Hi All,


Because this car is better at being a hatch, I've lowered mine by 10mm. Only issue now is the car feels quite twitchy and bouncy so i'm looking for shocks or coilovers with more active dampening.
Does anyone know of where to get struts or coilovers for this car or what car it may be identical to, other than the jeep renegade which also seems ot be lacking choices.

How have you lowered it? If this was a specialist kit of springs, ask that supplier for shocks that match their springs.

Shorter springs need to be stiffer to absorb the same bumps without bottoming out. Each bump will compress the spring less than standard, so more shock will be transferred to the vehicle. Shocks need to match spring rates. The springs will not be moving as far on any bump, so the damping has to act sooner. Stock dampers may have too much free play in its internal valving.

If the springs have just been cut to lower the car, you will effectively have softened them, which will cause the car to be bouncy, usually wallowy, so a soft uncontrolled bounce.

I believe it is based on the Jeep platform, but do not know if anything else is using that platform. Not much choice in the Fiat range anyway.
The vehicle manufacturer has spent a lot of time and money formulating spring and damper rates, to get the best compromise between handling and comfort, including any mild off-road capability. They're generally quite good at this. No aftermarket spring supplier can afford a similar R&D budget to sell a handful of spring sets. It's the choice you make.

The original poster's information regarding lowering by 10mm lacks detail.

As portland_build points out you can not just reduce/cut out height on original springs. (I know of one limited exception to this but even then I would not do it.

What follows is a genuine quest for additional information.

I've upgraded Uno and Tempra suspensions for basically serious track only work and just about acceptable road use. This has worked for me. HOWEVER the base start point in the Uno/Tempra model ranges has been a traditional 80s/90s comfortable road compliance set-up.

Read old standards. Today many expect more in terms of both ride and handling so manufacturers have worked really hard to develop vastly improved set-ups compare to years past.

With my 500X I find that the bridge regarding suspension set-ups and handling has way improved over past previous year's standards.

I can really and seriously throw my 500X around with enough confidence (I have done) to take it to any race track (where I have over 6000 miles of track experience) and not be desperately wanting to upgrade the current suspension set-up.

Personally I think on balance my 2015 500X Cross Plus suspension is just about "on point".

We have posts here in the 500X forum threads where people have found the 18 inch & lower profile tyres being too uncomfortable/aggressive for them. I can understand this and will support them as they are the arbitrators of "their" comfort/ride quality.

At the other end we have the likes of me and others who find the ride and handling of the stock set-up to be just about spot on and would not want to spend that time effort and cost in trying to improve on it.

I think (and no disrespect or offence meant) that the original poster may have fallen into ONE OF THE MANY TRAPS of "lowering this", "stiffening that", ..... has not produced their desired outcome.

PLEASE do not shoot back at me. I want to just educate/expose many of the fallacies that lower is better, stiffer is better, etc. Reality is far more complicated. Going lower can reduce travel and compliance. Bottom out and it's goodbye and hope you do not hit the Armco. Likewise going too stiff will not allow the suspension system to absorb those perpetual road/track impacts and the resulting forces will be transmitted potentially into chassis forces that it was not originally designed to handle.

These issues are very complex and every bodies expected outcomes and experiences will vary but if you want to change say the boiling point of water then you have to understand that water does not always boil at 100 deg.C

Last point. I'm not saying that there are no suspension/wheel/tyre upgrades to the 500X that improve on the stock kit (500X 1.4 MultiAir 140BHP model on 225/45 ZR18 95Ys)

Eibach don't make shocks...

I have extensive experience lowering cars and improving handling. I understand every point you've raised and considered it. I know that i need shocks with shorter stroke and more dampening. I just need to find them.
The car handles like a dream and really sticks to corners, i'm just looking to remove a little bit of bump feedback.

Bilstien had a b6 kit for it but it's been discontinued by the looks and the jeep renegade has no more options either. It's like that platform has been abandonded by OEM's.

I think your problem is that it's a 4x4 people don't want to lower them as high ground clearance is the whole point of them

Agree with others what’s already been said. To be blunt you have chosen the wrong vehicle to to start messing with the suspension on lowering. Your car your choices. Coming on here and asking questions regarding your car can come up with answers that you may not like. Even at a guess the reason there’s probably a lack of parts on the market to suit your needs, nobody wants this. As said people owning a 4x4 want to go high

Spax make lowering springs for the 2wd 500X (you don't say if yours is 2wd or AWD), you might try contacting them

Alternatively you can go custom (though probably more expensive) through someone like Tein: https://uk.tein.com

Isn’t the 500X Sport lowered - 13mm according to Auto Express.

I’d start by looking for some of those parts.

DGPunto said:

Spax make lowering springs for the 2wd 500X (you don't say if yours is 2wd or AWD), you might try contacting them

Alternatively you can go custom (though probably more expensive) through someone like Tein: https://uk.tein.com

Click to expand...

Thanks

Ok, for those that actually care and aren't just here to show off how much they know or imply how little I know, here is the kit from Bilstein.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/BSN-47-259751

Never thought i'd come accross such stuck in the mud's as on this board. No wonder no one really does much work on these.

Now, back to the topic and information that's actually useful to people, here's what i now know afetr doing quite extensive research and speaking with bilstein direct.

1. the part number is 47-259751 and allows for a 20-40mm drop
2. this part number comes from germany so has the tighter valve configuration, unlike some kits in the US that are softened
3. It's cheaper from the states than it is to buy here in Australia
4. My car is FWD but the kit fits 4WD also
5. There are also Eibach springs available to bring this down 10mm, part number is 10-30-019-01-22
6. There is a distinct lack of struts for these so if you lower you may not have any options on changing the handling
7. My car is a pop with the 6 speed manual. I don;t go offroad so I'm making this a street car with the right stance for such.

Lowering isn't always about looks and it's not always about handling, sometimes its about both. One thing is certain,as eluded to above by the frist two poster that tooik some time to provide informaiton (even though it didn't addess the question), you should definately not cut springs or you'll end up with a trampoline.

Lastly, never judge a book by it's cover, the person you are replying to may have been excluded detail to avoid misguided answers and to get a single focussed response and may have a wealth of knowledge to share on other things.