broken spring closing Fulvia door

[georges2]

Hi everybody
I just discovered that the spring which helps to close the left door of my S1 coupe is broken
I ordered a new one, but dont know if I can set it in place without taking off the door ?
Thanks for experience
Georges

[NeilS]

I also have a broken spring on my S2 Coupe, I have had a new spring from Omicron for a while, however I suspect it will need the door and possibly the hinge to be removed to fit the new spring. I did look to fit it in situ but it looks to be difficult or impossible, I am interested to see if anyone has managed to fit one with the door on the car too.

[georges2]

HI Neils, thank you even if you have no solution at the moment !
In fact, this spring had probably broken a long time ago, and was not fitted in place, I found it in my spare unused parts...
For many years, I was depited that the left door dit not closed as firmly as the right one, and I had to keep the handle in my hand to close it correctly. A few days ago, I felt (for the first time , even if I drive my car since almost 20 years...) that the right door could come closed by herself, so I checked and discover only one spring...May be many other people dont know ?
Check your springs, guys !
Georges

[georges2]

Hello
I dit it ! without moving the door (except to open it)
I had a spare part of door hingle
so I tried to put the nex spring on it, but it was clear that the spring ends had to be close to get in place
I put the spring on a vice and get them to 1 cm (inner distance). One end hat a "hat" and go to the fixed part of the hinge, which has a notch on the side, the other end has nothing and go to the moving part
To keep them in this position, I tried different ways; the better was a bronze wire, about 1mm diameter and 2 turns around the ends, and twisted to stay in place, as close as possible from the spring turns
Then it was not difficult to get the "hat" end, just open the door half way to set it in the notch
The other end did not come easily in his hole, so I used a long plier to keep it and gently colsed the door until the hole come just above the end of the spring.
some pictures, not in the right order, sorry

[NeilS]

Well done! I might try that next weekend, it can be done them with out a complicated door removal.

[Bobskifiat]

Hi Georges
I have the replacement spring for my drivers door and have been pondering fitting it for some time.... Just found your fix, excellent!
Do you think a cable tie would work instead of wire?
Cheers
Bob

[georges2]

Hi Bob, sorry to be late, I was out of home for some days
The wire needs to be strong enough to keep the two ends close; using a wire is probably difficult as you will need to make a knot to keep them in a loop; I remember I used an iron wire cut from a fence wire.....
Best regards

[Bobskifiat]

Thanks Georges
I didn't get around to this yet, the weather has been too damp to carry out jobs that require the door open!