Rear suspension...calling GT Jones

I think the green color is actually oem and just oddball fiat inconsistency. Why are my front brake shields teal?
If your self levelers have crapped out then you are missing the spring rate that they should provide. I've got adjustable perches now on all 4 rear shocks and have experimented with several spring rates (using 2.5" eibach springs) and the green rate that my car originally had isn't too far off where I am now. Keep in mind that I no longer have self levellers. I finally found a shop with a shock dyno and they matched all of my Konis and set them for slightly more compression and rebound than stock to go along with my stiffer springs. The car is really stable and solid at higher speeds. Send me a pm or email and we can chat.

 

Off topic I know but the teal shields were on boxers as well to 78 and I suspect the same part on both cars. The springs and sway bars were made by another company whos name escapes me but I have reproduced the decals for restorations I perform. I can give that info tomorrow if anyone wants to know. 308's and boxers have the red apparent spring rate paint.

 

Hello Gents
My car has green springs. So when restoring the suspension and repainting the springs should I repaint them the green again?
Jim

 

I would say yes.

 

I think 250# is the wrong spring. I'm not near my notes but i think that's much too high.

 

I have the manual and all the specs if needed.

 

Does QA1 make a direct replacement for our Koni shocks (dampers, excuse me)? I think that would be a very interesting alternative, if indeed they do. Thank you. Jq.

 

I used the QA1 with the 250# springs. Said I would provide my version of the prior pdf instructions, but have not yet. I have not driven it a lot yet, but it felt pretty good over bumps and curves as well as on limited straight smooth sections.
Still thinking I might find a rebuilder or instructions to rebuild my original Koni parts, so everything is reversible.
My one warning; make sure you have tightened the large banjo bolts to the accumulators fully and then checked it again before you tighten the small banjo bolts on the top of each. I didn't do my check before tightening the top on one side...good news is with a bubble flare brake line and a torch you can solder the old fitting onto the new line and be back in business.

 

In the attached .pdf which is for the 412, it shows what should be a similar setup to the 400i but using a different leveler. The accumulators and shocks, I imagine, should be the same. I removed hose 31 (both sides) and replaced it with a spacer (could use a bushing) of about the same height. (I machined a 17mm nut, but it is not necessary).
There is an o ring in the stack that is the same as an Acura fuel injection o ring PN, and the replacement sealing washers came from eBay.
What I've thought about since completing this, is that the original system had two shocks on each side feeding into the accumulator (nitrogen charged ) providing force from the entire rear of the car into the accumulator (volume of fluid x pressure associated with full weight). With the coil over shocks replacing one original each side, the volume is reduced by half and the force is reduced by half (simplify that the mechanical shock takes half the force of an incident), so the displacement in the accumulator is less...but without the forces associated with the entire mass of the rear of the car, is the remaining hydraulic shock portion now stiffer?
Still feels good to drive, and looks great being at a proper height when I see it sitting in the garage!
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http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/365-gt4-2-2-400-412/527434-replace-self-leveling-suspension-something-modern-need-steps.html

Post #12 is what I have used & is identical to the leveller replacement units that are on the market for the series1 400i. This setup is easily set to the heights listed in the repair manual & handles well.

Cheers,
Al