Sliding Pillars - an Idiot's guide .....

[simonandjuliet]

I am currently writing an "Idiot's Guide to Appia Front Suspension" for the Consortium and would like to add some data on wear limits for the upper and lower guides

I have some new, tolerance data from Clive Beattie, but nothing on the maximum acceptable wear

In some ways it's a personal thing - how much clatter you (or your MOT-person ?) can put up with.....but I would like a quotable source if possible

I am asking about Appias, but I think it will be very similar for all sliding pillars. Does anyone have any Lancia figures ?

Thanks

[Scott]

With no response to your request I thought I'd spend a chunk of time on the interweb seeing if I could track down any information for you.

I came across lots of general interesting information (e.g. https://www.fcagroup.com/en-US/group/history/Documents/Lancia_A_story_of_technological_innovation_in_the_car_industry.pdf), manuals* (e.g. http://www.clublanciaappia.it/wp/?page_id=175) and folk who had rebuilt suspension (e.g. http://www.sportscarshop.com/lancia-appia-zagato-front-suspension-rebuild/) but sadly no figures for wear limits included in any of the many many pages I looked at. Drat!  

[*One thing I noted was that on this manuals page there is a Riparazioni manual where the first contents page shows nine clear section 00 through 08. This is not the entire manual however as section 04 should cover front suspension but is not included. However as presumably a 'common' document for Appia owners this would already have been discounted as a source of the information you're after].

Hopefully an Appia / sliding pillar expert can come up with something you can cite.

[simonandjuliet]

Thanks Scott
I hadn't seen the Appia Zagato rebuild pictures, they didn't show much of the process or tools used but did use some great photos of the parts as they came to pieces.
My guide is more practical and I would like to add data if I can find it ......the repair shop manual is useful and has spring data, for example, but no wear or set up information for the guides

The English translation is "interesting" and not always easy to follow, unless you have already dismantled a unit - bit late !

Thanks again

[lancialulu]

From my experience with my B12 SP I wanted to work out where the front suspension clonking came from and found one side there was no discernible play when rocking the front wheel in the vertical plane but the other side showed some play equivalent to a worn front wheel bearing. The wheel bearing was not to blame, and on stripping the sliding pillar the bottom "vertical bearing" had some play in the guide tube. As that guide tube showed no play when slid up the bottom bearing of the other side I bought a new bottom bearing ( https://www.oldlanciaspares.com/508-lancia-AURELIAA-ricambio-estremita-inf-sosp-ant.php) from Cavalitto and problem solved. I can say that while I did not measure the play, it was not excessive. So my thoughts are if you can detect play in the vertical plane its time to renew.