Lowering a fiat 128

[T.G]

Hi everyone i am from the netherlands and i am 18 and recenty bought a 1976 fiat 128 4 door (best looking one in my opinion)

Now i started working on the car to make it roadlegal and fixing /modifing things
I was wondering what you think would be the best way to lower it ? Because its super simple to get some shorter springs for the front but then the back is not lowerd yet so what are my options for That?
Or do i need to modify a set of adjustable coilovers from another car or airride kit to lower it?
Here are some pictures of the car and so far i have fixed the only 2 rustspots on the car and i have taken the front bumper and mounts of and made some turn signals/daytime running lights in the airholes
Put in New shock absorbers in the rear
Put in New tyrods in the front
Put whole New brake system on the car handbrake cabels and everything
Almost done refinishing these wheels

Hoping for some help
Thanks already
T.J.G

 

[fiatfactory]

The front is simple to lower with shorter springs, The sedan used a spring that was 9 winds (from memory) but looks like yours may have been cut judging by the way they sit crooked towards the top. usual go to would be a 128 coupe front or an X19 rear spring, as these are both 6.5 winds.

When you change out the front springs for shorter ones, you also need to address the length of the bump stop assembly or the bump stop rubber will be very close to the lower spring seat, and you'll only have limited travel before you're hitting the bump stops. Again the solution is either the 128 coupe or X19 series 1 rear bump stop assemblies (the metal part differs, the rubber snubber is the same across 128/127 and x19 struts)

The 128 coupe / X19 series 1 rear bump stop is approx 100mm long


it's also quite easy to drill out a couple of spot welds and shorten your bump stop assembly at home

for the rear, on my four door sedan I used a 128 coupe rear leaf spring, it has the same number of leaves and similar rating, but the arch of the spring is very different, and this makes the car sit lower. 128 coupes are probably thin on the ground in the Netherlands so if you cant find a stock 128 coupe spring, then you have two other options.

Get the spring reset, A spring works will heat the spring in a big oven and can re arch it, rate does not change only the ride height.

Use loweing blocks, If you install spacers between the lower control arm and the spring retainer block, the rear of the car will drop. You will need to replace the (welded in) bolts that pass thru the arm to hold the rubber spring mount, once upon a time there was a kit available for this, maybe something is still available from a part of the world where they still race 128 derivatives like Croatia/ Serbia.

spacers go where the red arrow is pointing, but you'll run out of thread length on the standard studs before you get any meaningful results.


SteveC

 

[Ulix]

You can lower the front an additional 30mm by installing front struts from a 127. These are available new for cheap, but you have to correct camber by slotting a bottom mount hole.

Which look are you trying to achieve?
You have some 185/70 tires on the car. These have a larger than stock diameter and will rub everywhere.
i went the other way with smaller than stock tires (175/50).
But it depends on what you are looking for.

 

[Lowtechprime]

Welcome!
Just curious, what is that tank in the trunk?

I agree, those tires are way too tall!
At most, 185/60R13...

For the rear.

Atv Wheel Spacer Studs Metric 10Mm X1.25 Thread For Honda Kawasaki Suzuki Yamaha | eBay

These 3" ATV Wheel Spacer Studs will widen your ATV wheelbase giving you more stability for jumping and cornering, it will also allow you to add larger wheels without lifting your ATV. Simply remove your wheels, bolt the spacers onto the wheel studs until the flat base fits secure against the...

www.ebay.com

I used a wagon rear leaf (3 layers instead of 2, firmer)+ the spacers+175/50R13 tires...

 

[Paolo]

You can lower the front an additional 30mm by installing front struts from a 127. These are available new for cheap, but you have to correct camber by slotting a bottom mount hole.

Which look are you trying to achieve?
You have some 185/70 tires on the car. These have a larger than stock diameter and will rub everywhere.
i went the other way with smaller than stock tires (175/50).
But it depends on what you are looking for.

View attachment 69374View attachment 69375

Man that’s just beautiful wow

 

[Ulix]

I just realized I described how I lowered it here:

128 - finally

I have been lusting after an early 128 4-door for a long time. By pure luck I stumbled across an outstanding example that has had one owner who drove it 28,000 mls, then the car spent 20 years in an italian Fiat collection. I had it delivered from Italy to my house here in Germany. Of course...

xwebforums.com

 

[Bjorn Nilson]

Get the spring reset, A spring works will heat the spring in a big oven and can re arch it, rate does not change only the ride height.

Is it really necessary to bake the leaf spring in an oven to re-arch it? I was thinking about putting in a heavy-duty press without heating it. Or will it break?

 

[fiatfactory]

Is it really necessary to bake the leaf spring in an oven to re-arch it? I was thinking about putting in a heavy-duty press without heating it. Or will it break?

using a press to put that much force on a spring could end very badly, a lot of stored energy.

You already have a 128 coupe dont you Bjorn? You only need to have one of the leaves reset, If you carefully pull apart the central clamp
(different for the three leaf spring) and then take the shortest leaf to a springworks, they can re arch it to match the curve of your two original two leaf spring

SteveC

 

[T.G]

Welcome!
Just curious, what is that tank in the trunk?

I agree, those tires are way too tall!
At most, 185/60R13...

For the rear.

Atv Wheel Spacer Studs Metric 10Mm X1.25 Thread For Honda Kawasaki Suzuki Yamaha | eBay

These 3" ATV Wheel Spacer Studs will widen your ATV wheelbase giving you more stability for jumping and cornering, it will also allow you to add larger wheels without lifting your ATV. Simply remove your wheels, bolt the spacers onto the wheel studs until the flat base fits secure against the...

www.ebay.com

I used a wagon rear leaf (3 layers instead of 2, firmer)+ the spacers+175/50R13 tires...
View attachment 69378
View attachment 69376
View attachment 69377

No problem for asking
The big tank in the back about 50 liters is a lpg tank i dont know What the gas is called in other countrys but this system allows you to run the car on gas wich is about €0.72 per liter to fill up at the gasstation and normal petrol is about €2.25 per liter at the moment
It can be installed in any petrol car and you can also switch between lpg and petrol so if you run out of one of the 2 you can drive further on the other

 

[T.G]

You can lower the front an additional 30mm by installing front struts from a 127. These are available new for cheap, but you have to correct camber by slotting a bottom mount hole.

Which look are you trying to achieve?
You have some 185/70 tires on the car. These have a larger than stock diameter and will rub everywhere.
i went the other way with smaller than stock tires (175/50).
But it depends on what you are looking for.

View attachment 69374View attachment 69375

This is the kind of stance im looking for maybe a bit lower because the plan is to have this as an daily driver if it drives
Because its so insanely cheap on gas (explained above)
I also have bought a 1.6jtd alfa romeo mito 2011 wicht has been tuned with a bigger turbo and a coalfilter delete so it now has 180 hp and 410 nm at the wheels and it has been lowerd and has some nice wheels
Bought that because knowing myself i wont be able to drive the fiat everyday to work because i Will always be doing something to it
Btw i dont even have my drivers license yet so these Cars both sit in my dry garage for now

 

[T.G]

Welcome!
Just curious, what is that tank in the trunk?

I agree, those tires are way too tall!
At most, 185/60R13...

For the rear.

Atv Wheel Spacer Studs Metric 10Mm X1.25 Thread For Honda Kawasaki Suzuki Yamaha | eBay

These 3" ATV Wheel Spacer Studs will widen your ATV wheelbase giving you more stability for jumping and cornering, it will also allow you to add larger wheels without lifting your ATV. Simply remove your wheels, bolt the spacers onto the wheel studs until the flat base fits secure against the...

www.ebay.com

I used a wagon rear leaf (3 layers instead of 2, firmer)+ the spacers+175/50R13 tires...
View attachment 69378
View attachment 69376
View attachment 69377

Do you know how much these spacers will lower the car?

 

[T.G]

You can lower the front an additional 30mm by installing front struts from a 127. These are available new for cheap, but you have to correct camber by slotting a bottom mount hole.

Which look are you trying to achieve?
You have some 185/70 tires on the car. These have a larger than stock diameter and will rub everywhere.
i went the other way with smaller than stock tires (175/50).
But it depends on what you are looking for.

View attachment 69374View attachment 69375

What have you done to the rear ? Or is the rear not lowered?

 

[Lowtechprime]

Do you know how much these spacers will lower the car?

There are also these:

HTTMT 5" Wheel Stud Spacer Bolts 10mm x 1.25 2xWheels For Yamaha Blaster | eBay

5" Wheel Stud Spacer Bolts 10mm. These 5" ATV Wheel Spacer Studs will widen your ATV wheelbase giving you more stability for jumping and cornering, it will also allow you to add larger wheels without lifting your ATV.

www.ebay.com

The shorter ones are 1.5" long and lower the car about this much... See pic below with 185/60R13 tires

I have about a 3" spacer and 175/50 tires to get it down to my final ride height from the previous pics..

 

[T.G]

There are also these:

HTTMT 5" Wheel Stud Spacer Bolts 10mm x 1.25 2xWheels For Yamaha Blaster | eBay

5" Wheel Stud Spacer Bolts 10mm. These 5" ATV Wheel Spacer Studs will widen your ATV wheelbase giving you more stability for jumping and cornering, it will also allow you to add larger wheels without lifting your ATV.

www.ebay.com

The shorter ones are 1.5" long and lower the car about this much... See pic below with 185/60R13 tires View attachment 69391
I have about a 3" spacer and 175/50 tires to get it down to my final ride height from the previous pics..

And how did you lower the front?

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Just curious, what is that tank in the trunk?

Likely a LPG or a similar fuel conversion. It has been much more popular in many parts of the world where gasoline prices have been outrageous for ages.

The mention of a tank in the trunk brings to mind a question. Has anyone done a air bag suspension on the 128? That is the ultimate compromise for a lowered ride height that can be readily and instantly raised when needed. There are bags made to convert strut coil springs to air springs, so it can be done without too much fuss.

 

[Lowtechprime]

And how did you lower the front?

I used a 127 front strut with a cut 128 spring. The 127 strut has slightly different holes where it attaches to the upright which results in some undesirable positive camber, it's easily corrected by slotting the top hole. Also, the top of the strut is slightly smaller in diameter where it passes through the aluminum cone so I had to machine a sleeve to bring it back to the proper diameter... Both easy fixes, and 127 struts can be found new...

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I used a 127 front strut with a cut 128 spring. The 127 strut has slightly different holes where it attaches to the upright which results in some undesirable positive camber, it's easily corrected by slotting the top hole. Also, the top of the strut is slightly smaller in diameter where it passes through the aluminum cone so I had to machine a sleeve to bring it back to the proper diameter... Both easy fixes, and 127 struts can be found new...

How does the length of 127 struts compare to X1/9 struts?

 

[Lowtechprime]

I don't know... I don't have an X to measure

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I don't know... I don't have an X to measure

I'm assuming the length difference between the 127 and 128 struts is in the body (main tube) portion? Say from the mounting tabs to the top gland nut that secures the insert? If you have one that you can get a rough measurement from I'll compare that to the X's. Who knows, the X strut might be a shorter option for the 128, or the 127 strut might be a shorter option for the X.

 

[T.G]

Likely a LPG or a similar fuel conversion. It has been much more popular in many parts of the world where gasoline prices have been outrageous for ages.

The mention of a tank in the trunk brings to mind a question. Has anyone done a air bag suspension on the 128? That is the ultimate compromise for a lowered ride height that can be readily and instantly raised when needed. There are bags made to convert strut coil springs to air springs, so it can be done without too much fuss.

I explained this above it is indeed lpg but as i mentioned when i started the thread i think it would be really easy actually because those universal airbags could be screwed on to some custom made brackets to fit a 128 so i dont think it would be difficult