Spitfire 1500 Rear Spring

[Straight Six]

If you remove the drive shafts and rear vertical links from a 1978 Spitfire, should the spring eyes be the same distance from the ground or is it normal for one of the eyes to sit lower than the other?

[drofgum]

Straight Six,
I don't think it would be unusual for the ends to be uneven. Any stiffness in the pivot box might lead to the last side apart being higher. The springs can also take a set over time, and it would show under those conditions. Try pulling up on the low side or pushing down on the high side, it may even out.
                                                                                               Cheers,
                                                                                               Paul

[Velocita Rosso]

So what you are saying is.....you have a sagging on one side?

[Straight Six]

Hi Paul & Velocita. Thanks for your replies.

Velocita; Yes, I'm saying that. But I asked the specific question because I think we've tried everything else. Swapped over front spring & damper units from one side to the other, removed anti roll bar, fitted anti roll bar the other way round, checked drive shaft lengths, checked rear vertical link bolts aren't seized, swapped rear shock absorbers over, and (frankly by now we were grasping at straws) checked that the chassis isn't twisted. There might be more but I've probably forgotten. Basically if you can check it without spending money we've done it!

When the drive shaft & vertical links were out one side of the spring sat significantly lower than the other (wish I'd taken a photo now so you all could see but I didn't ...) and while I've read about these swing spring set ups, being a rotoflex kind of guy (it's a friends car) TBH don't really understand them, hence my question.

It might be worth mentioning that the car was sitting very high at the back when purchased and so we have fitted a lowering block. That has improved both the ride height and the amount of heal/sag but it's still not right. The rear spring looks new with no corrosion what so ever and still bearing white paint marks from manufacture/storage at the parts supplier.

Hopefully you will see below a photo of the car. It's  not great as I haven't a picture of the rear straight on so you can see the amount of lean, but it does show how high the car was sitting on it's highest side before we fitted the lowering block.

[stevesspit16]

Hey Straight Six, others will likely be quick to point out that reversing the Anti-Sway Bar won't work, it's the same direction twist.  However, removing would help with the indications, so I think you have that one covered.

Interestingly, you don't even mention to which side it leans; I'm assuming down on the driver's side?

This comes up pretty often, but one suggestion I've never heard before is differential bushings.  I'm sure that as the car ages and settles into it's appropriate lean (toward the driver's side of course) the bushings will also experience that compression and eventually keep at least some of that new shape.  The front bushings are so wide apart that I can't imagine them being the issue, but the rear ones are quite close so it wouldn't take much, especially with the spring mounted directly to that area.  I do realize it's all connected, but I don't think immune to twisting within the limits of the bushings.

Just a theory, I've not proven it.

Also, as a last resort you may try putting a spacer above your front right coil assembly, apparently Triumph did that on the North American versions to compensate for driver weight (other side of course), but it may work.
Before Canley was selling them I came up with the idea while sorting out my suspension (to increase ride height after getting some too-short springs).
If you check entry #17 here there are some dimensions for you to make your own spacer.
http://www.triumphexp.com/phorum/read.php?8,745019,page=2

All the best.

Steve

[philheys100]

Hi,

Have you fitted a new spring or refurbished the old one?

It looks like a new spring to me, the reason for the imbalance is because the drivers side as more weight and settles first, it takes a long time and many miles before it all settles.

You could try and loosen all the bolts on either side and roll out the car the difficult thing is how to re-torque the bolts without jacking the vehicle because jacking up the vehicle causes the vehicle to sag.

Hope this helps