Overview

While this is a useful article it may be worth reading it alongside the guide on the fiat forum which has a few more pictures of the steps than this guide.

Tools required

• Spring tighteners
• Jack
• Support (for use under the car)
• A set of keys
• Allen key

Steps

Front

• Undo the wheel nuts and raise the car. Make sure that you support and secure the car in the raised position before continuing.
• Remove the wheel, push away the holder of the brake hoses and the ABS-cables that are mounted on the spring struts lower part.
• Now the lower part of the spring strut can be removed from the spindle.
• Open the bonnet and remove the black rubber cover. Loosen the two bolts right nest to the rubber cover.
• Now it makes things easier if someone holds the spring strut, preventing it from falling down and doing damage. When the bolts are removed, two black plastic clips have to be pressed together in order to make the sspring strut come completely loose. These clips are situated next to the recently removed bolts.
• Now the spring strut can be removed.

• Mount the spring tightener and tighten it to make the spring come loose.
• Remove the upper spring plate by loosening the upper nut. Use a key and an Allen key.
• Now the spring plate can be removed and the old spring exchanged with the new.
• Remove the spring tightener from the old spring and apply it to, and tighten it on the new one.
• Mount the spring plate and undo the spring tightener. Now the spring strut and the wheel can be mounted on the car.

Rear

• Raise up the car. Support and secure the car before continuing! The wheel need not be removed.
• Place the jack under the spring and raise it a little.
• Remove the bolt in the lower part holding the shock absorber. Do also remove the plastic bit that holds the lower part of the spring.
• Now the jack can be lowered and the spring removed.
• Mount the new spring and raise the jack a little in order to press the spring a bit. Mount the shock absorber and the plastic bit.

• When lowering the car the wheel alignments should be checked and adjusted in order to prevent the tyres from for ex. being worn down on one side.

This technical guide was originally held at http://www.barchetta.se/tech/spring_eng.htm. It was copied to this site in 2021 to ensure its availability and to reformat it into a more modern layout. The original guide was written by Bosse Anell.