1993 Alfa Romeo 155 Q4

Hub removed.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear01.jpg

Disc to assist with pressing out the bearing.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear02.jpg

Pressing out the bearing...
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear03.jpg

...and it's out!
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear04.jpg

Race still on the hub.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear05.jpg

Out with the grinder.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear06.jpg

When it's thin enough (heat marks indicate thin stuff), a sharp tap with a hammer and chisel will crack the race and release it.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear07.jpg


Also stripped down the subframe...

These had to come out.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/frame01.jpg

Hit the large ones hard enough and the top cracks off and the rubber punches through.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/frame02.jpg

But not the smaller ones, which also needed the 6t press.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/frame03.jpg

Out!
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/frame04.jpg

wrinx

Not much done today, started refurbishing the rear calipers ready for painting red, trailing arm bearings arrived. their arrival confirmed everything that's been posted so far.

Caliper refurb started.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1.../caliper01.jpg

Bearing shared with other 155s.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear08.jpg

But not the long bolt!
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/bear09.jpg

wrinx

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wrinx

Spring removed and in the bath.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rame/sub03.jpg

---

hi wrinx
Im follow your works
could you tell me detail about this?

a plasic case
in some water?
negative side on part
positive side on a iron part?

how many volt and current u used?
how many hours waiting?

This is where I got the information from:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

I usually leave the parts in overnight, wirebrush and put back for another night if it's necessary.

It's not the fastest method, but it's the cleanest! If I need something in a hurry I use a "twisted knot" disc in my grinder, but that's very messy.

wrinx

Liking your work, I've got the same job to do myself this Summer, my thoughts and experiences are:

Rotary wire brush is hard work (tough on the hands too) and tends to polish which isn't a good surface for paint to cling to, we've got a 225 litre drum which I fill with Deox (we buy and sell in bulk so it's much cheaper) so I just throw parts in that and leave them there.
If I want them quicker we've got an aquarium heater I bung in to heat it up, it speeds up the process greatly. Before we remove working engines for reconditioning I add it to the water system and run it round for a while so it de-rusts internally.

I've found this: http://www.rust.co.uk/products/categ...hassis-paint/#

Which i'll be ordering today to paint everything with, there's an independent test on there which rated it highly.

Spring coils tend to sit on one another which is why they rust so easily, rubber tube pushed on the ends can help for a while. I wondered about zinc plate but worried about 'Hydrogen embrittlement'. I dipped my rear calipers in the de-rust tank, then zinc plated, then painted black, they've lasted really well. I figured they weren't particularly pretty to look at and always dirty with brake dust so matt black was best.

Keep up the good work. :thumbsup:

That looks like good stuff, wish I'd found it before spraying my springs form a rattle can!

The wire disc I use in the grinder doesn't polish as such, it's quite an aggressive tool, particularly the wires when they come flying out! :lol:

wrinx

Yeah I know all about it - been there, done that! They're great for removing underseal and seam sealer, but the out of balance wheel turned my hands numb and tingly after an hour or two.

I found the best Etch primer is Tetrosyl btw, we got some grey stuff in a spray can for touching up and it didn't survive the scratch test. The Tetrosyl refuses to let go and you can even weld near or through it.

While you have your car in bits can you measure me the distance between the strut fixing holes (centre to centre) on the front hub uprights? Doesn't have to be too accurate.
It would be useful (for everyone) to know what they are. I know Fiat Coupe are around 73mm and suspect Q4 is a lot smaller, but not sure.

Thanks for the tip, I needed some quickly and bought Upol from the local Halfords!

wrinx

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Evodelta

While you have your car in bits can you measure me the distance between the strut fixing holes (centre to centre) on the front hub uprights? Doesn't have to be too accurate.
It would be useful (for everyone) to know what they are. I know Fiat Coupe are around 73mm and suspect Q4 is a lot smaller, but not sure.

---

wish you'd asked me this last week, before I put the wheels on :lol:

I made it a rough 72mm by placing a pair of calipers on the bolts...so 73mm is looking good!

wrinx

Thanks, I was laid on the floor with a tape measure so I wasn't so accurate either, if it was different it would be a lot.
It's looking likely that the Fiat Coupe suspension fits your car then, which if it does it opens up some more opportunities for you guys.

They fit the non-Q4 155s as do 916 uprights, several have used them to fit Brembos without messing with brackets.

wrinx

Bearings fitted to both arms.

The cobbled together kit.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rame/arm11.jpg

Fitted.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rame/arm12.jpg

Wheel bearing.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...e/bear08-1.jpg

Fitted.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...e/bear09-1.jpg

Bump stops :lol:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...frame/bump.jpg

wrinx

Need to think about sideskirts too, not sure about these but there's some potential once modified.


http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...510_173328.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...510_173632.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...510_173738.jpg

wrinx

Poly subframe bushes arrived today...complete with a packet of green snot :roll:

They look great...
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...polybushes.jpg

Parts at various stages of painting...
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rame/parts.jpg

Hoping to pick up the subframe today...then I've just got to work out how to fit all these bits without scratching them! :shock:

wrinx

Who makes the subframe bushes?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251506891707

http://www.fccuk.org/forum/ubbthread...32#Post1304132

wrinx

Looking good Wrinx!!

Thanks :)

Couple more updates...



Everything has now gone from the rear end...
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...Rear_empty.jpg

The rear jacking points were noted on the last MOT, they are a bit rough!
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/NSRjack.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/OSRjack.jpg

Couldn't resist scraping off a bit of underseal...not as bad as I thought it was going to be!
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1.../Underseal.jpg

I'm struggling to see the point of the void by each jacking point, towards the front of the car. I might just weld a blank over the space as it's just a moisture trap at present.

wrinx

Nightmare job, spent about two hours on this and don't seem to have made much progress. Apart from sandblasting, is there an easier way to do it? I've tried the knotted wheel and heat gun but neither were any quicker and the former is very messy.

Currently using a woodworking chisel, to be followed with the knotted wheel to clean up where necessary:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...underseal2.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...underseal3.jpg

wrinx

Not much done since Sunday as I'm not well (which is why I found it hard work!) :roll:

Finished painting the arms, two coats of Smoothrite. I'd fallen out with Hammerite products over the past few years but am quite happy with how it went on these...not sure how hardy it'll be on the road.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rmspainted.jpg

Then cleaned up the threads in the hubs with a couple of taps and squeezed the hubs into place.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...e/armshubs.jpg

wrinx

Excellent work Wrinx!

Thanks :)

The job just keeps on growing...

wrinx

Still not much done, just a bit of pottering and painting with the complicated handbrake assembly.

Plenty of Plus Gas and cleaning to get the rusty bits apart then started off with the knotted wheel, followed by electrolytic derusting, etch primer and a couple of coats of Smoothrite.


Bracket.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1.../bracket04.jpg

Derusted and ready for painting.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...rame/paint.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ame/paint0.jpg

Primed.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/paint02.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/paint03.jpg

Some other bits finished.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...me/paint01.jpg

wrinx

Dismantled the rest of the handbrake assembly today, ready for de-rusting and painting...what a complicated system! Are all 155s like this or just Q4s?

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...andbrake01.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g1...andbrake02.jpg

Also started cleaning up the rear diff casing...not sure what to do with it though, preference is just to leave it clean(ish!) rather than paint.

wrinx

This is all your "fault"...!:lol:

Some of that definitely looks familiar :lol:

I've seen a picture of another 155 with all those holes cut out, it was on track...where did the idea come from?

wrinx

I saw this in a thread on the Swedish www.alfapower.nu and thought it was kinda cool.

Think you'll find the car runs much cooler...mine did anyway! :lol:

wrinx

I was think of your pics as I was working on this one today:

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...a/Dedra007.jpg

Bearings? What bearings? :ohmy:

Eeek, that looks a bit grim!!!

wrinx