Technical Suspension Leg Removal

[john2k]

Anyone know the process of removing the front suspension leg from the grande punto? I've got a damaged shock and ordered a second hand complete suspension left with the shocks and spring fitted from a low mileage car.

 

[chricol]

https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-pu...ice-replacement-front-spring-replacement.html

 

[portland_bill]

Hopefully the replacement is from the same model, engine type, including 8v or 16v, and 3/5 dr. Otherwise you may have a mismatch, leading to strange or even dangerous handling.

 

[john2k]

Thanks for that link chricol

Hopefully the replacement is from the same model, engine type, including 8v or 16v, and 3/5 dr. Otherwise you may have a mismatch, leading to strange or even dangerous handling.

I've confirmed with the breaker that it came from the exact same spec car as mine, 1.4, 16v 3door. The complete leg comes with the hub and things, but i'm thinking just to remove it at the strut link and replacing just the part that contains the shock and springs.

 

[portland_bill]

just looking at ePER for Grande 2005-8 there are 6 different struts and 10 different springs.
1.4 8v is different from 1.4 16v.

The strut differences may include different heights, for different suspension levels, easy to check just placing them alongside each other, also different damping rates, difficult to check unless there are codes or paint markings on them. The replacement needs to be the same to maintain handling. A pair from the same donor vehicle may be ok, as long as they are the same length as the originals.

Springs will relate to weight of engine and length of strut. But you can swap the originals over. Again, they need to be a pair.

New aftermarket replacements are likely to rationalise the options, which is why they should always be fitted in pairs.