Technical Rear Suspension gone ? Or just a Spring ?

[Pras83]

I noticed that the space between wheel - wheel arch at the right rear is 1 inch!!!

on the left side I have about 3 inches.

I jacked the car up today and couldnt see where exactly the problem is. When I lowered it down again the space between wheel arch & wheel was ok. AS soon as I put some wheight on the car it went all the way down again to 1 inch & stayed there. It also makes some kind of knocking noise.

Thanks for your help

 

[rallycinq]

Are both ends of the rear dampers attached, and if so, unattach the bottom ends and pop the springs out to check their length.

Cheers

D

 

[dave]

is the shock leaking?

 

[Pras83]

Yes both ends are attached.

And no there is nothing leaking.

 

[rallycinq]

Yes both ends are attached.

And no there is nothing leaking.

OK, so springs out then,

Cheers

D

 

[Pras83]

I will be able to remove the spring after work today.

Just a quick question: Where is the best place to get new springs ?

Cheapest I could find is £59. And they all claim that some springs are not suitable for the sporting sei ?

I thought they're all the same.

 

[Pras83]

As I couldn't find any fault I had a mechanic check them out on the weekend.

He checked all springs - they are all fine & in Place. He measured the distance from the ground to the wheelarch on all 4 corners.

The drivers side is 10 cm lower then the left hand side of the car.

He said that's absolutely normal for a car that age (1999) & nothing to worry about as long as the handling of the car is fine.

We measured a 3 year old car on the driveway and that was 3 cm lower on the right hand side.

 

[mase]

As I couldn't find any fault I had a mechanic check them out on the weekend.

He checked all springs - they are all fine & in Place. He measured the distance from the ground to the wheelarch on all 4 corners.

The drivers side is 10 cm lower then the left hand side of the car.

He said that's absolutely normal for a car that age (1999) & nothing to worry about as long as the handling of the car is fine.

We measured a 3 year old car on the driveway and that was 3 cm lower on the right hand side.

you usually drive with only you in the car dont you?

you sure u mean 10cm? thats 4 inches that is very very extreme
however sagging on the drivers side is normal, the rate at which the drivers side sags depends on the springs.

my g-max -60mm ones are starting to do it a tiny bit already, and they have only been in since may of last year.

and as for springs, u have to remember that the sporting is about 20mm (IIRC) lower than the lower models, but springs from all the cinqs / seis are interchangable, so if u were after a virtually standard ride height, you could get -40mm ones meant for the sx (which would prob be cheaper) and not worry about them lowering too much

 

[Pras83]

Well the car is 7 years old and I bought it 3 months ago... So I don't know if a rather large Person has been driving it before.

This guy is not a Fiat mechanic, but he assumes that the car already has aftermarket springs fitted. He tested the front springs and they are stiff as f**k.

The Springs are black so I don't know.

 

[custard]

measure the distance between the centre of the wheel to the wheelarch on all 4 wheels and post it up

 

[Pras83]

Ok This will be interesting. Will post once I finished work today.

 

[mase]

Well the car is 7 years old and I bought it 3 months ago... So I don't know if a rather large Person has been driving it before.

This guy is not a Fiat mechanic, but he assumes that the car already has aftermarket springs fitted. He tested the front springs and they are stiff as f**k.

The Springs are black so I don't know.

black springs are standard fittment, aftermarket ones for the cinq are usually red or yellow.

i take it the shocks are green as well?

as custard said... the ride height would be interesting reading when compared to the standard.

 

[Pras83]

The shocks are black. But that might be dirt ? Donno but they are definitely not green.

As for the Springs he said that there are lowering springs that are black. He mentioned AVON or some name similar...?

 

[custard]

black springs are standard fittment, aftermarket ones for the cinq are usually red or yellow.

i take it the shocks are green as well?

as custard said... the ride height would be interesting reading when compared to the standard.

or white for novitec

 

[mase]

The shocks are black. But that might be dirt ? Donno but they are definitely not green.

As for the Springs he said that there are lowering springs that are black. He mentioned AVON or some name similar...?

is the cento a sporting or an SX, IIRC i think the lower models (s, sx, etc.) have black shocks and the sporting ones are green, but not 100% sure on that.

as far as i am aware avon dont make springs for the cento, but the ride height will be able to give us a better idea if it is or not.

or white for novitec

cool, learn something new everyday

 

[Pras83]

It's a 99 Sei Sporting Abarth edition.

I just had a look on google it's AVO not Avon lol...

They seem to do Springs for the Cinq/Sei & they are black:idea:

 

[mase]

It's a 99 Sei Sporting Abarth edition.

I just had a look on google it's AVO not Avon lol...

They seem to do Springs for the Cinq/Sei & they are black:idea:

wow... i didnt think AVO did springs for the centos, thats 2 things ive learnt today then

could well be a full -40mm avo kit then, especially as the dampers are black.

u not got a recipt for them somewhere?

go measure the ride height... the standard is

334mm at the front from center of wheel to arch and
340mm at rear!

 

[Pras83]

Ok I had a chance to sneak out of the office.

Now this is very weired:

FR: 325mm
FL: 340mm

RR: 315mm
RL: 345mm

 

[mase]

Ok I had a chance to sneak out of the office.

Now this is very weired:

FR: 325mm
FL: 340mm

RR: 315mm
RL: 345mm

they look like standard readings to me mate....

over 7 years a 15mm drop at the front is normal due to engine / driver + passenger weight. and with the rear at standard height i would say that is a standard set up. i would also say that the 1cm lower on drivers front is totally normal sagging for an 7 year old car as well, the higher rear could be down to the lower front pointing her ass in the air slightly, or that the ground isnt totally level.

there MIGHT be lowering ones on the front, but youd have to get them off and cleaned up to look for part numbers or anythin to be sure.

in contrast, ive got -60mm springs on mine, and the front sits at less than 280mm and the rear is at 290mm

 

[J333EVO]

I had to laugh when I read AVON did the springs, could just imagine the AVON woman on your door "AVON calling; with our new range of springs"

Yes AVO do stuff for the Cinq as I have been looking it the stuff for mine http://www.avouk.com/pm/89

Aaron.