Fiat Coupe Club UK

Original springs

Posted By: carmine

Original springs - 02/08/2023 22:16

Greetings.

I'm looking to increase comfort in my car (suspension theme)
I run with:
235/40r17 wheels,
TRW shock absorbers,
hoerman 35mm lowering springs.

For a few days now, I have been hearing from the front right side the ugly creaking of the upper suspension bearing when turning, bearing replaced in 2021, FEBI brand.
Now that I have to change them again, I would like to install the original springs, I think the car has 30/40 horsepower more than normal, I would also like to leave the 17 wheels as they are now,
in your opinion,
can I install the original springs?
i found these from ebay, lesjöfors.
Could you confirm that we are the right ones?
I'm also undecided about which upper bearing to buy, I would opt for FAG. Thank you.

front springs oen 7782413.
rear springs oen 7782343.
compared to lesjöfors springs in various websites such as autodoc,
they appear to have the exact same oen.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/38247629158...r=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

https://www.ebay.de/itm/38247639599...r=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Posted By: szkom

Re: Original springs - 03/08/2023 15:56

You might be able to service the top mount; there's not much in there. Plastic base, ball bearings, plastic top cap. If you're careful you can open it up, clean, and repack with grease. I can't imagine yours has failed inside 2 years. Probably just the grease has dried up.

As for the springs, I think it'll be hard to find out in both of your questions. You might just have to try and see how you like it. In the past I've done similar prior to upgrading the springs and felt you could feel that the wheels were 'wrong'. But they were usually quite big changes to the wheels - 14" to 18" and 15" to 20".
Posted By: carmine

Re: Original springs - 03/08/2023 19:11

OK,
I've always had the coupe on 17" wheels with lowering springs because I bought it that way.
it shouldn't be a big difference from 16 to 17 with the original springs, could you confirm that the ones in the ebay link are the right ones?
One more thing,
how is the handling on the road with the original springs?
I have never had it.
Should it have enough grip?
Thank you.
Posted By: szkom

Re: Original springs - 03/08/2023 20:39

I should have clarified that my experience was with other cars. Like yours, mine didn't come on standard wheels. I think your car will be fine, it'll be more if you like the feel. I've always found Fiats of this vintage too wallowly. Adding bigger heavier wheels always felt, to me, like the wheel wasn't being controlled well enough. A stiffer spring seemed to improve that. The exception is when I added VIS wheels to a Marea (14" to 15"). The car drove and handled much nicer in my opinion and that was all on standard suspension.

Regarding the springs, I couldn't say for sure as mein Deutsch ist nicht sehr gut smile
Posted By: carmine

Re: Original springs - 04/08/2023 12:44

your German is not bad.
on the ebay site regarding the springs, it doesn't contain much information, but the lesjöfors spring number when compared with other websites such as autodoc,
they declare that they are like the original oen.

https://m.autodoc.de/lesjofors/2260192

https://m.autodoc.de/lesjofors/2258611
Posted By: szkom

Re: Original springs - 04/08/2023 13:35

Very polite, but past that I can only order a drink and name some obscure automotive parts.

I think the spring will fit. What I'm not sure of is will it match the OE specification. From memory, and it has been a while, all models of coupe had a different part number for the front springs. I even seem to recall that cars with air conditioning had a different spring. It depends which OE spec the lesjofors match. But having said that does it matter for a circa 25 year old road car?

I'd try them and see what you think
Posted By: carmine

Re: Original springs - 04/08/2023 18:19

Thank you thumb
Posted By: jimboy

Re: Original springs - 05/08/2023 09:01

I recently reverted back to standard springs due to a Broken lowering spring. It was a good choice for me. The car on lowering springs although handled great the ride was a bit race track like. My tyres are 225/45/16 now with standard springs the ride is super smooth. Another good thing is I can now drive on to my ramps without scraping anything.
Posted By: carmine

Re: Original springs - 05/08/2023 18:39

just what I wanted to hear.
any ideas on what to use as the part shown in the picture?
a regular piece of garden hose?

Attached picture Screenshot_20230805_203704_Chrome.jpg
Posted By: carmine

Re: Original springs - 20/08/2023 19:50

Greetings.
replace the lowering springs with the original ones.
Super comfort now.

Attached picture SmartSelect_20230820_214849_Gallery.jpg
Attached picture SmartSelect_20230820_214854_Gallery.jpg
Attached picture SmartSelect_20230820_214859_Gallery.jpg
Posted By: richydraper

Re: Original springs - 27/09/2023 17:03

i went for lesjofors. as OEM Replacement. price point is "about right" and theyre a subsiduary of ZF. (ftr... Boge, TRW, Sachs and Wabco are under the ZF Umbrella)
Yet to actually get them installed and ran, but i have previous experience with Lesjofors on our old 159 and they did really well.
Posted By: KevinW

Re: Original springs - 29/12/2023 14:16

Can't think why anyone would want even stiffer springs than the standard ones for UK roads. The ride is already very firm and low enough to bottom out on minor speed bumps if the tyre pressures drop a bit, causing underside damage. Stick with standard springs and get Osrav adjustable shocks for adjustability - most people prefer them on near to the 'soft' for normal road driving!
Posted By: carmine

Re: Original springs - 29/12/2023 21:37

Greetings.
Unfortunately I had already purchased the car with short springs,
so I switched to the originals.
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