1979 Fiat Spider 124 Front Suspension Install

[@petittrainguernsey3297]

Brilliant video. I run an (Italian) Dotto Tourist Land Train which uses a combination of Fiat and Iveco parts. The carriages have steering on all four wheels. The hub and brake assembly is Fiat 124, X1/9. I have huge trouble sourcing parts as I do not have the original Fiat part numbers, only the (very expensive) Tourist Land Train parts suppliers across Europe. can you please let me know the part numbers for the top and bottom ball joints? Also the steering drag link ball joint numbers ( both left and Right hand thread). Cheers!

[@ELDESTBuilds]

4104085 TIE ROD END - LEFT HAND THREAD 4218233 TIE ROD END -RIGHT HAND THREAD 5882118 LOWER BALL JOINT 5880296 UPPER BALL JOINT Hope that helps, found it on www.spiderroadster.com

[@petittrainguernsey3297]

@@ELDESTBuilds Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry not to have thanked you on here. I was just watching the video again and remembered I meant to thank you. Life saver, suddenly i can get the parts I need. Replaced 8 sets of ball joints over the past year. My train has 12 fiat 124 front corners to play with...

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Were you able to get the parts you needed?

[@petittrainguernsey3297]

@@ELDESTBuilds Yes, I’ve found that the absolute heap that is the FSO Polonez uses the same hubs, brakes and steering parts. I guess those Fiat parts made it into a lot of Eastern Bloc cars. So hunting on eBay for FSO parts results in significant savings. The upper ball joint seems to be much more difficult to get hold of. The classic Fiat guy I have an account with in the UK just cannot get them and the land train dealers charge £68 each. I’ve just ordered a couple of Moog uppers so replace parts stock. I like to hold 3 complete corners worth of parts at any one time. Not often Moog stuff is in stock in the UK and postage rates from the states can be pretty mad, plus the customs charge as well. I use Timkin wheel bearings. I live on an island so most of the marine engineering places sell them for boat trailers. Salt water ready and hd. I had the local seal factor make up a load of hub seals for me. The previous owner had a wheel fall off (wheel nuts not done up) which destroyed the caliper carrier. He had it welded, which is a shocking practice. Took forever to find one of those. Got it from an X1/9 owners club FB page. Calipers are hellish expensive and exchange only. I got hold of a couple of Chinese copies to see how they go. I don’t think I would put them on a car but the train has 16 braking wheels so the wear on them is nothing to shout about and if they fail I’ll still be able to stop. For the other calipers I have used rebuild kits. All the calipers are rear so they are all handbraked. This does mean they are all on upside down which makes bleeding an arse cos the nipple is on the bottom (Unless they were designed like this) solved that issue with a pressure bleeder. My radiator has gone off for a recore today. The train runs an Iveco 1840.23 2.8 turbo motor. The rad is original (30 years old) and had sprung a leak. It’s off an old truck and the guy is going to recore it as if it is from a static engine (Generator etc) with an x pattern as the train only does 12mph top speed. Hub reduction on the drive axle gives heaps of torque and I can pull 9 tons easily with a standard 5 speed Iveco gearbox. Keep up the vids man! The Chevy truck series is great!

[@ELDESTBuilds]

All of that is amazing. Send some photos, I'd love to see it @ [e-mail]

[@joshuadonner5145]

I can’t thank you enough for your videos. I’m installing lowering springs, new shocks etc and have my phone right next to me watching your videos. Thank you for recording and making this job(s) so much easier

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Thanks buddy, I'm glad the video helped you.

[@joshuadonner5145]

This will be my winter project (did the rear last winter with help from you) thank you for making such detailed videos.

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Check out the whole kit from Vickauto.com. Much less frustrating. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmaTqKurmcp6fNUsi=brJConGKsh9DIQYa

[@lizzieandbob1]

Just installed my new ball joints, can't believe how tight the spindle is to move by hand. Thanks again for all your videos.

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Good job buddy, there a little stiff by hand.

[@lizzieandbob1]

@@ELDESTBuilds after I reinstalled shock , spindle was much easier to move around.

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Good job buddy

[@LawrenceWKeck]

great video! ur car is super clean and nice.. im doing my front end now too..

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Thanks buddy, enjoy your build

[@Ivan_builds]

It's a little difficult to tell in the video, but it kind of looks like you tightened the bushings while the control arms were hanging at their lowest position. Control arm bushings should be tightened when the control arms are at ride height to avoid preloading the bushing. My apologies if you had them at ride height and I couldn't see. Otherwise nice video.

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Those things were retightened so many times. You'd have to fast forward to the lowering spring install a few months later.

[@fredfabris7187]

That is correct, should be tighten at rose height or at least with control arms level to ground..... which is where they typically are at ride height. Good instructive video

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Thanks

[@kellyclarkson3244]

the lower A arm ball joint flange is mounted from underneath arm, not above. See fiat service manual

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Yes, thanks, fixed it see later videos

[@dashmasterflash7515]

Very nice! Thanks for the nice clip. I took mine off a few years ago for a deep dive body work and about to put it back together so it’s a good refresher. One question, why not use a spring compressor for a safer and less drama work?

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Here you go kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3m5iZV3g618bNksi=l43lR29OUlWhOdnS

[@curlymopp]

Very instructive! Thanks! Some suggest you should connect both A-arms to the kingpin prior to installation, but you obviously don’t agree?

[@ELDESTBuilds]

I completed a side at a time in order to jack up the car to compress the spring to get the spindle on.

[@minnesotamechanic]

Nice! Where by chance would I find bolts that fit the spider, and have a similar look, and exact fit to the original?

[@ELDESTBuilds]

All the nuts and bolts thus far in the build have been the originals. I sandblasted them and painted them black with POR-15 and then sprayed them with Krylon chrome. I did, however place an order with boltdepot.com for new stainless socket cap bolts for the motor assembly. They arrived today and will look great in the build. If your missing a few, they are standard metric sizes and can be found at an Ace hardware type place. I plan on posting a slide show type video with a build list soon. It will have info on business and part numbers from the suppliers.

[@jeffhandeguand5630]

Are those impact sockets? That universal joint thing really isn't the safest thing to use. Good tutorial on how it all goes together.

[@ELDESTBuilds]

No OSHA here. You should watch the 12 Valve transmission install video. That socket few off the wobbler so fast it reached escape velocity and will impact the moon in a few days. Real shame too, that was my favorite 10mm socket.

[@giancarlocaldarone9848]

Buona sera nel video si vede la testina del braccio oscillante inferiore messa sopra mentre in un disegno del manuale ho visto che è montata da sotto ma è uguale o cara dei problemi grazie saluto (io l'ho montata come nel video ) saluti

[@ELDESTBuilds]

scusa, in un video successivo cambio il giunto sferico inferiore

[@giancarlocaldarone9848]

Grazie

[@ldn408]

Hey sir, nice video again. I have a question for you. My fiat is pulling to the left when I break hard. I've already replaced the master cylinder, calipers, pads and rotors. Checked the hoses and they seem to be ok too. Any suggestions? Thanks !!!

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Time to replace the 40 year old hoses. You have to bleed the master before you attach the hard lines. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJ_HdYCqj616oMU

[@ldn408]

ELDEST Builds thanks, will do it tomorrow. Any chance I have to replace the hard lines for some reason?

[@ELDESTBuilds]

You can start with the drivers front, you can get a 3 foot piece from the parts store, a rentable flare kit and give it a try. I have a few videos on brake line bending.

[@yonsei1]

Thanks again for posting another fantastic video!! I did have a question, in part 1 I noticed that there is a blue shock absorber. In part 2 as you put everything together there is no shock absorber? Did I miss something? Should I not replace my shock and springs? Thanks

[@ELDESTBuilds]

The new shock was installed last, check the latest, lowering spring install video. I talk about the shock and install it.

[@yonsei1]

Would love to get your feedback, I am going a complete replacement of my entire front end due to 40 years of neglect. I am replacing the coils but I've "heard" that that are just too high and need to be cut. Any recommendations on how much of the coil to remove?

[@13_hopes]

I have similar model in my country India . Fiat 118ne with nissan 4speed engine 1200cc petrol .same suspension system too .

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Thanks, I just read about Premier Ltd.

[@13_hopes]

@@ELDESTBuilds I need stiffer suspension for front . My suspension coil springs and ball joints bushes worn out .. What kind of upgrade I need to do to achieve a moderate soft suspension ?

[@ELDESTBuilds]

4104085 TIE ROD END - LEFT HAND THREAD 4218233 TIE ROD END -RIGHT HAND THREAD 5882118 LOWER BALL JOINT 5880296 UPPER BALL JOINT Hope that helps, found it on www.spiderroadster.com

[@ELDESTBuilds]

FSO Polonez has same suspension parts.

[@ELDESTBuilds]

I am happy with the lowering springs from Vickauto.com and the KYB shocks from rockauto.com

[@jefffoster216]

Eldest. What ever you dont make the same mistake Eldest and I did. 35 seconds into this video you will see Eldest put the round washer type shims on the lower control arm. I did that the first time I rebuilt the front suspension. when I took It in for alignment and they needed to remove shims and I was screwed. I had to remove the control arm and use the 'U' shape shims that can be removed and added by just loosening a couple of bolts at the alinement shop. Jeff (working on my fiat 74 spider for 25 years.

[@ELDESTBuilds]

Take a breath, the car is aligned. Any shop can remove a washer and replace with a U shim.

[@frantisekwachtl6763]

Video nice, but the procedure is wrong. Sorry, I'm using google translator. The arm bolts must only be tightened when the car is standing on its wheels. This will quickly damage the silentblocks, as they are not tightened in the operating position! Tightening with an impact wrench? Not using a torque wrench? I prefer not to talk about work safety when I see the car almost falling off the mounting brackets. So for me, I do not recommend taking this procedure as ideal. Have a nice day everyone.

[@ELDESTBuilds]

It has been off and on a couple more times since then, keep watching I talk about it later