Technical Project Paolo

[stevehg]

Shame on me, I just degreased and painted mine black when I was painting the other suspensions parts.

 

[Franko500]

Damian,
when you fitted your new bushes in the arms, how far did you push them in?
I over did mine and i now need to get new ones. I pushed them too far in, then removed them and now they are loose. Just wondering for the extra £15 i might buy the new arms with bushes fitted.
They are a crappy design.

 

[fiat500]

Sean, I figured that the bushes and even a part of the suspension arrangement might be common to another model of Fiat which used them in a better way. Those ribs hardly get a grip and it all looks wrong.
I would get new arms if I did it again...what do I mean? "If"
JAN_0111 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/foru...hp?t=13107&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=150

 

[Paolo66]

Damian,
when you fitted your new bushes in the arms, how far did you push them in?
I over did mine and i now need to get new ones. I pushed them too far in, then removed them and now they are loose. Just wondering for the extra £15 i might buy the new arms with bushes fitted.
They are a crappy design.

Sean
I pushed them in until the ribs met the arm

 

[Franko500]

hmm,
I did the same but felt the need to push them on a little more. Then when I placed the arms together with the hub & shaft, I found they were in too far.
When trying to move them out they just go loose.
Its almost like you just need a small interference fit and then when you tighten them up they push themselves onto the bushes.
Strange design - still not sure if to order more bushes or the complete ensemble.

 

[AndrewHarvey]

I had exactly this problem.....and thought it was me being foolish.

I bought new arms with bushes installed - they looked all wrong - but I am assured that they were right.

Bushes did not go in as far as the ribs.....but pulled in when tightened

 

[Paolo66]

Prepping RH side ready for the welder hopefully next weekend
Done a test patch on the roof to get the technique right for prepping before painting. Reckon I've got it nailed now as it's like glass but not sure exactly what finish a paint shop is looking for?

 

[Paolo66]

Shot blasting today. Just doing 1 king pin first to see how it turns out before doing the other one. Got the steering idler arm so clean you can see the original fiat part number!
Thats etch primer not the finished colour

 

[Franko500]

Wow, did you polish that idler arm?
I cant even get my one off the steering box.
I have tried all sorts of methods & it wont budge. Might need to cut it off.
If I don't get it off I cant change the seal.

 

[AndrewHarvey]

bearing puller?

 

[Franko500]

Tried that, won't budge!

 

[AndrewHarvey]

empty the oil, stick it in the oven for 30 mins - then bearing puller and some persuading..............?

 

[Paolo66]

Wow, did you polish that idler arm?
I cant even get my one off the steering box.
I have tried all sorts of methods & it wont budge. Might need to cut it off.
If I don't get it off I cant change the seal.

Sean
Thats the arm from the steering idler bracket. I shot blasted it and then gave it a quick blast on the wire wheel. I've done 2 steering boxes, the first I couldn't be bothered messing about and cut off the arm. The second I didn't want to cut off so I had to modify a ball joint tool. It was still stuck on hard but it gave in in the end!

 

[Franko500]

empty the oil, stick it in the oven for 30 mins - then bearing puller and some persuading..............?

cant see the wife going with that one! might have to wait until she is out shopping for handbags & shoes...

 

[fiat500]

cant see the wife going with that one! might have to wait until she is out shopping for handbags & shoes...

You had better cook a curry or have kippers for supper that day...the smell of hot gear oil is a bit of a lingerer

 

[Paolo66]

2 floors in. What do others do to tidy up underneath?

 

[stevehg]

2 floors in. What do others do to tidy up underneath?

Personally, I would put a couple of coats of chassis black and then two coats of dinitrol 4941.

 

[Paolo66]

Thanks Steve. I was meaning more to do with tidying up the welding on the new floors

 

[Franko500]

Hi Damian, I usually use an 80 grit sanding disc on my grinder to tidy up the welds. Then I use a clean'n'strip wheel to clean up the area. I noticed you don't have the floor centre braces welded to the remainder of the original one that is attached to the centre tunnel. Is your guy doing that as well?

 

[Paolo66]

Yes Sean he is. His welder packed up today so although it's on it's side we haven't touched underneath yet. What do you do to disguise the fact the new floor is at a different level to the original centre? Have you got a picture to show the centre braces?