Technical Stilo MultiWagon Ride Height

[wotnowarninglight]

Just an update on my previous post... Techie @ Fiat locally mentioned that although they have seen lots of JTD Stilos with towbars could never recall coming across one with spring assisters fitted. Suggested I try towing without first as fitting the spring assisters would prevent compression in the middle of the rear spings and may cause extra/excess stresses at the top or bottom of the springs and cause them to break. Have decided to heed this advice

 

[Davren]

After much contact between the front flexi-exhaust and several 'straddle type' speed bumps, I've finally got round to fitting new original Fiat front springs to the MW.

I managed to get the old springs off the shocks using normal hook-on spring compressors but getting the new springs back on was an absolute nightmare. After about 3 hours of trying I gave up and got the local Fiat dealer to assemble the springs/shocks for me. Went to fit them back on the car and realised that the dealer had fitted the top mountings incorrectly.

It appears that the 2 parts of the top mounting have to be lined up with each other and orientated correctly in relation to the shock abbsorber. There's a small hole in the top of the suspension turret that a 5mm rod should be able to pass through if everything is lined up correctly and the steering is set to straight ahead. Makes me wonder how many cars are driving around with (possibly) incorrect camber/caster angles after having new springs fitted.

Anyway, realising, yet again, that if you want something done properly, you have to do it yourself, I managed to borrow a set of 'yoke' type spring compressors from a local independant garage and re-assembled everything correctly.

Before fitting the new springs, the ride height between the road and the wheel arch was 65cm front and 70cm rear. Now it's 69cm front and 70cm rear. I'm convinced the low front ride height problem is caused by garages using pattern part springs. The most common supplier is Kilern, but they only list 1 part number for the whole Stilo range and this is what was fitted to my car a month before I bought it. Fiat list 5 different springs for the various Stilo models.

Dave.

 

[sixpotman]

Depends if Fiat ship the springs to Germany
if the springs are TUV rated then the same
spring may have 5 different codes for the same
spring and different labels on the box depending
of size of engine and body type.

John

 

[john55]

getting the new springs back on was an absolute nightmare. After about 3 hours of trying I gave up and got the local Fiat dealer to assemble the springs/shocks for me. Dave.

A pair of trailer tie down straps work brilliantly as spring compressors on long springs. I had the same issue as you and spent ages on it, then thought of using my trailer tie down straps to compress the spring. Worked brilliantly and I had them back together again in no time.

 

[Davren]

Depends if Fiat ship the springs to GermanyJohn

I don't understand your point there John, what's Germany got to do with it?

A pair of trailer tie down straps work brilliantly as spring compressors on long springs.

I did consider ratchet straps, I've got loads of them in the garage from when I worked for the AA. Think I was a bit concerned about it because I've had a spring launch itself before. Needed to replace some springs about 30 years ago when I worked in a garage but couldn't find the compressors. I decided to do it by letting the ramp down onto some blocks of wood balanced on top of the spring on the floor. If it wasn't for the walls and roof of the garage, I think the spring woud still be in orbit around the earth now.

Did you get the ashtray? I saw there was only 1 bidder.

Dave.

 

[john55]

Did you get the ashtray? I saw there was only 1 bidder.

Yes, thanks. It was me. Still waiting for it to arrive though.

 

[sixpotman]

I don't understand your point there John, what's Germany got to do with it?
Dave.

German type approval regulations insist each item
is individually type approved for each variant of every vehicle.

Therefore exactly the same specification part used in critical
areas like suspension (springs) have to have their own product code
specific to each variant to enable to reference the TUV type approval
for that variant. Ford 1.8 and 2.0 focus use the same rated front spring
but they are 2 different part numbers. The above was explained by
a ford spares parts man a while ago.

Very Germanic hope that explains it

John