Re: [alfa] Inspecting suspension parts

["Dean W. Cains" <dwc@xxxxxx>]

Hi Mark:

Did you give the castor bushing a good inspection, and the ball joint on 
the far side of the castor arm?  Sometimes it's tough to feel any free 
play, but with the suspension loaded (i.e. with the wheel off and with a 
jack stand under the lower a-arm), you might feel it.  There might be 
another source, but that clunk you described with the brakes has always 
been a castor part on 105/115's I've had.  There are a few different types 
of castor bushings, one that has a set of washers, and one that doesn't.  I 
don't recall what year it changed, but the best solution seems to be 
polyurethane in that spot, anyway.

Regards,

Dean
Lutz, FL
'74 & '87 Spider Veloce's

At 10:37 PM 6/30/2004, you wrote:

> Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 21:14:04 -0400
> From: Mark Denovich <denovich@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] Inspecting suspension parts
>
> I'm trying to track down a small clunk in the front end of my '86
> Spider.   It's not really audible, but can be felt clearly through the
> steering wheel.   I feel it coming from the driver's side.   It seems
> to happen in a fore-aft manner.   Generally happens upon application
> of brakes, or heavy bumps...   not all the time.   Seems to flop in
> one direction ans stays there until the opposite motion causes it to
> flop back.    I never notice it at speed over relatively smooth
> pavement.
>
> I had the car up on stands and went over the various ball joints/tie
> rods/bushings.   I found a bad outer tie-rod end which I replaced (and
> it had a wonderful effect on steering) but the clunk is still there.
> Is there a more accurate method of tracking down problem parts other
> than pulling/pushing on various bits hoping to feel some slop?
>
> - --Mark
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