Alfa Romeo 147 GT GTV lower wishbone change

[@tomrafal3655]

You make it look too easy Neil! 🤣🤣🤣

[@ItaliaAutos]

If only they where all so easy.

[@tomrafal3655]

@@ItaliaAutos yup, just done my rear shocks using your video. Makes me wish I had an impact drive. That long bolt it a PIG! 🤣🤣

[@ItaliaAutos]

@@tomrafal3655 if you did it right they will come out easy every time. Had a customer car back in from 3 years ago when i changed rear shocks. Now back for rear arms. Come out easily.

[@tomrafal3655]

I bought all new nuts and bolts, they're getting covered in copper slip when they're refitted.

[@ItaliaAutos]

@@tomrafal3655 that's my fave stuff.😁

[@kahumike]

I could have used this three years ago when I bought my first 156. Took me two and a half days, lots of swearing and bruised knuckles. Managed to do it without removing the hub nut, but that's only because i couldn't get it to come off. And I managed to start cross thrashing one of the castings, thankfully I was able to borrow a thread tap from work and was able to fix it. Love watching these videos, they're well presented, easy to understand, and i'm sure have helped a lot of Alfa owners save some money.

[@ItaliaAutos]

Michael Aldridge thank you.

[@frasercurrie7267]

Did this job today on jack stands. Obviously 80% of bolts were stuck. Still, got there in the end. Lining it up was tricky but used a trolley jack to lift up antiroll bar sightly and took off the form (E14 socket required). So, can be done on jack stands but pretty laborious. Not a job I would do again. Except I'm going to do the other side this weekend. Thanks so much for the video, this video plus the AutoDoc video gave me the confidence to do this on my own.

[@radu225]

replaced the engine in my backyard and in order to remove the driveshaft form gearbox, unbolted the 4 15 mm bolts and the 19mm bolt! al good, put the new engine and gearbox in, and had to agree, to reinstall the bolts was a real pain in the ass! only managed to fit the left side, but the right side stil drives me crazy! the car is jacked so it s like 100 times harder any operation! thanks for your video, gives me hope!

[@ItaliaAutos]

thanks for watching.

[@waynestuart-cole53]

Oh I am so glad you made this film, my new wishbones are on the way. 👌

[@fsafombe9195]

oh man, saved my day again on the controller arm removal. guess I was a bit shy on it. thanks Neil! off to change passenger side brake line :S keep up the good work

[@mattturner2989]

Excellent video, I particularly enjoyed the 'tap with a hammer' at 1:06 🤣

[@kristianjmthomas]

Awesome video! Will definitely be using this when I try and swap out the front suspension in next few weeks!

[@ItaliaAutos]

good stuff, enjoy.

[@kristianjmthomas]

Man what a PITA to get the lower wishbone back in! Couldn't get the new wishbone horizontal enough to get the bolts in. Thanks for the videos though!

[@ItaliaAutos]

kristian thomas yep they can be a right pain.

[@termite2691]

Last time I did this I found the trick was to undo the upper wishbone balljoint and crucially ... simply remove the fork on the shock. No need to touch the driveshaft nut. Also loosen off the anti roll bar bracket bolts so it pushes up out the way. With the fork removed it makes it so much easier to manipulate the wishbone out and back in without the fork getting in the way all the time. And with the upper wishbone ball joint released you can pull the wheel hub out far enough to make enough room to work in.

[@ItaliaAutos]

Good luck getting the fork off nowadays without breaking it.

[@termite2691]

@@ItaliaAutos Already been there when changing the shocks a while back. Angle grinder through the pinch bolt and shock flange then drilling and hammering to remove remains of seized up bolt from the fork. Loads of grease when reassembling and it now falls apart when the bolt is removed ... almost.

[@karlos1060]

Great video on how to for my 156 👌 And Neil your gloves look amazing 😂

[@ukwan]

"A tap of the hammer" - Proceeds to beat the living shit out of it with a lump hammer.

[@ItaliaAutos]

cant beat it.

[@williamfied9500]

I have never ended up with bloodier knuckles from anything else but this job. trying to do it on the ground isn't easy...

[@TheAlfaNut]

Useful vids as ever Neil, thanks

[@curlymopp]

Don´t you need a new nut for the hub as the old one is scored?

[@MrFergo86]

great videos Neil. Maybe you can do one of changing a 156 busso V6 clutchplate? Im not looking forward to that job...

[@ItaliaAutos]

Possibly! got a gta to do in a few months

[@Ruben20vt]

Nice video, but in my opinion in minute 10.32 bolt must be tightened with the lower suspension arm in working position, as if the wheels were on the ground

[@Painkiler99]

Yes ofcourse it should be done while suspension is in it's working position.

[@simyob]

@@Painkiler99 Why

[@Painkiler99]

​@@simyob Because if you tighten suspension while it's on jack stand, when you put car on ground you will put stress on bushings, and when you hit bump or hole you will more than likely break off bushings

[@kevinoleary6906]

That’s what I’ve always believed. I wonder whether this accounts for all the premature failure of upper and lower wishbones on the 147/156/GT ? The various bolts are inaccessible with the wheels on the car and maybe some mechanics just tighten everything up with the load off the suspension. The answer seems to be to measure the distance between the top of the wheel arch and the centre of the hub and replicate this using a trolley or transmission Jack before tightening everything up

[@EwenWallace]

Yes? The long bolt through the bottom of the fork MUST be tightened with the suspension at working height. Mine tore out the rubber bush in 10-15k km. did it myself this time.

[@MrAno102]

hello, thanks for video. Could you tell us how a ball joint should be on a new part? I have just received 2 new parts, and I am surprised by the difference in flexibility between the ball joint of the left and right part ? I was expecting a new, fairly firm ball joint, and one of them is very flexible and that worries me. I think that it is to easy to move by hand. I'm afraid of rapid degradation after installation. Is this normal? Thank you for your help

[@vernehattingh2399]

Thanks for a very useful video

[@Painkiler99]

Oh my I'd like to have so easily snaping out ball joints like you have.... Mine steering ball joints even though they were replaced and cone surfaces cleaened without a tool for removing I wasn't able to take it out, and when it snaped out, well It done like rocket proppeled

[@witlod2403]

Shouldnt the wishbone bolt be tightened while the car stands on the ground? The sleeve will tear momentarily. AFAIK thightening it in the air is basically safe only if you have poliurethane sleeves.

[@ItaliaAutos]

No its fine for front wishbones.

[@frosty98412]

@@ItaliaAutos Is it the same for the upper wishbones? Also can a shocker shaft squeak? I get a tiny sqeak and the shocker shaft is vibrating on the top when I put my finger on it, upper wishbones have been replaced and regreased.

[@ItaliaAutos]

@@frosty98412 could be worn out,

[@EwenWallace]

Nope. Mine was replaced 15k km ago. It tore out the rubber bush where the long bolt is at the bottom of the fork. It must be tightened with the suspension at working height. The other side was wrinkled as it was twisted. Otherwise I think your method is the best. I also loosened the sway bar bolts for more wriggle room. Thanks for posting the video.

[@fatwalletboy2]

Arh the old screwdriver in the hole trick to help line something up 👍 The job is a lot faster with a gun on all the nuts and bolts than the usual home socket set.....but being italian do you find many bolt heads snap off?

[@fusionisgodlike]

How would you rate the cv joints on these cars, are they a common problem? Keep it up Neil

[@BituMan21]

Hi Neil! Can u tell me the bolts and nuts tightening torque (nm) ? Thansk for the video! La passione ci guida :)

[@undertakerreturns901]

The thread from the power steering arm wont Come loos at the right side any advise? Been hitting it and heeting but no movement 😁

[@curlymopp]

One might try loosening (n b not removing!)bolts holding the anti-sway bar clamps. Gives you more room to jiggle the wishbone in under the anti-sway bar.😀

[@ItaliaAutos]

yes that it another option.

[@MrAno102]

hello, Thanks for video. Please, I have a question. At 2min42 I cannot pull the block to me to extract the axis of transmission. It seems to be very in the video, but I think with a old car there can be rust on the axis. I have tried to hit with a hammer without any effect. What could I do please ? should I use an claw puller tool to push the axis ?

[@AlfaGTA156]

Hi. What’s the size socket do you need to remove the front hub nut?

[@ItaliaAutos]

36mm

[@AlfaGTA156]

Italia Autos many thanks. Thanks for taking the time to film the process to remove the lower wishbone. Some good pointers. Will be using it as a guide to do the front suspension on my GTA.

[@ItaliaAutos]

@@AlfaGTA156 thanks. Please share the video. Thanks

[@ItaliaAutos]

@DispelTheMyth punched it back in just no on camera. But my gun is also good.

[@thanasismparoutis8969]

Είσαι καλός και πολύ εύστοχος τεχνίτης !!

[@mspencer8791]

The bolts for the wishbones. Apart from the subframe do they connect anywhere else? I have just dropped my subframe out for refurbishing and was thinking of attaching the wishbones back on prior to reinstalling it. What do you reckon?

[@ItaliaAutos]

yep do it before you put it back on

[@CarsByVincent]

This looks very much the same as on my 156. Is that correct?

[@ItaliaAutos]

Yep

[@CarsByVincent]

@@ItaliaAutos I figured. Removed the old one yesterday and everything was the same, for anyone wondering.

[@takhsnikolakopoulos5553]

Maybe i have to go to a work shop because here we have problems with alfa Romeo repairs 😊

[@claremccormick1979]

Hi Neil, what are the torque values for the lower wishbone?

[@witlod2403]

90Nm

[@NeilCampbell1966]

Very good method, worked for me when others I found on the web did not. A question, you did not lubricate the bushes. Is that because they are OEM rubber and don't need it?

[@ItaliaAutos]

new rubber doesnt need lubricating. but id lubricate the top wishbones.

[@jantulen204]

I prefer to tightened all the bolts wen the car is on his wheels. for the rubber parts.

[@ItaliaAutos]

all the bolts are bolted straight to metal. pointless doing that on these wishbones.:-)

[@cataWRC]

@@ItaliaAutos You have rubber were the sock meets the arm....

[@Zeghetank]

It can be done without removing the hub nut. I did it on my 156. It just needs a bit more pressure.

[@ItaliaAutos]

It prob can but sometimes you get an awkward wishbone that doesn't want to line up so I always just remove the lot.

[@JesusRodriguez-tm8go]

What brand wishbone would you recommend?

[@ItaliaAutos]

TRW or Birth. are the ones i use

[@JesusRodriguez-tm8go]

@@ItaliaAutos Thanks for both the videos, and the answer. I was thinking about getting strongflex polyurethane bushes instead of the wishbones. Do you think it'd be worth it to get the polyurethane bushes? (Maybe I'm spelling bushes the wrong way, I don't know, I hope you know what I mean)

[@ItaliaAutos]

@@JesusRodriguez-tm8go id say not worth the extra effort over fitting decent quality wishbones.

[@JesusRodriguez-tm8go]

@@ItaliaAutos Awesome! Thanks again

[@johnwild3923]

@@JesusRodriguez-tm8go definatley worth doing i used nylon and just drilled the holes,pressed them in a huge improvement that lasts and handles far better.

[@drazengasparac267]

Good job

[@jomor147]

There is no reason hooking the hub's wheight on a cable, except from preparing the cable for a failure.

[@dasdasdsdasdasdasd363]

Can't you just replace the bushes? They sell them separately and maybe the ball joint as well.

[@egon2875]

Where's the angle grinder? Where's the blood? The swearing? The tea? Lol. Been there, done that. On a lighter note for those of us who don't have a whizzy whizzy gun, undo the hub nut with the wheel on the ground, as sometimes they're done up to FT tightness.... 👍

[@ItaliaAutos]

for hub nuts with out a gun. stick your space saver on, you will then be able to access the nut with the car on the ground. thanks for watching.

[@chrisbutler2636]

Great vid. Do not buy Ebay specials!! Either Trw or Original birth. 😁

[@krtolebiohazardcs1.681]

Tnx

[@majkfajt255]

Only TRW