Does anyone have an old spring?

[burlybryan]

My car has a low drivers front corner (by 3/4") and I've been tinkering with ways to even out the suspension. All suspension components were replaced last winter including new lowering springs, but the difference remained. My old springs were also performance springs so I don't have the originals to the car. My latest thought is to replace the left front spring with a stock height one to see if it levels things out - and I'd need a spring to try this out.

Thanks.

Bryan

[4uall]

I am currently going through this exact same issue My alignment shop has indicated that my front drivers side is sagging. Both springs are original and are the same height Being that mine is 33 yrs old I have come to accept that it has probably been a single driver for most of its life. Good luck, keep us posted

[SLOSpider]

Sounds strange. Could it be that the springs are not seated in their correct places? It could even be a rear spring that is off causing the front not to match. Have you measured rear wheel and front wheel arch and frame heights? Last you can put it on a frame machine at a body shop to see if its frame or suspension but that's expensive. Other things like bad shocks, bidding bushings, worn bushings, worn rubber spring insulators, spring placement can all cause it to sit un even.

[RRoller123]

I would suspect that the spring is not seated in its cup at the right position. That seems to be the most likely cause?

[burlybryan]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I had suspected the spring not being seated correctly, but investigated this when I removed the old ones (IAP perf springs) and found them properly installed. I was conscientious of this when installing the new ones (Autoricambi lowering springs) and the gap has remained consistent from the former springs to the current ones. Last winter I replaced every single piece of rubber and component in the suspension so thats not it either.

If anything, I would think an improperly seated spring would ride high. There is some evidence of a very old collision repair in this corner, but it's mainly at the nose and headlight bezel. Could be a bent frame, but when I had the car aligned after last winters suspension tune up they didn't find anything amiss. If winter ever ends, I may take it to another alignment shop.

[4uall]

when I replaced my rubber in the upper suspension mounts it made a difference



http://wwwe.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopi ... a&start=90

[SLOSpider]

Alignment shops only look at the tires and there relation to each other. Good alignment shops use to do it right. I use to do alignments and measured ride height, if vehicle needed to be weighted, if the carry a load more time then not then I would have them load and come back to set the settings. Not anymore. If the computer cant tell them they are clueless for the most part.

Yes it would ride high on the opposite diagonal corner so I would check the right rear spring and rear axle mounts. May even have a bent pan hand rod on the axle. All is guess till you start measuring.

[burlybryan]

Dimensions are kind of all over the map. Measuring from top of rim to apex of fender arch. Right front is 5 3/4", left front is 5", right rear is 6 5/8" and left rear is 6". In addition to the left front spring rubber, I'm going to dig into the right rear this weekend.

Thanks.

[georgeramos]

I have a couple of springs, not sure what year as they were given to me. You can have one if you want to pay for shipping.

[burlybryan]

George, thanks for the offer. I'm going to keep tinkering with what I have for the time being.

Took the left front apart this weekend. Turns out, I'm an idiot and I never installed new spring cup rubbers when replacing the springs. The PO put in new ones with his IAP perf springs and they are pliable and fine, but I don't know how old they are. I had one new cup from Autoricambi that is about a half inch thicker than the IAP one so I installed it. The left front came up 1/2", but so did the right front, which is weird. My next step is to cut a spacer out of some 1/4" aluminum and install it between the rubber cup and the plastic sleeve above. Then another alignment. After that, I'm going to live with it and move on to another Fiat related neurosis.

[DocGraphics]

I have the same issue with my 78.
The pass side is about an 3/4" higher both front & back respectively (already rebuilt the front suspension).
I have noticed when I jack up the front from the middle of the cross member that it lifts crooked (right tire leaves the ground long before the left) so in my thinking it must be in the rear suspension

I am going to rebuild all the rear suspension soon & see if there is something there that is making the whole car lean this way.
also noticed on my car that the rear end is about 1/2" out of center too.

[burlybryan]

Hi Don. I've noticed the same thing - only the opposite. When jacking the back on the pumpkin, the right side comes up first - thus a front suspension issue.

The rear is a lot more straightforward, so it shouldn't be too hard to isolate your problem. As SLOSpider mentions, it could be a bent panhard rod, tired spring or dead shock. I had a seized shock prior to rebuilding last winter.