Left front (from driver's seat RHD) spring broken into quite a few pieces. I ordered a new one and was told which one fitted for my 1999 s40. It arrived, but the coil at the top was narrower than the other coils. The spring had little arrows on it to tell me which way was up. I fitted it, but it was hard work compressing the damn thing. Anyway...its on and the car seems OK, but ride ht is 2 cm higher on the new spring side. The suppliers swear blind its the right one, but I have had problems with my car before with engine mounts etc..it was built in Aug 1999 and finally sold and registered in Nov 99. So it is definately not a Phase II car...two cm is not a huge deal on ride ht, given that I know you should replace springs in pairs etc, but the other is about 7 years old...I know they can shrink very slightly, but its this 2 cm reasonable? does not seem to affect handling...The top bearing was fine so I re-used that...

 

just done a VIN check and even though my car was built in August 1999, from the VIN it is a 2000 model...so the spring for a 2000 is a bit shorter and thinner...I guess when the spring on the other side breaks I will have to buy another 1999 spring to have the same ride height...

why is a 1999 car a 2000 model? Bizarre

 

note that the 2000s have a different strut mount design from the 2001-2004s. I've replaced 3 of 4 springs so far. Fronts are a PITA as the springs are too long for standard compressors.

 

yes, quite right..Monroe supply the strut alone from 97 to May 2000...after that it is different..the spring I fitted Suplex 38117 is 412 mm long..so it took me forever to work out how to compress it with a conventional hook compressor...you can do it it if you compress 4 coils on one side and 3 on the other...another tip is to use wet and dry abrasive paper wrapped around the hooks of the compressor so it does not slip..

so far 40 miles and no problems...the longer spring is on a shorter strut, but its thicker than the correct spring so it should be OK...the ride ht is a 2cm difference, but will slightly under inflate on that side and it should pull it down a bit for the inspection...

 

oh yes and an impact driver rather than spanners and ratchets

 

also note that the strut mount needs to be aligned rotationally using the hole in the mount and the base.

 

that is interesting...mine is the base model (1.6 slug/hardlyanygo/at/all) so is neither sporty nor dynamic.... I replaced the strut exactly where it was (did not move the steering etc and aligned the bolts precisely with circular marks which I made all around them when they were originally on. The wheel alignment does not appear to have changed...so mine seems to have self-located..I should get it tracked though..will after the next set of tyres..

 

I looked up my notes and I aiigned the holes under the top plate with the ones on the bottom of the strut, so that is why it fitted OK...mine does not have the provision for the 20 degree turn...I guess the T4 etc will...you never see those cars here now, probably all been crashed as they were really fast

 

as I recall, last time I re-installed mine, VIDA indicated that the 20deg only applies if you have sport suspension. For comfort you just align the holes vertically. I have a 2003 T4.

 

T4's must be great to drive..the base 1.6 is a good handling car flawed by a seriously nasty Renault gearbox and no power, but a T4 should be a pocket tyre melter