Technical Suspension Problems and Advice needed.

[asvybre]

Hello fellow enthusiasts.

It has been a year since I got my 1.9, 8 valve, 115 stilo and it has served me very well. It's my first car and I'm liking it a lot.

Problem is, the previous owner lowered the car but not the right way.
I am almost sure it is running on stock shocks and springs but were shortened with heat from what i can tell by the looks and since they're not cut.

I'll put some pictures so that you guys can try to help with how low it is and with some advice on how I should approach this, I'm currently finishing my last year of my degree in mechanical engineering and I have little money to put on the car but I intend to correct it when I start working.

Other advice I would like is on some cheap improvements and a fix for the deep scratch.

Front Driver's Side

Front Passenger's Side



Deep Scratch






Thank you!

 

[Artermis]

Nice looking car you have there. It does look like some of the coils may have collapsed on the spring, so it's either broken or may have been messed with as you suggest.


Modern coil springs tend to be progressive so they're slightly thinner / softer metal with wider spaced coils at one end, then the other will be slightly thicker stronger at the other with coils more tightly spaced.


This gives a more progressive spring rate so it starts off nice and soft but then under larger heavier compressions it firms up towards the end of the suspension travel. This lessens body roll under larger loads and reduces kinetic energy and momentum in the suspension system to stop the car crashing it's bump stops.


So it's not entirely abnormal to find coils getting closely stacked towards one end of the spring but I would say yours are broken.


It might be the case that they've fitted springs for a small petrol and you have a diesel which is likely heavier and this has damaged the spring. You should replace with correct springs as soon as you can.


Fixing the scratch... there is no easy fix for a deep scratch. It's that simple. If it's that deep then the scratch will need sanding out and the panel repainting.


If the scratch is only in the top clear coat then you might get away with wet-sanding the scratch out but if you're not confident and don't know what you're doing then you risk real damage to the paintwork, requiring a respray again.

 

[Ralf S.]

I thought those springs were on upside down, that's how bad they look.. but the top part of a spring has a smaller diameter coil than the lower part, so it physically wouldn't fit.

They're shocking though (do you see what I did there? ). Whatever is the problem they need to be retired.

For an inexpensive option look at Pi or Apex springs. They're still lowered though by 35mm which looks less than your lad has suffered. But I think if you went back to standard springs you would miss the lowered look a bit..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-STIL...228381?hash=item2ed877d81d:g:8IwAAOSw8cNUR4Ok


Ralf S.

 

[asvybre]

Thanks, your explanation helped me a lot to understand what's going on there.

I wouldn't find it abnormal if both sides were equal but in this state it is not good at all.
I also would like to to change them but in order not to mess everything up I would want to change them all, back and front.
Is the spring length enough to identify the springs I need, cos on the stilo elearn I can't find anything else apart from the length when not loaded and I don't think that's enough info.

The scratch is definitely on the paint layer. I sure won't sand and paint the whole panel because it is in good shape. The scratch will have to stay..

 

[asvybre]

Yeah I know, they sure look crappy
How low do you think it is right now? Those seam a good choice but they need matching shocks, don't they?

I do like the look but it is a little too low, as a consequence of that the flexipipe is a bit scrubbed and also needs to be changed.

 

[Ralf S.]

The standard part number looks like one of;

50701024 or;
50704418

I'm not sure what the precise difference is but your chassis number would pull up the right one.

This is what they (50701024) are supposed to look like;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-STIL...219023?hash=item237135fd4f:g:2HEAAOSwFe5XxK-m

Ralf S.

 

[asvybre]

They are very cheap indeed!
For the lowered ones I would need shocks with the same working length, right?

 

[Ralf S.]

Yes, that's what is recommended...

With shorter springs the damper rod is already half compressed into the body, even before you hit a bump. That uses up the lower level damping that the shock has, so for more mild bumps it will be reacting how it would to bigger bumps (a lot fiercer).

Some people chop a short length off the damper rod and cut a new thread on the end.. but I'd be afraid ..


Ralf S.

 

[asvybre]

Well that seams dangerous
But that seams to be the case of my car, cos as is the ride is very harsh and I feel every little bump on the road...
I'll try to do either new stock components or some lowered springs that you recommended along with matching shocks!
Thanks!

 

[redvtec]

You can deal with the scratch by cleaning the dirt out with alcohol, meth spirits etc, then using a toothpick to put the correct colour in the groove, leave to dry and then sand back with very fine wet and dry paoer, 6000 grit etc. then cutting compound and then polish it.


look on detailing world for wet sanding.