Cutting Springs

Suspension related stuff goes in here.
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jfrawley
Posts: 260
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:00 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider

Cutting Springs

Post by jfrawley »

My '82 Spider has the taller springs in the rear and looks like a high school kids '75 Chevy, all jacked up in the rear. The top of the wheel well in back is a full 2" higher than the front wheel well. I have two ways to go. I could either cut down the existing springs or install a set of older springs that are still good. A couple of questions. On the existing springs where should I cut A or B on the attached photo. If I use the older springs do they need to be cut also? Remember I need a full 2" drop to level it out. Thanks for any help you have.

Image
John Frawley
Frederick, MD
1982 Spider
http://www.dcfiats.org
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manoa matt
Posts: 3442
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:28 pm
Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider 1800
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by manoa matt »

Jon,

If you got the earlier springs from the chrome bumper cars, I'd try those first before cutting you stock big bumper springs. If the older springs don't produce the results you desire, then cut one loop out of the stock big bumper springs, Point "A". I think there will be a big difference between point A and point B. Point B may be too much. If it gets to where point A is still too high, then instead of cutting more off the same end, flip the spring over and cut point A off the other end.
So Cal Mark

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by So Cal Mark »

cutting at point a will give the desired height
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jfrawley
Posts: 260
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:00 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by jfrawley »

Mark, on the stock springs or the older chrome bumper springs?
John Frawley
Frederick, MD
1982 Spider
http://www.dcfiats.org
So Cal Mark

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by So Cal Mark »

cut the stock springs. What about the front, is it high also?
htchevyii
Patron 2022
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Posts: 1807
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:31 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider hers 1972 Spider his
Location: Hydesville, CA (NorCal)

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by htchevyii »

Hey Mark, do see any possibility of the frt spring pockets being damaged by cut springs? I cut one coil off the front of the '82 and like the way it sits, but I am a bit worried that since the spring isn't as flat on top as orig that I could be putting more stress on the car? I wouldn't really worry about it on most cars, but FIATs seem to have a marginal design to begin with.
I think I cut a half coil on the back & I got a pretty even amount of drop frt & rear, but the rear is still too high. I think another 1/4 to 1/2 off the rear should do it.
Trey
Image
1982 SPIDER 2000, 1964 CHEVYII, 1969 Chevy Nova, 2005 DODGE RAM, 1988 Jeep Comanche
1972 Spider, 78 Spider rat racer 57 f-100,
So Cal Mark

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by So Cal Mark »

on late cars I've been cutting one coil in the rear and two coils up front. I don't see any problem with wear in the spring pockets.
adrians
Posts: 851
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:07 am
Your car is a: 1981 Spider Turbo - missing the turbo
Location: Sydney - Australia

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by adrians »

Interesting - Today I took my '81 Spider to the Fiat Specialists in regards to the Springs, as stated in another posting I wanted to upgrade the springs and lower the car.

So after he measured and noted all geometry of the front end, he concluded I wasn't able to lower the front end without unsetting the geometry of the car, - it would handle worst than it did now. So I was to get the same height springs with a different stiffness - that would just fix the handling aspects.
With the rear springs he suggested reusing the same springs but cutting them down ( since they were already pre-sagged ) approximately one coil to be cut out, in addition when they install the new front springs they’ll insert additional spacers to ensure the car rides flat when loaded ( with me )

I’ll let you know the results in a few weeks.
THE FLEET
2014 Abarth "SS"
1981 Spider 2000 (Legend Industries Turbo - minus the Turbo)
1978 X1/9 1.3 Dual IDF 40's, Coupe Cam, Allison Header/Exhaust
1971 128 Sedan 1100cc, Coupe Cam/Headers
Motokhana Special 127 rear engined Rail 903cc
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jfrawley
Posts: 260
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:00 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by jfrawley »

To answer your question Mark, the front seems fine to me so I wasn't going to lower it. Here's a picture of the car. The driveway slopes slightly towards the road so it's a little hard to tell how high it sits in back, but the top of the rear wheel arch is 2" higher off the ground than the front.

Image
John Frawley
Frederick, MD
1982 Spider
http://www.dcfiats.org
So Cal Mark

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by So Cal Mark »

nice looking Spider! It does look higher in the rear though
adrians
Posts: 851
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:07 am
Your car is a: 1981 Spider Turbo - missing the turbo
Location: Sydney - Australia

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by adrians »

Same problem and look of my car - 2" higher in the back !
THE FLEET
2014 Abarth "SS"
1981 Spider 2000 (Legend Industries Turbo - minus the Turbo)
1978 X1/9 1.3 Dual IDF 40's, Coupe Cam, Allison Header/Exhaust
1971 128 Sedan 1100cc, Coupe Cam/Headers
Motokhana Special 127 rear engined Rail 903cc
htchevyii
Patron 2022
Patron 2022
Posts: 1807
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:31 pm
Your car is a: 1982 Spider hers 1972 Spider his
Location: Hydesville, CA (NorCal)

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by htchevyii »

My '82, -1 coil in frt, -1/2 in rear. I will cut another 1/4 coil off the rear, it's still a little higher than I like.
Image
Trey
Image
1982 SPIDER 2000, 1964 CHEVYII, 1969 Chevy Nova, 2005 DODGE RAM, 1988 Jeep Comanche
1972 Spider, 78 Spider rat racer 57 f-100,
pope

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by pope »

Hey Trey,
When you say your cutting off a 1/2 or a 1/4 of a coil, are you saying that you are not keeping the cut in the same position as the original end? Does it not fit in the rubber end piece the same? Can you explain some more.
Thnx
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engineerted
Posts: 531
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 9:57 pm
Your car is a: 1974 124 spider
Location: Farmington Hills, MI

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by engineerted »

Pope, the rubber end pieces can be rotated. They are not fixed, but they maybe stuck.


Ted
Ted
1978 124 Spider, Complete Restoration
1974 Fiat 124 F Production Race car
pope

Re: Cutting Springs

Post by pope »

OK, but I thought there is a metal projection on the actual body and differential that the rubber piece fits into that mimmics the shape of the rubber piece with the indent for the end of the spring? Guess you are saying that it is not necessary to line it up. Right.
Thanks
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