Warning!

[jluis]

I have just purchased a lower rear WB from Eurospares own pattern part. Looks well made and finished with much more metal around the bush.

Bought it whilst on special offer for about the same price as the VAT on a OEM part from Maserati

Now just need to arrange fitting.

Pictures?
Do we know who is the manufacturer?

 

[safrane]

 

[davy83]

looks like same rubbish rubber cover but i see they also do front lowers. Excellent!!!! looks great.

 

[rs48635]

Will be fitting a new lower wishbone to the front driver's side of my 3200 this week.
Anyone got any sage advice?
Even better some photos or diagram of the re-assembly process. The bushes where bolt for the bottom shock pass though wishbone are my biggest concern

The spring and damper unit is still fitted to the car - with coils parsing compressors in place. The upper wishbone is still fitted too, as one bolt is almost impossible to reach.

Thinking about this sequence;
attaching the hub carrier to the wishbone (remember DUSTSHIELD) on a workbench. Will be easy to torque down the balljoint.
offering the hub carrier to the upper wishbone (remember DUSTSHIELD) . this way I can reverse the hub carrier, allowing better access to torque the upper balljoint nut.
Swing hub carrier and wishbone "outboard" - swivel hub carrier 180 degrees.
swing lower wishbone into place - locate bottom shock in arm - fit inner arm bolts
**** Assemble bottom shock bolt - with ARB drop link **** need confirmation of assembly here ***
Tighten bottom shock bolt
Tighten wishbone inner bolts (is access possible with bolts fitted "from outside" ?

 

[conaero]

just remember to catch the shims when you remove the inboard mounting bolts and mark which side they go.

Removing the hub to torque the nut is the way id should be done, many dont bother and just use a ring spanner to FT

 

[Zep]

When tightening the ball joints you will need to put enough pressure on the taper to stop the ball joint spinning as you tighten so a clamp or a vice might be needed on the bench.

Instead of splitting the upper ball joint I unbolted the ball joint from the wishbone and kept the shims for adjustment. Two 13mm nuts as I recall.

Due to the extension of the strut it is going to be difficult to get everything in line for bolting up, you might need to put the wishbone inner bolts in place, attach the strut and then carefully jack the outer end to align the top wishbone / ball joint. Or use spring compressors (if they will fit).

You can get to the inner bolts with the wheel off, although the front nut on the front mounting is obscured by the arch liner.

Matt is right about the shims, but I found the bushes on mine were slightly bigger and couldn't get them all back in - I went for a full alignment straight afterward to resolve this.

 

[rs48635]

just remember to catch the shims when you remove the inboard mounting bolts and mark which side they go.

Removing the hub to torque the nut is the way id should be done, many dont bother and just use a ring spanner to FT

Thanks Matt - will assemble on the bench. No idea where each of the shims came from, it was over a year since I hacksawed the bottom wishbone mounting bolts. Needless to say a full alignment will be done, right after the MOT.

 

[rs48635]

When tightening the ball joints you will need to put enough pressure on the taper to stop the ball joint spinning as you tighten so a clamp or a vice might be needed on the bench.

Instead of splitting the upper ball joint I unbolted the ball joint from the wishbone and kept the shims for adjustment. Two 13mm nuts as I recall.

Had a tentative go at the 13mm nuts, but access was tight and the socket felt like it would slip. Maybe it needed a thin wall socket

Due to the extension of the strut it is going to be difficult to get everything in line for bolting up, you might need to put the wishbone inner bolts in place, attach the strut and then carefully jack the outer end to align the top wishbone / ball joint. Or use spring compressors (if they will fit).

Still have coil spring compressors fitted - so might get away with it. If not Will jack up the strut. Ta.

You can get to the inner bolts with the wheel off, although the front nut on the front mounting is obscured by the arch liner.
Matt is right about the shims, but I found the bushes on mine were slightly bigger and couldn't get them all back in - I went for a full alignment straight afterward to resolve this.

The upper wishbone really needs inspecting, but the rear fixing is an issue. The bolt in inserted from he rear, leaving the nut obscured by the shock/spring. Is it easy enough to drop?

 

[Zep]

The upper wishbone really needs inspecting, but the rear fixing is an issue. The bolt in inserted from he rear, leaving the nut obscured by the shock/spring. Is it easy enough to drop?

To remove the upper ball joint I used a ring spanner with the offset facing toward me. They have some thread lock on them so once they have gone they move ok. I'll PM you my number if you want to talk it through.

To remove the upper arm proceed with care my friend. To get the rear bolt out you will need to remove the brake flex pipe from the fitting and unplug the ABS and brake sensor wires. When you try and undo the union it might twist the hard pipe which will mean a replacement right back to the ABS unit (don't ask why I know this!!!).

If you can get the union undone the bolt will come right out.

 

[miket]

BTW I still have no letter from Maserati regarding this issue, is anyone else still blissfully driving around with a potentially life threatening part that could fault at any time?

 

[safrane]

BTW I still have no letter from Maserati regarding this issue, is anyone else still blissfully driving around with a potentially life threatening part that could fault at any time?

Still ignorant here

 

[D Walker]

BTW I still have no letter from Maserati regarding this issue, is anyone else still blissfully driving around with a potentially life threatening part that could fault at any time?

Yup!!

 

[nfm]

Me too.......

 

[Zep]

No letter for me either, but given what I know about what it will say, I'm not particularly fussed!

 

[davy83]

I got one! I have more or less ignored it but i have it.

 

[D Walker]

No letter for me either, but given what I know about what it will say, I'm not particularly fussed!

That's because you know what it will say as do the rest of us, those not on this forum will be blissfully ignorant!!

 

[rs48635]

To remove the upper ball joint I used a ring spanner with the offset facing toward me. They have some thread lock on them so once they have gone they move ok. I'll PM you my number if you want to talk it through.

To remove the upper arm proceed with care my friend. To get the rear bolt out you will need to remove the brake flex pipe from the fitting and unplug the ABS and brake sensor wires. When you try and undo the union it might twist the hard pipe which will mean a replacement right back to the ABS unit (don't ask why I know this!!!).

If you can get the union undone the bolt will come right out.

Thanks Zep
I too spotted the ABS & brake hard line union, decided that was a bear-trap so moved right along. The front bolt was fairly easy to shift, using my 2 foot long bar

 

[Zep]

That's because you know what it will say as do the rest of us, those not on this forum will be blissfully ignorant!!

I see your point but don't completely agree. I believe that MOT testers will have a message about this when they put the vehicle details in there computers (I'll find out next week).

Plus the forum is searchable in Google, plus any MD or Indie who isn't aware by now is not worth being called either.

I'm not really the "I'm alright jack" sort, I genuinely believe this thread has done a huge amount to raise awareness throughout the community...

 

[D Walker]

I see your point but don't completely agree. I believe that MOT testers will have a message about this when they put the vehicle details in there computers (I'll find out next week).

Plus the forum is searchable in Google, plus any MD or Indie who isn't aware by now is not worth being called either.

I'm not really the "I'm alright jack" sort, I genuinely believe this thread has done a huge amount to raise awareness throughout the community...

I know you are not - thoroughly nice chap - for an Italian - lol - All I was pointing out is that there will be people who have no idea out there - who Maserati may never inform and the government body charged with safety on out roads has hardly put any pressure on them to comply. If it was me and I had been dealing with this, after a period I would have mailed all the owners in the UK on the government database - 1 question - Have you had a letter from Maserati regarding this issue - please tick yes / no and return in the self addressed envelope.

I think the thread started off with an example of their ineptitude!!

 

[Zep]

Your too kind

It began with an example of their ineptitude and it will probably end with one. If we expect anything else we will always be disappointed