?74-?81 vs ?81-?84 damper mounts

[wak131]

Hello, I?m about to change the dampers on my ?82 mirafiori CL deciding what to fit.
Does anybody know what difference there is between Series 2 and Series 3 damper mounting?
My parts dealer is offering a few types of dampers with a borderline of the year 1981..I wonder how much a difference there could be..

[mirafioriman]

Early and late cars have different sizes of hole in the inner wing. All my cars are the later type. A pain in the backside to remove and refit because you have to compress the spring with the strut in place, unlike Fords where you can remove the strut by undoing three bolts...... I think you will need the parts for the later cars.

[parrish]

Yes i bought a pair of front shockabsorbers only to find that the strut top mountings were different. Different size larger hole and the 3 x locating holes are on a different pitch, dont go thinking you can just drill new holes either as the strut top plate is a pressed item and the strength is in the pressing and the location is in the way the strut tops locates into the hole in the pressing.
Removal of the springs is not too difficult but as said previously coil spring compresors are a must. DONT undo that big top nut until the spring is compressed.
Their is also a diference on some saloon rear shock absorber bottom mounts, i have noticed several times shock absorbers being advertised on e bay for 131 saloons that look to have a different size hole to mine.

[wak131]

Thanks for your reply Mirafioriman!
The service also confirmed me this information. Sadly they have no late models dampers for me, just early ones and just from Monroe. But luckily I found some QH units available for my sweetheart, should be even better quality I think.

Yes I know about the troubles around changing the dampers as we have done it a few times with my father on his 2500/D and my TC. Without a spring compressor we used a stone-age method of compressing two adjoining coils with a shears and blocking them with a steel "C".
And we also come to the comparsion with the Ford?s easier system on our Cortina?s, oh where are the times..

[wak131]

Thank you also Parrish,
that reminds me I should also double check the rear dampers i have prepared for exchange and i thaught they are an easy job..damn i dont want to put the car in a service just because of the spring compressor...need more money, have to buy one.

[SteveFX]

Hi, fellow Fiat lovers!

I don't own a 131 but dearly loved one; and dealt with/drove/worked on 2 others long ago. To this day; a '75 1.8L 2-door automatic was the most confidence-inspiring car I have ever driven in highway traffic on wet pavement (at least on 165mm Pirellis or Semperits. Anyone remember the latter?).

I am near Atlanta GA USA. I read many threads last night and am a bit lost with model differences. 131 Mirafiori/Bravas came to the US only with 1756 & 1995cc engines beginning in 1975 and ending about 1982 when Fiat closed up shop here. [Not damn; JUST DAMN!]

To the point of thread: Having been a (former) auto tech for 20-25 years; I always broke strut nuts loose with an impact gun with the car weight on the ground. I am a bit lost with the idea of a non-captive spring on a strut. All goverments are stupid; but I would bet MY stupid goverment would not allow such a hazard to passersby from a flying spring from an accident.

I used a "Branick" sideclamp spring compressor for years. You could drop the spring & clamp on the floor and it would never let go.

Younger drivers don't understand that MacStruts are handicapped by sliding friction. Some cars (Gen I RX-7) angled the spring thrust to reduce/negate this effect. The '81 2.0L FI Brava my Mom drove had upper strut mounts so soft that the front of the car would just "bob" over small irregularities on the Interstates (Freeways/Motorways) with no shock travel. It could sometimes be nauseating.

Her '75 131 Auto and my brother's '78/'79? 1.8L Brava had no such problem. In the US; I would vote EARLY strut mounts...