Front coils for 33 1.5ti

[gustav]

Has anyone discovered a spring that is the right height and rating from another make of car to fit a 33 series 905? As a cheap alternative to aftermarket springs?

[33gold]

There is a guy in Denmark running Mercedes from springs in a sud with alfa 33 suspension, with rear running Volvo springs. Maybe that helps.

Also rears can be sourced from Holden Geminis apparently (Vauxhall Chevette I think) .

Tim's Alfa Romeo Page - Alfasud: Racing Alfasuds: Denmark's fastest Alfasud

[budweiser_sud]

I don't think its a good idea utilise springs from another car, even if they do seem to fit. Vehicle suspension systems are designed with all kinds of factors in mind - engine layout, the vehicle's centre of gravity, front/rear weight bias, ride height, etc. The spring coefficient and the dampening factors of the shock absorbers will be matched to that specific car - so you are pretty well going into an unkown if you install springs or shocks from another car.

Browsing ebay internationally, there seem to be numerous spring kits for 33's available in Europe (not much in Australia) for around 100 Euros - which I thought was quite cheap! A local reputable spring manufacturer, Kmac, are $450Aus+ for a set.

~Benjamin

[33gold]

I guess it depends on your take on reasonable, I shipped over 4 x 60mm lowered Cobra springs for my 33, with delivery worked out about $300. I would love to have many different rate springs that I can swap over on tuning days; other vehicles springs could enable this. King springs in Aus are the ones who supply the Gemini ones that they say are also applicable to 33's. The problem in WA is local supply, for serious performance related boxer/33 it seems to be nil, even from the known specialists.

[dave33]

The difficulty with changing springs around is not only getting the right size and spring rates, but also the correct spring length.

I initially used springs originally intended for a Mitsi Evo in the front of my 33 for racing.
Time spent with calipers and measuring tape at a wreckers yard can pay off !

To get the lower ride height I wanted, I had to have the springs shortened. Not by just cutting them, but rather by having a spring making firm heat treat and properly re-set the length. I then had to send the shocks away to get them shortened otherwise the springs would fall out of their mounts if I went over a bump and unloaded the suspension.
(BTW if you put stiffer springs in standard length shocks, the car gets taller, not what you really want!)

Using other springs is do-able, but its not necessarily a quick/cheap fix. You also need to make sure that the spring rates you use are appropriate. (Go too stiff on the front, and you'll have AWFUL understeer come track day.) I got hold of the calculations for working outspring rate and worked out the wire diameter and number of coils needed to obtain the right poundage for front and rear.

For road use, the commercially made spring kits allow you to get the car a bit lower (and stiffer) using unmodified shocks. King springs or similar are likely to be right first time, and a lot less trouble...

Good luck !

[gustav]

Thanks for that .Ive got some evo springs on the way to me.Do you recall the length you had them altered to Dave?

[dave33]

Hi again

You'll need to adjust the length for the springs according to the ride height you are wanting, and as per my previous, will probably need to get the shock length shortened to make sure the springs are trapped when the suspension is unloaded (over a large bump etc) Otherwise they could drop off their mounts with potentially unpleasant consequences. (Also possible Police attention and being put off the road for an unsafely modified vehicle)

You'll need to balance the spring rates front to rear, so if you try the car out with just the fronts stiffened and standard rear springs don't be surprised if it understeers like a pig !

:-)