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Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 7:55 pm
by arthuy
I havent been able to look at the car, I did have plans to work on it this weekend but work got in the way.

I took this photo last week, you will see why I think the problem is rear spring related, hopefully I can get some time on it next weekend.

Image

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:20 pm
by arthuy
This was the rear springs when I swapped them.

Image

They do look longer, I put that down to the old ones being old and weak.

Monroe SP531 i think they were. Will do some cross referencing and see if I can find the specs.

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:41 pm
by jamescarruthers
This is interesting. Mine is on Monroe rear springs too and looks like it is on stilts. Also the composite rear bumper bar doesn't help.

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:21 pm
by jifflemon
We sure they're the right springs?

The first hit on google shows them fitting a Ford Focus Hatchback 1.6 16V (1998 - 00)

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:56 pm
by jamescarruthers
I got 'em from Mister Auto, SP0531

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:22 am
by jifflemon
jifflemon wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:21 pm
We sure they're the right springs?

The first hit on google shows them fitting a Ford Focus Hatchback 1.6 16V (1998 - 00)
Doh! Copy/paste error - Searched the wrong part number!

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:23 am
by dcwalker
Even allowing for compression with age, the new ones look significantly longer...

Sorry if you have already said this somewhere, but what is the situation with your front springs? Are they the originals or replaced? I appreciate they are all part of the whole strut with the shock absorber so a different set up to the rear, but I was just wondering whether your problem is being down at the front rather than up at the back?

I was just thinking that people lower 480s by up to 40 mm sometimes to make them sit lower on the arches, because there is - by design - a bigger gap above the wheels than would perhaps look ideal. Hmmm...ignoring the angle of the car I still think your rear end looks too high, but perhaps the effect is being accentuated a bit? Mind you, achieve the same at the front and it'll be as James says his is - on stilts!

Not sure... :?

David

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:26 am
by dcwalker
Further rambling thought - are these new springs generic for the 440/460/480? If so the ride height on the 440/460 was a tad higher...

I will need to check when I can, but regardless of variations in original spring sizes across the 480 range, I am pretty sure they were in any event not the same as the 440/460.

Unfortunately these days many of the aftermarket spares are just produced across the whole 400 range, usually to the disadvantage of the 480!

David

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 12:47 pm
by jamescarruthers
Yes, mine does look wrong. I still have the original springs and might pop them in when I get the car back

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 3:14 pm
by jifflemon
You can see the difference in ride height here:

Std on the left, -40mm on the right.

Image

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 6:36 pm
by Alan 480
Jeff

nope , photo is not displaying, linky wrong :-(

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 7:43 pm
by arthuy
new springs and shocks all round.

I will put the original rears on and see how it looks.

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 9:27 pm
by arthuy
Slow progress, had to do a bit of work on our daily driver so didnt get to look at the 480.

I did however get the springs off the Dutch spares car so will try get them swapped next weekend.

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2019 4:26 pm
by arthuy
I managed to find a bit of time to swap the rear spring for an original set.

They are definitely shorter than the new ones, look like the new ones have an extra coil.

Image

I will get a photo of the car in day light but it is sitting lower at the rear.

This year I will be looking for a new custodian, I really don't have the time for all my projects one has been pushed back for 4 years so 1 or 2 cars need to go. If you know of anyone in the market for a celeb needing a little TLC then send them my way.

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:39 pm
by Martin Mc
You have a PM ;)

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2020 6:51 pm
by arthuy
I may be getting to the bottom of this.

I was looking at the old photos of the parts pre fitting. I note that the angle of the bearings are different.

Looking on Skandix they are handed left and right ......................3472744 R/H & 3472743 L/H

http://www.skandix.de/en/spare-parts/su ... t/1007658/

http://www.skandix.de/en/spare-parts/su ... t/1007659/

I think the ones I fitted are on the correct way but probably not great parts, maybe bad moulding.

I have kept a useable set of mounts and springs so will strip them down again and see if this squares the front up.

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2020 11:08 pm
by arthuy
I have spent the night reading about camber.

When I get the strut off I will know for sure.

There seems to be a bit too much positive camber which wasn't there prior to the strut renewal.

Image

The few things this could be are the mounting bolts on the mount are smaller than the originals giving a few mm of variation.

Or what I think is more likely is that the length of the strut is shorter due to the mount being different from the original or the top has pulled through. Looking at the photo there is a definitely more than I would expect to see.

Image

Also might explain why it looks like the front wheel should have a bigger gap between the tyre and the arch as the spring is slightly compressed.

Image

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2020 8:29 pm
by arthuy
Things are looking up.

I have changed the drivers side mount to an original Volvo and this seems to have sorted out the positive camber.
Image

Image

Image
Genuine volvo mount

The bush is the same size in both, and visually I cannot tell the difference.

The after market mount with shocker removed.
Image

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:42 pm
by arthuy
Whilst the car is in my garage and I am in the mood to sort out some issue.

I had added a dye to the coolant a few months back to track down a mysterious loss of coolant. All I had seen was a small leak around one of the heater hoses. But this week I noticed a nice green pool of liquid coming from the radiator area.

The Radiator was suggested as a probably cause of the coolant loss due to the plastic headers.

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And handily I bought a radiator in Nov 2017 according to the label on the box so that can go in tomorrow.

Image

If you have a keen eye you might notice that my front bumper bar is shot. I will change this out along with the cracked driving lam and nose cone with a crack in the corner.

Is it just me or is there always another job to do on a 480?

Re: Blinky 51/480

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2020 8:18 am
by jifflemon
arthuy wrote:
Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:42 pm
Is it just me or is there always another job to do on a 480?
Try owning 3! :rofl: