156 Suspension - advice please

Background - I run a 1998 2 litre 156 SP2 (the last bit gave you
stiffer springs / lowered suspension / 16" wheels / 205 55 tyres). The
car's done 66k miles (reasonably trouble free). the only "suspension"
work ever done on it was "new front upper suspension arms" at 54000
miles.

Current status - the ride is fine on flat roads, but increasingly
"choppy / loose / un-nerving" on dips and bumps. Something needs to be
done, but what ?

Advice please...

shocks? tyres?
--
Ciao from The Netherlands
alfistagj (aka Gert-Jan)
GT 2.0 JTS (2005)
Montreal 2.6V8 (1428700 - 1973/4)

"savamac" > schreef in bericht
oups.com...
> Background - I run a 1998 2 litre 156 SP2 (the last bit gave you
> stiffer springs / lowered suspension / 16" wheels / 205 55 tyres). The
> car's done 66k miles (reasonably trouble free). the only "suspension"
> work ever done on it was "new front upper suspension arms" at 54000
> miles.
>
> Current status - the ride is fine on flat roads, but increasingly
> "choppy / loose / un-nerving" on dips and bumps. Something needs to be
> done, but what ?
>
> Advice please...
>

powerflex bushes, if your a little mechanically minded you can do them
youself, of a half desent backstreet garage can. you can buy full set on
ebay.


"alfistagj" > wrote in message
. ..
> shocks? tyres?
> --
> Ciao from The Netherlands
> alfistagj (aka Gert-Jan)
> GT 2.0 JTS (2005)
> Montreal 2.6V8 (1428700 - 1973/4)
>
> "savamac" > schreef in bericht
> oups.com...
>> Background - I run a 1998 2 litre 156 SP2 (the last bit gave you
>> stiffer springs / lowered suspension / 16" wheels / 205 55 tyres). The
>> car's done 66k miles (reasonably trouble free). the only "suspension"
>> work ever done on it was "new front upper suspension arms" at 54000
>> miles.
>>
>> Current status - the ride is fine on flat roads, but increasingly
>> "choppy / loose / un-nerving" on dips and bumps. Something needs to be
>> done, but what ?
>>
>> Advice please...
>>
>
>

The tyres are good - I guess new bushes and / or shocks may be
required - I'll post a follow up once I've had the work done.


On 30 Jan, 19:37, "alfistagj" > wrote:
> shocks? tyres?
> --
> Ciao from The Netherlands
> alfistagj (aka Gert-Jan)
> GT 2.0 JTS (2005)
> Montreal 2.6V8 (1428700 - 1973/4)
>
> "savamac" > schreef in ooglegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > Background - I run a 1998 2 litre 156 SP2 (the last bit gave you
> > stiffer springs / lowered suspension / 16" wheels / 205 55 tyres). The
> > car's done 66k miles (reasonably trouble free). the only "suspension"
> > work ever done on it was "new front upper suspension arms" at 54000
> > miles.
>
> > Current status - the ride is fine on flat roads, but increasingly
> > "choppy / loose / un-nerving" on dips and bumps. Something needs to be
> > done, but what ?
>
> > Advice please...- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

You didn't mention strange sounds from the suspension.
As the new front suspension arms (whishbones) include new bushings, my
conclusion is that the bushings are o.k.
--
Ciao from The Netherlands
alfistagj (aka Gert-Jan)
GT 2.0 JTS (2005)
Montreal 2.6V8 (1428700 - 1973/4)

"savamac" > schreef in bericht
oups.com...
> The tyres are good - I guess new bushes and / or shocks may be
> required - I'll post a follow up once I've had the work done.
>
>
> On 30 Jan, 19:37, "alfistagj" > wrote:
>> shocks? tyres?
>> --
>> Ciao from The Netherlands
>> alfistagj (aka Gert-Jan)
>> GT 2.0 JTS (2005)
>> Montreal 2.6V8 (1428700 - 1973/4)
>>
>> "savamac" > schreef in
>> ooglegroups.com...
>>
>>
>>
>> > Background - I run a 1998 2 litre 156 SP2 (the last bit gave you
>> > stiffer springs / lowered suspension / 16" wheels / 205 55 tyres). The
>> > car's done 66k miles (reasonably trouble free). the only "suspension"
>> > work ever done on it was "new front upper suspension arms" at 54000
>> > miles.
>>
>> > Current status - the ride is fine on flat roads, but increasingly
>> > "choppy / loose / un-nerving" on dips and bumps. Something needs to be
>> > done, but what ?
>>
>> > Advice please...- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>

Good tyres and good tyres are two.
Alfa's are quite choisy on tyres.
i.e. Continental & Firestone (and all those cheap "fitter" brands) don't
"fit" an Alfa at all.
Pirelli / Michelin are the best tyres for an Alfa.
What brand/type/size/load rating do you have?
-
Ciao from The Netherlands
alfistagj (aka Gert-Jan)
GT 2.0 JTS (2005)
Montreal 2.6V8 (1428700 - 1973/4)

"savamac" > schreef in bericht
oups.com...
> The tyres are good - I guess new bushes and / or shocks may be
> required - I'll post a follow up once I've had the work done.
>
>

"alfistagj" > wrote in message
. ..
> Good tyres and good tyres are two.
> Alfa's are quite choisy on tyres.
> i.e. Continental & Firestone (and all those cheap "fitter" brands) don't
> "fit" an Alfa at all.

My 2002 156 2.0JTS came new with 4 Firestones which were fairly grippy and
lasted for ages!

> Pirelli / Michelin are the best tyres for an Alfa.

Once the Firestone's wore out I replaced them with Michelin!

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:57:06 +0100, "alfistagj"
> selected combat throttle and flew into
a dogfight with:

>Good tyres and good tyres are two.
>Alfa's are quite choisy on tyres.
>i.e. Continental & Firestone (and all those cheap "fitter" brands) don't
>"fit" an Alfa at all.

My 156 came fitted with Continental tyres from new. I've not had a
problem with them; they're excellent in the wet.

--
Max Reheat () - disengage Part Throttle Reheat to reply.

Alfa 156 2.0 JTS Selespeed Veloce
Lancia Dedra 1.8i.e.SE - visible on Google Earth!

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:57:06 +0100, "alfistagj"
> wrote:

>Good tyres and good tyres are two.
>Alfa's are quite choisy on tyres.
>i.e. Continental & Firestone (and all those cheap "fitter" brands) don't
>"fit" an Alfa at all.

So why would Alfa fit tyres to their cars that do them so little
justice? Contis, for example, are not the cheapest tyre (in the UK at
least) and manufacturers don't fit remoulds so cheapness is not king
for them.

>Pirelli / Michelin are the best tyres for an Alfa.

You state this as if it was a simple fact when it is only an opinion
based on personal preferences. I've had previous experience of Pirelli
(far too soft rubber) and Michelin (far too expensive for what you 're
really getting) that lead me to avoid those manufacturers like the
plague.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)

On Jan 31, 5:57 pm, "alfistagj" > wrote:
> Good tyres and good tyres are two.
> Alfa's are quite choisy on tyres.
> i.e. Continental & Firestone (and all those cheap "fitter" brands) don't
> "fit" an Alfa at all.
> Pirelli / Michelin are the best tyres for an Alfa.
> What brand/type/size/load rating do you have?
> -
> Ciao from The Netherlands
> alfistagj (aka Gert-Jan)
> GT 2.0 JTS (2005)
> Montreal 2.6V8 (1428700 - 1973/4)

That's a bold, and if I may say, highly subjective statement! You
can't seriously be suggesting that a particular brand is best for the
whole Alfa range?

It really depends on so many factors .. Goodyear, Toyo and supplied
with the car, Bridgestone, in addition to Michelin and Pirelli that
you mentioned, have all been very good tyreas IMO. My favourite for
the GTA is the Goodyear F1 GSD3 based on grip and wear, but if I had a
different driving style I may well favour another tyre.

Paul
156 GTA (and 156 2.0 TS prior)