Lowering my spider

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
Longinotti78
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 10:35 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat spider

Lowering my spider

Postby Longinotti78 » Wed Sep 27, 2017 1:55 pm

I would like to lower my 78 spider. Can I just install shorter springs? I under stand that the earlier models were lower than the later models because to bumper height requirement. Can I just order OME springs for. 73 spider to lower my 78. I live in Canada and non OME springs hard to get. Shipping cost are a deal breaker. If anyone has done please let me know your thoughts and any pit falls I might have

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lglade
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 327
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:05 am
Your car is a: 1984 Pininfarina
Location: Mukilteo, WA

Re: Lowering my spider

Postby lglade » Wed Sep 27, 2017 3:39 pm

You'll find that the vendors don't really sell different springs for different years (one size fits all) and they all work great at lowering a car. But if price is an issue, use the forum search feature and read up on cutting springs. You can use a grinder with a cut wheel and remove 1 to 1.5 coils from each spring to accomplish the same height change.
Lloyd Glade- Mukilteo, WA
1984 Pininfarina Spider Azzurra
1962 Fiat 500D - wife's car
2015 Subaru Outback
2017 Ford Focus RS

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azruss
Posts: 3659
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:24 pm
Your car is a: 80 Fiat 2000 FI

Re: Lowering my spider

Postby azruss » Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:44 pm

There is a trade off with cutting springs. They become stiffer.

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Sparky
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 10:53 am
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Lowering my spider

Postby Sparky » Fri Nov 03, 2017 10:31 am

azruss wrote:There is a trade off with cutting springs. They become stiffer.

True, but that's often seen as a benefit. The stock springs with a coil removed are still going to be softer than the sport springs you're going to buy from one of the vendors. If you're going to go this route, it's best to trim a bit off, put it back together, drive it a hit to let things settle and then do it again until you get to a point you like.

If you're going to go to all the trouble of pulling the suspension apart to replace the springs (whether cut or new), I'd recommend doing the shocks. Assuming you're trying to do this as cheap as possible, I've heard nothing but good things about the VAS hydrosport shocks and bought a set myself.

If you have the money and just want to get it right the first time, the general consensus is buy the lowering springs and some Koni yellows, set then to their softest, and off you go.

Keep mind, when you start pulling your ~40yo suspension apart, you might find all sorts of expensive, time-sucking surprises, from bushings to ball joints, to bent, damaged, or rotted bits...
-= 1978 Fiat Spider =-


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