Bumpy ride

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Specialk
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:44 pm
Your car is a: 81 Spider 2000
Location: Montreal - Canada

Bumpy ride

Post by Specialk »

Hi everyone,

Just got my car (81FI) out of winter storage and thinking on my projects for the summer. Stripped the innards and found a few rust holes but we'll deal with that in another thread!

One issue I have is with the suspension. Haven't dealt with it since the PO but I'm getting killed with all the pot holes around Montreal, to the point of having to concentrate on avoiding the holes to the exclusion of everything else, including other traffic!

Wheels are 195/50/15, rub slightly backing out of the driveway. Car tends to drift on the highway and jumps slightly when I hit the bad cracks. Fixed front bearings last year.

Is there anyway to get a softer ride and improve handling?? What should I look at in terms of quick fix that I could do myself and any longer term projects?

Any thoughts would greatly be appreciated!

PS Promise to post pics soon!!!
So Cal Mark

Re: Bumpy ride

Post by So Cal Mark »

if the car has been sitting, the rear shocks may be seized
User avatar
SLOSpider
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:10 am
Your car is a: 1973 124 Spider 2.0FI
Location: Lompoc, Ca USA

Re: Bumpy ride

Post by SLOSpider »

Yes new shocks would help but also sounds like you may have some worn bushings. I would check your front upper and lower arms and also the bushings at the back trailing arms for the rear end.
1975 124 Spider
1976 Mazda Cosmo http://www.mazdacosmo.com
1989 Chevy k5 Blazer
1967 GT Mustang Fastback
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