and on Jeff's, and in neither case did the big bolt go into the diff. The boss that the trunnion bolt goes through is completely outside the gear case.

Oh, and in honor of Joe Cantrell, who told me and told me and TOLD me so... changing the trunnion bushing to poly is easily the single best thing you can do to tighten up your Alfa's handling. It's amazing. I have a poly bushing to do my Spider, Just Because.

(Though every time I drive my Spider, I think, why change anything? I LOVE this car just the way it is! The only thing I'd change is that I wish I got to drive it more... :-)

--Scott Fisher
Tualatin, Oregon

[BattleBug]

Rear end is done. Biggest PITAs were trailing arm rear Poly-U bushings and their overly tight fit. Yep, I used lots o' grease; yep, pushed 'em in with the vise; nope, they were a cast iron bicz to reinstall. So check out the photo--still not pleased with sloppy fit of springs--hopefully the handling will compensate. Also, not impressed with quality control of Mackay products. Perhaps it's my karma...dunno.

On to the front end...got the shocks, ARB, and springs out. The hard stuff is yet to come!!

[Tifosi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BattleBug Also, not impressed with quality control of Mackay products