Technical Suspension Job =]

[288gto]

Hi guys, I had a bad knocking noise in the front suspension, after a closer inspection it turned out to be the ball joints, also the bushes were badly deteriorated. So I shopped around and the good people at LarkSpeed done me a good deal on most of the bits. It took me 9h to get it all sorted because the lower suspension arms I got had busted rubber covers and I had to swap them with the good ones from the used element. Also the back bushes were a bugger to remove, they wouldn’t even move without the help of mr. angle grinder

As the lower spring bed of the rear suspension arms is just bare metal it caused the paint on the springs to rub off and they corroded. I salvaged the old front top spring rubber mountings and after some adjustments with a stanley knife they turned out to be just right for the job, so now I hope the rear springs will live a bit longer

Prior to this Apex setup I had Bilstein B4 shocks and PI lowering springs, it was a good ride but the springs corroded and I couldn’t find other lowering ones that would go with the B4’s so I had to ride on standard springs :/ I’ve done 70k on the Bilsteins and to be honest there is still loads of life left in them! So they come highly recommended

Also as I have a s/s sports cat and complete PowerFlow exhaust system I’ve now put in a GreenStuff panel air filter and it seem to run quite nice, found it on eBay the other day

I took some photos during the entire operation so do have a look The car needs some time before the ride height comes down so I’ll take a photo then

 

[vitorio]

Looks like a pretty slick setup, did you notice any effects from the lower brace? Also quite curious what your experience with those drilled/grooved discs is. Are they tarox by any chance? (the straight grooves remind me of tarox)

 

[288gto]

I also have the top brace, when I first put it on it didn’t make much difference, but now when I got the lower one on as well I can really feel it keeping the car nice and steady on the corners at higher speeds

The disc/pad set came from OMP (Italy). The discs are made from high quality hardened steel and have done about 55k miles on my car now! they are still in very good condition, the pads have done the same but I have changed them recently for a new set. The set cost me £60.00 +delivery but it was well worth it as they last a very long time.

I love Cinquecentos -the parts are soooooooo cheap

 

[Dragon Man]

heh i bet that stops the wallowing around corners.
out of intrest, how much did the whole kit cost? i dont think i would change anything on my car, but i am still interested.

 

[vitorio]

I also have the top brace, when I first put it on it didn’t make much difference, but now when I got the lower one on as well I can really feel it keeping the car nice and steady on the corners at higher speeds

The disc/pad set came from OMP (Italy). The discs are made from high quality hardened steel and have done about 55k miles on my car now! they are still in very good condition, the pads have done the same but I have changed them recently for a new set. The set cost me £60.00 +delivery but it was well worth it as they last a very long time.

I love Cinquecentos -the parts are soooooooo cheap

Thanks for the info, i'll add the lower brace to my handling shopping list then

 

[ycming]

The lower brace is just too low for my liking!

Ming

 

[288gto]

Thankfully the kit won't drop the car too low so the brace should be fine (fingers crossed) I got the 14" Punto GT rims on as well so that makes it a bit higher anyway. The Apex kit cost £244.00 (that's shocks and springs) The Powerflex poly bush kit for the front was £54.50, PowerFlex bump stop kit for the shocks was £24.00, new spring top rubber mountings from Fiat were £8.00 each, OMP brace cost me £26.00 +postage so not too bad for a perfect ride

 

[briannerd]

I had the lower strut brace on mine for a little bit, had to take it off because it hit the road over the slightest bump, the car was lowered 70mm + so thats probably why lol. Doesn't half make a difference in the corners though!

 

[blu73]

You hear many people say they are too low but most have never run one, just repeating what they have heard. They are not wrong, they are low - but i've seen quite a few now that have bent upwards having slammed into the floor a few times, then they seem to be ok...

 

[jimbro1000]

I have them on my current car and the only time it has hit anything was when there were mounds of snow on the road and then it just neatly levelled them off

I did have one incident in my previous Sei but to be honest the lower brace is what saved the car - when I came across a large lump of concrete left in the middle of the road down a dark country lane. It wiped out the front bumper and bent the lower brace slightly but it stopped anything else hitting it (would have lost the floor and exhaust too without it). Total cost of repair was a second hand replacement bumper

 

[ycming]

i had a modified one on my 70/50 cinq .... it was hitting way too often for my liking!

Ming

 

[288gto]

DAMN!! I've put all this work in and it still failed the MOT today but only on the handbrake efficiency so will tighten it up, but just in case got myself a set of Mintex shoes (£12.78+vat)

 

[blu73]

i would suspect the samll actuator levers found on the rear of the drum. A common issue well covered on the forum. Last time i bought some they were £8 from fiat iirc. Or spend a while cleaning and freeing them up, then loadsa copper slip. I'd be suprised if that isn't the problem tbh.

 

[288gto]

Did not know that, thanks for the hint I will look into it, got to get it done over the weekend

 

[levemircento]

i would suspect the samll actuator levers found on the rear of the drum. A common issue well covered on the forum. Last time i bought some they were £8 from fiat iirc. Or spend a while cleaning and freeing them up, then loadsa copper slip. I'd be suprised if that isn't the problem tbh.

seconded

the levers will be siezed and although the handbrake is pulled up nothing will be working at the brake, although the foot brake will be fine

tightening up the cable will rarely make the handrake efficiency better

strip the rear brakes off, and as the above post, make sure the levers are loose enough so you can flick them like a pair of scissors