The definitive OEM suspension thread?

[Yiannis197]

Hi all,

In my 10 years of ownership I never really had to look into the OEM suspension, up until now that is and I have to say is rather confusing.

As far as I know there are 6 different setups here.

1. 197 non cup
2. 197 cup
3. Early 200 non cup with same top mounts (softer than 197 non cup)
4. Early 200 cup with same top mounts (stiffer than 197 cup)
5. Newer top mounts 200 non cup
6. Newer top mounts 200 cup

Now my question is, does anyone know the differences between all these i.e. how are the different levels of stiffness (or softness) were achieved by Renault?

Judging by the colour coding on springs;

197 non cup front : blue/green
rear : orange/orange
197 cup front : blue/orange
rear : blue/orange
200 non cup front : blue/yellow
rear : orange/orange
200 cup front : blue/violet
rear : blue/orange

I can see that the rear springs for the non cup 197 and 200 are the same but I know that the 200 is softer than the 197. Is it just the fronts then that have been changed? Front springs are different so I'm guessing the dampers should also be different to match the revised spring rates? Same story with the cup versions, rear springs the same, fronts are different. Given the different top mounts I can't seem to find 6 different dampers on the web retailers either...

Anyone with an old style non cup 200 that could shed some light into this please as this is the one I'm interested in?

I'm planning to go to the storage and dig out the 197 cup kit I've got and report back with damper colours etc.

Thanks

 

[turkie172]

You will find at the back end it will be ride height and damping that makes the difference as the springs are the same at the back and the axle and the mounting points are the same both cars so logic is two damper options 197 and two damper options for the 200 for the same option springs. I checked the brochure the 197 std rear height 678 and cup is 671 (-7mm) and the 200 std 678 and the cup is also 678. The dimension is the (J) the height from ground to the boot lip.

 

[burrellbloke]

If it helps I have a Clio 200 Cup that was registered in March 2010.

This is one of the front springs.



As far as I am aware the springs have not been changed since new - it is on my list to do next year.

 

[stuey]

I have recently had both front springs replaced on my '59 plate Clio 200 Cup. It was one of the first cars off the production line I would guess, delivered in September 2009. The springs had blue/orange markings like the pic above.
One of the springs broke with a loud bang reversing off the drive earlier in the year, approx 2/3 of the way round the first coil of the top of it. There was evidence of corrosion in the surface of the metal where the paint had failed. After both had been replaced by Two Techs, they showed me that both had also broken at the bottom where they are covered by the plastic sleeve! I had no idea and it hadn't come upon the MOT either. Worth bearing in mind on older cars imo.

 

[Yiannis197]

Dear me, the plot thickens then because up until now I thought that the 200 cup springs had blue/violet markings. Maybe on the later 200s?

I've currently got a 197 non cup kit on the car and a 197 cup in the storage, I was planning to go this weekend and check but didn't happen - when I do, I'll add some solid info on the original post for these 2 versions. In the meantime if anyone with a 200 non cup checks it'd be awesome.

 

[burrellbloke]

I got my 200 cup in April 2020 so I cannot be sure of the full history, but the suspension feels like a proper cup car and is not soft. From the history of the car that I have got I cannot see that the springs have ever been changed. My Megane 280 has cup suspension and although that is a bit more refined the 200 Cup suspension is similar in how it sticks to the road and likes to go round corners.