Technical Advice needed for Suspension Setup

[Joeguard1990]

Basically I am fitting adjustable coilovers to my MK2b punto and want to lower it as much as possible but I don't want the wheels to look like they are tucked in too much. What I want to know is if I were to fit, say 30mm spacers, could the car still be lowered so it looks good and so there is no tyre rub on the arches, or would 30mm be too much? BTW running 15" wheels on 195/50/R15 tyres.

Many Thanks

 

[MikeSalt]

30mm spacers will give you such an offset that the wheel bearings will have a lifetime of weeks rather than years. TUV approved coilovers should be capable of adjusting through their entire adjustment range without wheel arch interference.

 

[DaveMcT]

30mm spacers will hit the arches and they will mess up the steering and braking - the car wont be safe.

 

[Joeguard1990]

I see, so what spacers do you think I could get away with, as I want the standard wheels to fill as much of the arch as possible and not looked like its simply tucked under, or do you think no spacers will look okay when its lowered.

 

[DaveMcT]

Dont use spacers. The suspension is designed for the wheels to be as they are.

Move the wheels out and you put excessive load on the wheel bearings and the steering geometry goes wrong so you lose grip - sometimes a lot of grip. It can even set up a left-right chatter in the steering where one wheel pulls to its side then slips and the other wheel pulls it back just like a wonky shopping trolley. Wheel spacers or the wrong offsets can make this really dangerous.

 

[MikeSalt]

5mm maximum for economical bearing wear. With nearly 250kg on each corner, any offset on the bearing is going to wear it.

Also, on the front wheels, any offset will induce scrub radius. Much more than 5mm offset and you are going to get out-cornered by a Vectra.

 

[DaveMcT]

Puntos understeer naturally. making that worse will put you into a hedge next time it rains. Looks arent everything.

 

[Joeguard1990]

points taken - and your majorly right about the understeer, drove my Brother's Corsa 1.2 SXi and screeches into corners! But when driven right he can't keep up with the Punto

 

[MikeSalt]

Actually, what alloys are you using? It could be that the offset it wrong anyway, and thus you actually need spacers to correct it.

 

[DaveMcT]

Oddly enough you would get the best suspension geometry with knife edge or curved tyres (like a bike). These would have little grip, so anything after that is a compromise. All road cars tend to understeer, its supposed to be safer and keeps the steering light, but mods which improve front grip without making it suddenly oversteer can be good.

Talk to the Fiat performance folks but dont expect it to be low cost.

 

[Joeguard1990]

Actually, what alloys are you using? It could be that the offset it wrong anyway, and thus you actually need spacers to correct it.

Standard 15" Punto sporting alloys

 

[DaveMcT]

Keep it standard. Wider wheels could be done but few look "that" good for what they cost.