[EspressoP]

Hi all,
Spider S3
I'm hoping to rebuild both front and rear suspension this spring. I am going to start with the rear. How difficult will this be? I don't mean technically as I am confident I can carry out the work, I mean physically. How difficult is it to change the springs and bushes, do I need any special tools other than spring compressor. How long should it take me? I will be working on the ground, trolley jack and axel stands, where is the best place to put the stands?
All and any advice welcome.

 

[sloboy89]

This may give you some ideas:

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/spider-1966-up/177080-rear-suspension-bushing-change-dummies.html

 

[GV27]

I just got done doing the rear end of my car following the instructions Rich linked to above. Don't even need a spring compressor - you'll use your trolly jack to control the release of the springs. Not physically very taxing aside from a fair amount of time spent working while laying under the car. And in my case a lot of up/down because I ALWAYS forget something when I crawl under a car. You have to yank hard on the vise if using that to press bushings (a press would make it really easy) and there are some big bolts that can be stuck that take some pulling but that's about it.

Problems I ran into were stuck diff flange bolts (yes you CAN get a socket on them in the right position) and breaking the head off my cheap vise while pressing in swaybar end link bushings.

Vintre makes pressing in new rubber bushings look easy - I've heard it's not (do a search). I would have had a machine shop do them for me if I'd gone that route, but I did poly bushings so it wasn't an issue - they just slide in by hand.

Can't really give you a time estimate. I have a busy family life which means I tend to work for only a couple of hours at a stretch which makes it take longer. Plus I may be the world's slowest mechanic! So I picked away at it over a period of a couple of weeks.

 

[alfaparticle]

Vintre makes pressing in new rubber bushings look easy - I've hear it's not. I would have had a machine shop do them for me, but I did poly bushings so it wasn't an issue - they just slide in by hand.

For me, poly bushings are a no-brainer. Easy to install, don't deteriorate like rubber, not expensive. IMO their reputation for being too stiff is due to some of the earlier types. Some of them are available in more than one grade of stiffness, so stay away from the ones intended for racing and there may well be differences between vendors. I buy mine from Performatek.

 

[wenpri]

Rear suspension redo

There is a lot of information on previous posts on this subject. You really only need a floor jack, a hacksaw(to cut out the bushes out of the trailing arms) and a vice to press in the new ones. Almost no one recommends changing the body bushings of the trunnion. Published workshop manuals for Alfas are also generally available. Good luck.