General Front suspension problem possibly

[dx90]

I have just replaced the front struts and top mount bearings but used the original colour coded front springs on my son's Seicento Sporting 2002.

Both front shocks were totally gone. It had a lean before replacement. Lower on the drivers side. Its a right hand drive. It still has the same lean after the replacement parts.


Was the Seicento built this way from new?

They are the original springs but in fairly good condition.

If it was a left hand drive it would compensate for the weight of the driver I suppose but this it a right hand drive.

 

[Ralf S.]

The lean could be caused by a saggy spring, or a worn wishbone arm bush.

If it was a worn bush, it would have to be pretty severe, so would probably knock (or at least the MOT tester would pick it up) so my money would be on the spring first of all.

This presumes of course that the rest of the car is straight. If it's had accident damage that may have deranged the suspension geometry (if the inner wing, or the subframe were damaged).

If you never had it 4-wheel aligned, it's worth it now (particularly since you just changed the shocks). Arguably if it's all straight, then the lean may be just something to live with.. but the alignment might show up where any derangement is (at the back for instance?) that can help you to narrow down the cause.


Ralf S.

 

[dx90]

The lean could be caused by a saggy spring, or a worn wishbone arm bush.

If it was a worn bush, it would have to be pretty severe, so would probably knock (or at least the MOT tester would pick it up) so my money would be on the spring first of all.

This presumes of course that the rest of the car is straight. If it's had accident damage that may have deranged the suspension geometry (if the inner wing, or the subframe were damaged).

If you never had it 4-wheel aligned, it's worth it now (particularly since you just changed the shocks). Arguably if it's all straight, then the lean may be just something to live with.. but the alignment might show up where any derangement is (at the back for instance?) that can help you to narrow down the cause.


Ralf S.

Sorry for the late reply. I think I might swap the front springs/struts over so in theory it should balance things out once the drivers in there. No accident damage and no nocking on the bush.

Thanks for your help.