3200 Front Wishbone Replacment

[the_raul]

Hi Guys,

This is my first big job to do on my new car!!

I need to replace the lower wishbone on the driver's side. At the moment it has an original 3200 one fitted and the ball joint is going!! The passenger side has already been replaced with a 4200 wishbone. So I'm planning to do the same on the driver's side.

Has anyone done it them selves? Does anyone know how difficult it is?

I'm getting a workshop manual to follow but any hands on advice would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks,
Dan

 

[lozcb]

HI Dan , pretty sure the 3200 and 4200 ones are the same or very similar (interchangeable), worth browsing the tech section for a picture how too,its possible to get them rebushed their not cheap



regards loz

 

[Parisien]

Bushes are about 125quid ( sorry no pound sign on a french keyboard!!!...lol) plus vat, not sure about the ball joint if it can be refurbed..........I think it had been done for the rears by someone,

P

 

[the_raul]

Cheers guys..

I had a look into some posts about refurbing them, but it seems no one has a clear solution. I was thinking to just buy and fit a new one.
Apparently the early 3200's had a different design of lower front wishbone to the 4200's. The 4200's one is a much stronger design and can be fitted to the 3200's.

A new 4200 one is £420 from eurospares.

But I really want to know what they are like to fit? is it a pig of a job?
Has anyone fitted one themselves?

Cheers,
Dan

 

[conaero]

Cheers guys..

I had a look into some posts about refurbing them, but it seems no one has a clear solution. I was thinking to just buy and fit a new one.
Apparently the early 3200's had a different design of lower front wishbone to the 4200's. The 4200's one is a much stronger design and can be fitted to the 3200's.

A new 4200 one is £420 from eurospares.

But I really want to know what they are like to fit? is it a pig of a job?
Has anyone fitted one themselves?

Cheers,
Dan

I did both sides, you need to buy yourself some big spanners. Its not too bad, but when you undo the inboard mountings, all the shims will fall out, so make a note of where they came from, otherwise you will muck up your alignment. Other than that, its relatively easy, I think you have to remove the brake cooling duct, which usually falls apart when you do this due to rusted fixings, so have some cable ties to hand.

I fitted 4200 wishbones to my 32 and they went straight in. The are slightly different, but I think the 42 ones just have an extra mounting point for some sort of roll bar of drop link, so it makes no difference.

What I would do first though is tighten down the outer balljoint nut on the offending side. If it is very easy to tighten, you will probably find the balljoint has not gone, its just come loose, this happens alot. Oh, usually the wishbones fail in pairs, dont know why, they just do.

Good luck.

 

[conaero]

Sorry, one more thing, can you do a how to guide with some pics if you would for this section:

http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/forumdisplay.php/24-Running-Reports-Technical-Fixes

like this:
http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/showthread.php/348-4200-GranSport-Doorcard-Removal

We are trying to do a mini Haynes manual type thing and we dont have the wishbone to date.

It would be appreciated.

 

[Parisien]

Very useful Matt.

P

 

[Parisien]

Cheap options..................but only if all bushes an balls joints in near new order!!!!


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maserati-4200...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a64bce8a2



P

 

[rs48635]

I did both sides, you need to buy yourself some big spanners. Its not too bad, but when you undo the inboard mountings, all the shims will fall out, so make a note of where they came from, otherwise you will muck up your alignment. Other than that, its relatively easy, I think you have to remove the brake cooling duct, which usually falls apart when you do this due to rusted fixings, so have some cable ties to hand.

I fitted 4200 wishbones to my 32 and they went straight in. The are slightly different, but I think the 42 ones just have an extra mounting point for some sort of roll bar of drop link, so it makes no difference.

What I would do first though is tighten down the outer balljoint nut on the offending side. If it is very easy to tighten, you will probably find the balljoint has not gone, its just come loose, this happens alot. Oh, usually the wishbones fail in pairs, dont know why, they just do.

Good luck.

Matt

Is this really common?
Checking mine tomorrow, as I sometimes get a small clunk-clunk-clunk from the front when turning at low speed on cambered roads. Usually when reversing off my sloping drive and pulling away, kind of like a slow J-turn.

 

[rs48635]

Pair of used 3200 lower arms on ebay now £185 each. Bought stuff from this seller before, very nice chap.

Drivers side item 250788721693

near side item 380324490261

 

[Parisien]

Matt

Is this really common?
Checking mine tomorrow, as I sometimes get a small clunk-clunk-clunk from the front when turning at low speed on cambered roads. Usually when reversing off my sloping drive and pulling away, kind of like a slow J-turn.

More of metallic creak?

P

 

[the_raul]

Does anyone know the correct part number for the 4200 wishbones?
It seems there are 2 different ones on Eurospares website.

Cheers,
Dan

 

[Emtee]

Does anyone know the correct part number for the 4200 wishbones?
It seems there are 2 different ones on Eurospares website.

Cheers,
Dan

Hi Dan, are you talking about the different assembly number versions?

 

[the_raul]

To be honest im not sure what im talking about

When i had my 3200 inspected at Bill McGraths, they said that drivers side lower ball joint is on the way out.
Something about the cup on the bottom stretching??
So he recommended to replace the wishbone.

Anyway the wishbone on the passenger look like a different design. He mentioned something about it being a later wishbone, same as the 4200's have.
So now I’m trying to buy the correct one for the drivers side from eurospares, but I’m having trouble finding the correct one.

On ebay there is one for sale that looks like the correct design (with the 3 lumps). See the photo below.
The part number according to the seller is, 386600303/304.
I searched this number on eurospares website but couldn’t find it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maserati-3200...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a642c341d

But on eurospares website the diagram looks like the old design (without the 3 lumps). See the photo below.
The part number is 386600016. And it superseded from Part No. 386600118

So which one do I order? or should I be ordering a 4200 one? of which there many to choose from?

 

[Emtee]

Hi Dan, do you have Zenon lights?

 

[the_raul]

No i dont, did the 3200 have zenon's as an option?

 

[Parisien]

Guys, wasn't there an issue about simply tightening the bolt that retained the ball joint....or am I mistaken?

P

 

[Emtee]

No i dont, did the 3200 have zenon's as an option?

Sorry Dan, bit of a dumb moment. Was getting mixed up with the 4200 options.

Well after a happy hour doing what you did, I can't make any sense of it either. I can see the 3200 part progression and the 4200 progression but there's a digit change between the two from ......015 / 016 to .......025 / 026.

Can't tie up the ebay numbers at all!

Logic seems to suggest part numbers 189328 and 329 as they supersede 025 and 026 (all of which seem to have the 3 lumps), but as I can't see a link back to the 3200's 015 and 016 I couldn't advise with any certainty.

Can you get a part number from your later wishbone?

Sorry I can't be more help.

Regards, Miles.

 

[Parisien]

Dan, the man to ask is David Askew, hes got a link on the forums sponsors at the top of the page.

P

 

[conaero]

Agreed give David Askew a call or email he sold me a pair.

Failing that give James a call at Eurospares and talk to him. I have a pair of old 3200 wishbones at home I'll have a look and let you know if they have the lumps or not. It could just be a case of old drawings that don't relate to the actual parts.