General Can you help? alloys & lowering

[EssexUno]

Hi guys

I'm looking to lower my 1992 mk2 uno 1.0 i.e about 30-40mm but i'm ot sure on prices as i have not bought anything suspensionwise before. i do not know if i just need to replace the springs or if i need new dampers aswell. The car is in good condition with 33k genuine on the clock and no rust (was a big hole in o/f/door but been replaced, sprayed etc...). I'm really looking for advice and what to do so any help will be greatly appreiciated

I also want to put alloys on my Uno (maybe 14-15") but i don't know and don't really want to look like an idiot going in a shop and saying i want some alloys for that and not having a clue of what measurements i'm looking for... :nutter: lol

i have looked through the forum but i don't know what offset is and nothing is specified to my car (btw is a 5dr) it would really help me alot if someone could reply back as i really want to get this car looking right

This is the only pic i have of it on this comp but will try and upload more later on if anyones interested

Thanks
Dan

 

[Gav F]

ello mate
i cant remember the offset a quick search in google should knock up a few good results!
just dont go for more then 6J wide unless you like making work for yourself! lol

 

[randomspeedfreak]

ok well basics first
the fiat pattern for the uno is 4X98 pcd.
this means that the wheel your looking for has 4 holes with 98mm between holes center to center.

now the offset is (i think) et32. this means theere is 32mm from the mounting face to the center of the wheel.

note that most fords and lots of other stuff have 4x100...these wheels can be fitted to your car with special 'wobble' bolts but will need checking more often as there are a few horror stories with them (not that i have personally experienced any)

wheel offsets:http://www.driverstechnology.co.uk/wheel-offset.htm

ok you want to lower it 30-40mm. i think the uno turbo shocks are lower than the 'normal' uno's so you could try them?

bearing in mind if you do go for bigger wheels, you will have to make sure the aspect ratio of the tyre (the 'depth' of the tyre) is small enough so that you remain as close as possible to the overall standard size, otherwise you end up jacking the car up as the wheel and tyre are bigger.(if you see what i mean) and of course your speedo and gearing would be out and nobody likes that.

i.e. if you have 19 inches overall diameter and 13 of those are wheel, you will have 6 inches of tyre, or 3 inches either 'side'. on a 15 inch wheel you would have to have 4 inches of tyre total or 2 inches either 'side'.
try this: http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyresize.html


i would advise going for shocks and dampers, putting lowering springs on the standard dampers is an mot failure and wont make your car handle so good lol
koni do a non ajustable set for around £200 which would do fine and drop you 40mm
hope that helps a little

 

[Gav F]

Most fords are 4x108 matey
and wobbly bolts are fine! im running 16x7.5 4x100pcd on 35mm jamex springs, had plenty of problems due to width of the wheels other wise fine

 

[oldskoolmk1unoturbo]

putting lowering springs on the standard dampers is an mot failure and wont make your car handle

what a load of rubbish

 

[miff121]

hi, pcd is 4x98,offset 30-38,c/bore 58 ,most fiats fit also lancia or early ibiza,never heard of lowerd spings on origanal dampers a mot failure

 

[Gav F]

bore is 58.1

 

[miff121]

lol,im sure bore is 58.01 then ,i stand corrected.

 

[Jai]

it's all about personal preference, mixed with a little technical knowledge, now you have the numbers, ignore the aftermarket jobbies, and get retro wheel hunting, as damon - pandasport pointed out to me, fiat is not your only port of call, lancia, and alfa are also in the frame, and from there it gets intresting:

and with a little arch work, even these will fit:

there's a ton of different looks out there, personally, i like the original 13s on the white car, but love the tipos 15s on her.

 

[miff121]

christ jai,some amount of alloys what address your wooden garage at:idea:

 

[randomspeedfreak]

what a load of rubbish

please explain

 

[randomspeedfreak]

Most fords are 4x108 matey
and wobbly bolts are fine! im running 16x7.5 4x100pcd on 35mm jamex springs, had plenty of problems due to width of the wheels other wise fine

correction, i ment vauxhalls

 

[randomspeedfreak]

hi, pcd is 4x98,offset 30-38,c/bore 58 ,most fiats fit also lancia or early ibiza,never heard of lowerd spings on origanal dampers a mot failure

ive always been told that if the damper, fully exended has a gap to the spring (i.e. you are able to wobble the spring around within the damper when you jack the car up) then its a failure as the spring can come off of its platform.
have you herd otherwise?

 

[Gav F]

my springs dont wobble when on my ramps wit the wheel dropped on stock shocks?

 

[timmyr]

I have Jamex springs and Koni dampers, works really great. But I live in Sweden so unfourtainly idon't now where you can buy them. But look on ebay, think i've seen some parts there. 4X98 is it on uno.

 

[randomspeedfreak]

my springs dont wobble when on my ramps wit the wheel dropped on stock shocks?

god knows how that works, lol

if the damper has more travel than the spring has legnth (if you see what i mean)then i dont see how it can stay attached at both ends, unless its welded or stuck or something?

 

[miff121]

ive always been told that if the damper, fully exended has a gap to the spring (i.e. you are able to wobble the spring around within the damper when you jack the car up) then its a failure as the spring can come off of its platform.
have you herd otherwise?

yea your right it is a fail,but they must be like 80mil lowered or cut

 

[alexGS]

randomspeedfreak is right about the loose-spring problem if the springs are seriously short and the shocks are standard. The 'load of rubbish' statement arises because there are many spring/shock combinations that won't have this problem, BUT it is definitely something to check for. I drove an Uno where the springs had been cut and it wasn't nice at all, knowing that one had fallen off (had to jack the front end up and put the spring back on). If the wheel drops into a dip, the spring could come free again. When a spring falls off, it tends to catch in the tyre. It's really not something you want.

My 50mm lowered springs, and standard (replacement) struts, are fine. The struts are Munroe Reflex and the springs are Koenic, made in South Africa.

I think randomspeedfreak's is a good explanation. Modifying suspension is something that has to be done sensibly, or you end up with something that's nasty to drive. You will find many people who 'like' wobble bolts, and many people, like me, who don't like them. The risk of getting the wheel off-centre is less, though, if you have the correct hub centering ring installed in the wheel. But they are hard to get in a size that fits the hub properly.

And yes, when you go to buy lingerie - I mean, wheels - having the measurements does help you look more informed. That said, I bought my wheels from someone who already had them fitted to an Uno Turbo - which is the safest and least embarrassing

Speaking of Uno Turbo, don't bother fitting Uno Turbo front springs to a 1.0 i.e. - the lighter engine will mean that the front ends up sitting higher on the Uno Turbo springs than it does on the standard 1.0 i.e. springs. This does make it slightly harder to choose springs... something like Jamex -60mm springs for the Turbo will give less of a drop on the 1.0 i.e.

Jai - you ARE a wheel whore
One set is normal
Two sets - OK, if the other set is race tyres like mine
Three sets - a bit on the wild side
Four sets - mischevious
Five sets - promiscuous, can't be trusted

-Alex