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Grande Punto Orange 1.4 16v Sporting

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Introduction

Hey!

Thought it was about time I started up a thread for my car! I've been using the forum for a while now, just tend not to post much and keep quiet. Anyway...

I purchased my car in mid August 2012 with 26,000 miles on the clock. It's a Fiat Grande Punto 1.4 16v Sporting in the best colour, Orange! It came with the Abarth Alloys that are on the car now.. so really I haven't done a hell of a lot. It's had some new mats, a tax disc holder and a rear bumper respray (that clearly went really well (n)) I passed my test in October 2012 but haven't really had the time or money (with being at school) to do anything to my car. But now I'm finished and i'm having a gap year so i thought it was the perfect opportunity to get the ball rolling and do some stuff to my car.

First thing on the list is to lower it as the arch gap is horrendous! Then sort out the b-pillars on the door. I think the previous owner loved the car wash a bit too much, they are scratched quite badly. I'll post a close up of them when i get to changing them. Then after that i'm not quite sure what im going to do really... just see what comes up for sale and how much money i have i suppose.

Wow.. i've rambled on. Anyway, here are some pictures that i took yesterday!

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Cheers for looking!
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Click to expand...
Sweex said:
No youre right to be using the standard mounts. However i would be swapping them for new ones.
How were you having trouble? It should be quite straiht forward bud.
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Ah right..

Well you have the strut, then working your way up its the helper, a plastic disc that fits into the helper, then the spring sits on that disc and then the top mount. But the spring isn't wide enough to sit around the top mount so it's not held in place correctly. Bit of a pain.. They're made for the car so thought they'd just go straight on. Unless there's something missing from the box that I don't know of. Yeah I thought it would be straight forward too. Ill try get a picture of what's wrong..
 
Dahnzy said:
Ah right..

Well you have the strut, then working your way up its the helper, a plastic disc that fits into the helper, then the spring sits on that disc and then the top mount. But the spring isn't wide enough to sit around the top mount so it's not held in place correctly. Bit of a pain.. They're made for the car so thought they'd just go straight on. Unless there's something missing from the box that I don't know of. Yeah I thought it would be straight forward too. Ill try get a picture of what's wrong..
Click to expand...

Yeah, i think youve got the spring top mount missing from the kit! There should be something on top of the spring and then the top mount but dont hold me to that!
Its been over a year since i fitted coilovers and that was on a mk2a punto!
 
Sweex said:
Yeah, i think youve got the spring top mount missing from the kit! There should be something on top of the spring and then the top mount but dont hold me to that!
Its been over a year since i fitted coilovers and that was on a mk2a punto!
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I'm such a dip stick.. Youre 100% correct. I've never fitted them before and assumed the plate was for the adjuster on the back so we just left it out haha... Best go sort it out I guess. Cheers for your help!
 
Dahnzy said:
I'm such a dip stick.. Youre 100% correct. I've never fitted them before and assumed the plate was for the adjuster on the back so we just left it out haha... Best go sort it out I guess. Cheers for your help!
Click to expand...

Hahaha, youre not a dipstick mate! They arent the simplest things to fit, its not like its a straight swap job! But i really would get new top mounts as if they havent been done before then the pressure being released from them generally weakens them. They are prone to failure anyway so its always best to change them if you are doing the suspension anyway!
 
Just been for a drive. Put the spring top mounts in and put the adjusters in the back cause it was stupidly low at the back and was scrubbing constantly and it's much nicer to drive. I think I prefer it to sporting suspension that was on the car previously.

However there's a weird noise coming from the front and I think it might be the wheel rubbing on the inner arch, gonna have a look tomorrow when I can actually see.

Pleased with how it looks tho, ill get some photos tomorrow and take a passenger and see if I get the same scrubbing. Cheers for all your help!
 
Dahnzy said:
Just been for a drive. Put the spring top mounts in and put the adjusters in the back cause it was stupidly low at the back and was scrubbing constantly and it's much nicer to drive. I think I prefer it to sporting suspension that was on the car previously.

However there's a weird noise coming from the front and I think it might be the wheel rubbing on the inner arch, gonna have a look tomorrow when I can actually see.

Pleased with how it looks tho, ill get some photos tomorrow and take a passenger and see if I get the same scrubbing. Cheers for all your help!
Click to expand...

I had a rubbing noise and it was the indicator changing flap in the arch lining, so ive cable tied them to the arch liner haha! No more rubbing!
 
Last edited:
Yours is a lot lower so it might be something else but hopefully not :(
Mine only rubbed on full lock! But yours is lower!
Make sure you get your camber and tracking done!
 
Wow. Didn't realise it had been three weeks since I last logged on... Just haven't had time.

Cars been a pain in the backside ever since i lowered it. There's something wrong in the front end somewhere but can't figure out what it is. Having another look Monday after work. Had a look this evening and it sounds like either

1) Balljoint
2) Bearing
3) Anything else in the front end haha.

Its really hard to work it out. Any common problems that could be of use to me? I'll have a search round on the forum after i've done this post too.

As the car goes i've not done much apart from redo the outside of the b-pillars in black vinyl wrap but it already looks rubbish so i won't bother with a photo. I think i'm going to get some carbon wrap and do it in that as the black just scratches so easily.

Here's just a little pick. I'll upload a comparison before and after of it lowered after i've cleaned it - started a new job in a builders merchants.. gets very dusty haha.

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Cheers! Didn't think of that.. A mate has got some carbon wrap so might as well see what that looks like.. and if i don't like that it'll be the Matt. I scratched it just getting it out of the cardboard tube it was in, whoopsy.
 
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