I think my smart car just broke - front body dipping right down to the ground

tillycat123

Think I have just broke something on my smart car......
It was washed Sunday and not driven since then. Sometimes after being washed when I start to reverse off the drive, it's like the brakes have stuck for a second, they jolt and all is fine.

Hoowever today the jolt felt more like running over something as I reversed. Drove to the shop up the road and when I parked I noticed that the whole front has dropped forward. The bumper is not that far off the ground now and the body over the front wheels is virtually sat on the wheels. The ride home felt fine but did notice that it was a bit bouncy.

Can anyone tell me what I'm likely to have done? Never had to take my smart anywhere in 5 years for a problem, no smart garage for miles and miles!

Many thanks

Strider590

Forget the brakes thing, that's probably just the pads sticking to the rust on the rear disc's (which can happen when you wash a car with the handbrake on).........

Now the interesting bit...... Your suspension has dropped onto it's bump stops and "The ride home felt fine but did notice that it was a bit bouncy", is this a late April fools joke?



Broken front suspension springs appears to be a common theme with the MC Smart car, I suggest locating some after market springs which would last a lot longer, rather than heading off to ???????? (is it Mercedes who supply parts?) and paying through the nose.
Springs should cost around £35 each + fitting.

tillycat123

Thanks Strider90

It does just feel bouncy It was only a half mile journey I made, but looks like a dragster with it's nose down, Not a April fool, So could be front suspension springs?

If it is front suspension springs, where am I best going to get this sorted. I've not had to go to a garage for donkeys,

Many thanks

liam8282

One of the front suspension springs went on my last car. There was a big twang and then a bang, with the car being very low and bouncy afterwards.

You should be able to tell if it is the springs if you can manage to get your hand up inside behind the wheel, and feel the top of the spring, if it is broken it will be rough and jagged.

When I got my springs done, I got the whole car done, springs cost about £80 off Ebay, and I had a friend who had the required tools to change the springs (cost about £20-£30)

johnnyroper

broken front coil springs are very common on the smarts my wifes old one had them go.
take it to any decent indy garage there aint nothing special about a smart car that justifies going to smart/merc.

out of interest how old is the car as early smarts used a leaf spring set up as opposed to the coil springs on later models,they changed around 2001 if memory serves correct

tillycat123

It's a 54 plate Smart for two.

Strider590

I think we're fairly convinced it's the springs, so I would say to buy the springs and then head to a garage and say "please fit these", just remember to ignore any extra selling they might try to do. I reckon it can't take much more than an hour to fit two front springs on such a small car. So, you'd be looking at say £38 per spring + around £40 labour.

This appears to be the spring for your car

Personally though when i've changed springs on a car i've done all four + some Bilstein shocks (do not fit KYB shocks, they're a pile of rubbish).... But we'd be talking upwards of £80 per wheel, plus fitting.

tillycat123

Thanks you Strider590 for your help, My OH comes home Friday, so I'm going to get him to follow me to a garage, will update when I know what it is for sure. Really appreciate your helpful post for me.:)

Nilrem

I may be wrong, but iirc it's illegal to drive with serioult dodgy suspension* as it's a fairly major safety issue (it affect handling especially under braking) - it may be worth checking, and if that is the case legally you probably don't want to drive the car until it's fixed (you may get away with driving to a local garage).


*I believe it can result in the car being classed as un-roadworthy the same as knackered tyres

Strider590

^^ Could get pulled over and asked to take documents to the nearest Police station, but you wouldn't want to be driving it anywhere other than to a garage.....

Plenty of cars driving around with broken suspension springs.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Strider590 wrote: »

I think we're fairly convinced it's the springs, so I would say to buy the springs and then head to a garage and say "please fit these", just remember to ignore any extra selling they might try to do. I reckon it can't take much more than an hour to fit two front springs on such a small car. So, you'd be looking at say £38 per spring + around £40 labour.

This appears to be the spring for your car

Personally though when i've changed springs on a car i've done all four + some Bilstein shocks (do not fit KYB shocks, they're a pile of rubbish).... But we'd be talking upwards of £80 per wheel, plus fitting.

i beg to differ on that opinion. excel-g's are better than the oil filled ones (QH) as their gas compressed shocks, you pay for what you get,their not the cheapest their not the dearest, i wouldnt fit BOGE to my car and they are dearer than KYB, the springs are better than most.

merc is smart and quite right they are dear on parts. the smart has what i call a disposable engine in too something majour brakes its back to merc for a replacment. timing chains for them are pretty trick on the pocket too just for the part.

fitting billstiens like these will set you way back

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BILSTEIN-B14-SUSPENSION-KIT-SMART-FORTWO-451-07-/310302691349?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item483f7b5015
and the bilstien oem fitments are at around £40.00 per wheel.

set of 4 springs about £125.00.