Technical 100HP Front Suspension

[Isolated Thinker]

Hi

I recently had the front dampers and springs replaced on my 100HP but it seems to be sitting too high.

The dampers are KYB standard replacements (pending delivery of my Bilsteins) and the springs are -30mm Eibach. At the same time I had new Febi Bilstein top bearings fitted.

I know new springs and dampers will settle after a while but I seem to remember seeing something about an offset to consider when assembling/installing the struts, so can someone please clarify what this is and how it needs to be accounted for during assembly/installation?

Is there anything else to consider in the assembly that may affect the ride height?

Thanks

Steve

 

[koalar]

Not sure what the offset is you mention

There are two parts that have to be assembled in the correct orientations


The notch in the plate has to face away from the car and the tab of the rubber top mount towards the rear

 

[irc]

There's not really anything apart from the correct orientation of the top mount rubber (as @koalar said above).
Wasn't actually aware KYB made 100hp front dampers - they weren't listed when I was looking for some.

 

[Scotty100hp]

Did you have new bumpstops fitted as well?

 

[Isolated Thinker]

Not sure what the offset is you mention

There are two parts that have to be assembled in the correct orientations


The notch in the plate has to face away from the car and the tab of the rubber top mount towards the rear


View attachment 427814

Thanks for the image, much appreciated. This helps a lot with my understanding for when I take the struts off to check further. I probably used 'offset' instead of 'orientation' in my original post!

 

[Isolated Thinker]

There's not really anything apart from the correct orientation of the top mount rubber (as @koalar said above).
Wasn't actually aware KYB made 100hp front dampers - they weren't listed when I was looking for some.

I found the KYB ones on Autodoc and then cross checked then in the KYB website. I replaced the rears with KYB ones a while back but have a set of Bilstein rears to go one once I get the matching Bilstein front dampers.

 

[Isolated Thinker]

Did you have new bumpstops fitted as well?

Yes, I've got the KYB dustcovers fitted with the bumpstops they came with. I've kept the Eibach bumpstops to one side so will probably fit them when I fit the Bilsteins.

 

[irc]

I found the KYB ones on Autodoc and then cross checked then in the KYB website. I replaced the rears with KYB ones a while back but have a set of Bilstein rears to go one once I get the matching Bilstein front dampers.

It was a while ago, so it may have changed, but at the time KYB appeared to list the same dampers for 1.2 as suitable for the 100hp.
Was just wondering if that was why yours was sitting higher than expected.
Autodoc's compatibility listings seemed to be a bit hit-and-miss, so I usually ignored them unless there is no other source, and then I always checked via EPER before ordering.
To be fair, they have been much better at supplying what was actually ordered recently, rather than substituting other brands, so maybe the compatibility charts have improved too...

 

[koalar]

To be fair, they have been much better at supplying what was actually ordered recently, rather than substituting other brands, so maybe the compatibility charts have improved too...

Not as of 6 months ago

They still list the wrong Length springs for the 4x4 panda 169

They still list a input shaft pilot bearing for the gearbox which doesn't have one last time I looked a few months ago


Even searching by part number isn't correct, as they list them all variation under the same part even if the part has changed


The 100HP rear rubber bump stops are slightly shorter, and unique they still list the standard 500 as compatible as of a couple of weeks ago


Online ordering is a minefield when parts change but look the same, not just Autodoc

Even eper isn't as helpful as it could be, parts not manufactued inhouse parts originaly have two part numbers, that's so if there is a bad batch from a factory they can clear stock of one number and replace it with the other, if they change the part even cosmetically slightly it will have a new number. We are now up to 4 numbers. But nobody knows if the first two are compatable with the last two or the other way round, the same part is often listed under different part numbers at the same price

 

[koalar]

It was a while ago, so it may have changed, but at the time KYB appeared to list the same dampers for 1.2 as suitable for the 100hp.

Just looked at the KYB online catalogue

They only list one front spring for the 1.2

Fiat fitted different springs depending on whether the car has aircon

 

[irc]

Seems I was being too optimistic - apparently the 1.2 and 1.4 Natural Power use the same as the 100hp.
Except they don't....

 

[Scotty100hp]

Yes, I've got the KYB dustcovers fitted with the bumpstops they came with. I've kept the Eibach bumpstops to one side so will probably fit them when I fit the Bilsteins

The reason I ask is because this is how mine looked after fitting Bilstein B6’s with new front bumpstops. It turned out that the shocks were sitting directly on the bumpstops as they were too long and needed to be shortened.

 

[irc]

(Probably not relevant to @Scotty100hp 's Bilsteins, but) "correct" ordinary 100hp dampers also need correct 100hp bump stops. Last pair i bought came from Italy and took 2 months to arrive.
The usual 1.1/1.2/1.3 ones are quite different in shape and hardness.

 

[A3jeroen]

KYB = Keep Your Bilsteins?
On other forums KYB are not in high regards.

gr J

 

[Isolated Thinker]

View attachment 427966
The reason I ask is because this is how mine looked after fitting Bilstein B6’s with new front bumpstops. It turned out that the shocks were sitting directly on the bumpstops as they were too long and needed to be shortened.

This is how mine should look but the front is definitely too high at the moment.

Regarding bumpstops, there were two loose in the Eibach box but it didn't say if they were for the front or back. As the KYB dustcovers already had bumpstops on them I left them as is so will need to re-check the struts at some point.

 

[The Panda Nut]

There's not really anything apart from the correct orientation of the top mount rubber (as @koalar said above).
Wasn't actually aware KYB made 100hp front dampers - they weren't listed when I was looking for some.

I had some and they were Ok.

 

[The Panda Nut]

KYB = Keep Your Bilsteins?
On other forums KYB are not in high regards.

gr J

Mine were OK. Restored order, but I wouldnt buy again as it failed MOT 3 years later on leakibg dampers, after I had sold it. KYB springs on my daughters Leon look awful after 4 years. Worse than Daffos 12 year old Fiat originals. They were cheap though.

 

[DaveMcT]

An MoT advisory on the springs being too loose when the struts are at full droop used me to get replacement front springs from Shop 4 Parts. The ar was riding low. Unfortunately the new springs were no better. I turned up 12mm thick spacers to go between strut top bearing and spring plate. That solved the loose spring issue and party improved the ride height. I never got around to making thicker (probably 18mm) spacers.

 

[koalar]

An MoT advisory on the springs being too loose when the struts are at full droop used me to get replacement front springs from Shop 4 Parts. The ar was riding low. Unfortunately the new springs were no better. I turned up 12mm thick spacers to go between strut top bearing and spring plate. That solved the loose spring issue and party improved the ride height. I never got around to making thicker (probably 18mm) spacers.

Why I don't get it

MOT was only advisory

And they should be loose

If the car riding wrong on original springs and new spring something isn't quite right

 

[irc]

Worked on a100hp who's springs were not exactly loose, but it was possible to get them to turn slightly when jacked up.
It had (rusty) genuine 100hp springs, but everything else was standard Panda.
Drove like a bag of s**te, which was why it was in my driveway. Usual rear bush failure, rattling drop links and disintegrating top mounts.
Rebuilt with correct parts and all was good.
I did warn the owner that it had the wrong rear springs, possibly shocks too.
And I think the front discs were 240mm instead of 257mm.
He grumbled about the cost of keeping it running and promptly sold it. Never saw it again. Probably as well, as he'd just had a clutch fitted, which didn't feel at all good.
He bought a multijet Panda and is still running it, so not a complete numpty.
Unlike the garage he had been using.