GTi Springs

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DJ Ooms

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I got my Almera GTi about 1.5 months ago. I didn't realise at the time but the twat I bought it from had put lowered springs. A few days after I purchased the car, I noticed that the suspension was making a lot of creeks, especially the fronts. When I did a full steering lock there was a weird knocking sound in the front. I took the car to 3 mechanics and each one said it was a different problem. One said it was the shocks, another the shocks & springs, and the last said it was the springs only. Out of all 3 mechanics the last one seemed to give the best description of the problem. He said the guy had put very low springs on the car (lowered more than 75mm) but kept the standard shocks on. This made my ride very nice on motorways but very uncomfortable locally with all the road humps and potholes in the area. I just want to get the ride comfotable again so I ordered standard spring replacement from my local Maccess store. Lesjöfors is the brand of the springs. The front springs fitted fine though have made the ride considerably higher. I am having problems on the rear springs though. My car is apparently a P1 98 Almera GTi, first registered in 02/98. Lesjöfors do 3 different springs for the rear:

(a) up to 08/97
(b) from 09/97-01/98
(c) from 02/98-10/99

I first tried (b) but the mechanic said it didn't sit in the shock properly. I did a straight swap for (c) but this was too short (part is for a P2 Almera GTi). I am now going to try the last part and through process of elimination should fit. The car is a 98 model though so I am a bit sceptical. If this last part does not fit I do not know what I should do. I do not really want to lower my car but if anyone could suggest anything I'd be much appreciated.

Thanks.
 
A: You cannot get -75mm Springs for the GTi

B: The only ay you can lower it that much is by cutting them, and you'd certainly know then. And the car would be about 4 inches of the floor.

C: The mechanics blagging your head, like they all do.

Just get springs for a pre, late 98 GTi (i.e phase 1), these will fit.
 
I do realise my car is a Phase 1. The front arch is now about 75mm higher than it was with the old springs but is not making the knocking and creaking sounds anymore, and is definitely a smoother ride. I do also know that the springs are new so may need to be broken in a bit. Parts (a) and (b) both seem to be for Phase 1 Almera's. Like I said, I tried part (b) but they did not sit properly on the shock. I am trying the last part now - part (a) and hopefully that will fit. My only concern is that the car is a 98 R reg model but part (a) is a borderline P/R reg part. I am just enquiring as to what could be done if this spring does not fit either?

Thanks.
 
DJ Ooms said:
I do realise my car is a Phase 1. The front arch is now about 75mm higher than it was with the old springs but is not making the knocking and creaking sounds anymore, and is definitely a smoother ride. I do also know that the springs are new so may need to be broken in a bit. Parts (a) and (b) both seem to be for Phase 1 Almera's. Like I said, I tried part (b) but they did not sit properly on the shock. I am trying the last part now - part (a) and hopefully that will fit. My only concern is that the car is a 98 R reg model but part (a) is a borderline P/R reg part. I am just enquiring as to what could be done if this spring does not fit either?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Its all down to the shocks. You need the corresponding springs for the shocks that are fitted. You can fit any shock to any year almera as long as the springs match up also.

Maybe the previous owner put the wrong year shocks on hence why you are having problems.
 
Thanks for the help Hally. So I am assuming if hypothetically I can't get a spring to fit, I could get replacement shocks to match the springs. Another question is if I do this, is it recommended to change the shocks all round or would I get away just changing the rear?

Thanks.
 
dont worry about the new ride height, standard there is a lot of room around the wheel, large arch gaps on almeras, especially at the front
 
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