Harder front springs - stock height

[Mac]

Only have 5cm clearance from sills at drive ramp (probably less at exhaust) so can't lower it much. Has a tendency to dive at the front under heavy braking and in fast curves with the stock springs.

Was thinking 1/2 inch lower at the rear and 1 inch lower at front or will that give it a permantent nose dive as she's level at the mo?

Will lowering the rear give me too much rear camber? Don't want it to go funny in the wet.

Otherwise could just get stock height front springs or 1/2 inch lower but harder if you can gettum.

Any idea how much of the 5cm clearance I'll lose?

1/2 inch diff lowering block?
1/2 or 1 inch - 330 or 440lb front springs?
Or stock height?
Don't want it metally hard or to ground out every time I go down the driveway.

I'll post a few pics of how she sits now.

Current settup (handles well but too soft at the front)
Bottom of sills are 14.5cm from ground front and rear.
Top and bottom wishbones are at equal angle.
Front camber is 2° negative
Rear camber is 4° negative
Rear toe in is 3 mm- 1/8' both sides
(Working on getting the rear toe-in lower but tends to flip round spring to toe-out)
Front springs are stock, they are too soft and the car tends to dive into fast corners or under heavy braking
Rear spring is a swing spring off a later car, harder at rear than at front.
Front roll bar is a thick bar off a later car
Front shocks are konis set medium hard
Rear shocks are blue, no name, seem ok, no adjustment
Wheels 13 x 3.5J
Tyres Dunlop Sp41 - 145/80/13 (pretty good actually)
Tyre pressures 1.8 atm rear, 1.7 atm front

Thanks for any suggestions.
8)

[Mac]

Front camber

[Mac]

Rear camber

[Clive]

Is the rear spring new? they do tend to settle a bit over the first few thousand miles, so may be worth waiting to see....

And I think you could happily lose an inch at the front. I like to see less arch clearance at the front, and it will improve the tendancy to dive. 330 wil be good, 400+may be too hard, just depends on driving style and the compromises you are willing to make! (I am about to stick 440lb springs on mine)

Clive

[Mac]

Hi Clive,
Don't think I can lower it, just ground out the exhaust taking the drive ramp a bit spiritedly.
;-)

Also thinking more 440 than 330 as front feels miles softer then rear.

Not really worried about it looking low, just getting rid of the nosedive.

Rear spring is an old spring, not new, seems ok.

So stock ride height but harder springs, unless the front softies are knackered and it's already lower and softer than stock, or so soft it ground out as the front wheel left the ramp because nose dropped.
Good question that.

Doesn't look lower than other early spits. Or does it?

[neilnaz]

Mac, the front does look a smidge high to me and the front looks slightly raised compared to the rear looking at that picture which doesn't agree with your measurements so it might not be a good indication. Have you got standard shocks up front? I note you have standard springs. I would change at some point to Avos all round as I have found them excellent being able to adjust the ride/damping in seconds. My car could be lower than it is but I have issues with speed bumps so have found the height that gives me a good compromise between decent handling and not ripping my exhaust off over every speed bump.

I fitted 330lb springs at the front that are shorter than standard.

Whats this diving into corners? You aren't braking on entry are you? I don't notice any dive under braking (unless slamming the anchors on) with the 330lb springs but others are running much higher spring ratings. Is it connected with your ARB? That may make some difference too.

Best of luck. The car looks fantastic still!

Neil

[Mac]

Hi Neil,

Dunno, think the springs might be tired.
Got Konis on the front, set medium hard.
No issues with speed bumps even fast, stays nice and flat now I've sorted the camber.

Diving towards outside front in fast corners.
Roll bar is the thicker one off the later cars to go with the swing spring.
Noticed less dive with the thinner bar and fixed rear spring, car felt more snappy and flat in fast curves. With car pivoting around centre of rear spring think that makes it roll onto the outside front suspender more in a fast curve when pushing it. So with soft springs the car wallows and changes its trim and you have to wait and adjust your steering/gas until it sets the line.
Like this think it can also have a tendency to bog down at the front instead of slowly breaking away at the back in a controlled way.

Maybe I can get away with1/2 inch lower 440lb front springs leaving the back as it is and the nose will dip less at the drive ramp and won't grind down the exhaust.
Or would that be 1 inch lower with a 1/2 inch shim under the top of the shocker/turret?



??)

[Mac]

Few pics of the dreaded driveway ramp

[Mac]

Don't think I'm going to get away with lowering this sucker

This is straight on. Obviously a wee bit better if you take it steering slightly so the wheels hit the ramp diagonally.

[junkuser]

Wonder what the clearance is with you and a passenger on board?

[Mac]

Not enough methinks

Measured the fitted length and compared to T-Glazier's chart. Should be 19.5 cm is actually 18.5 so already 1 cm lower than stock.

If car is already 1 cm lower than stock 1 inch/2.5 cm lower springs will only lower the front by 1.5cm. There's enough thread on shocker top plate to 5/10 mm shim under the turret to raise the ride height to almost where it is now.

Stock springs are 150 lbs, 330 is over twice that, 440 sounds hard.

[James]

440lb isn't actually hard at all - I put them on my Mk2 Spit earlier in the year - but you need to use decent shockers (AVO, Koni etc)

[Mac]

Koni, set medium hard
Thanks James, ok 440. I'm totally in the dark about this spring rate business.

When did you get the MkII spit and what you done to it?

[neilnaz]

Looks like a plank of wood placed judiciously in the gutter would ease your predicament somewhat. 6' x 4" x 2" might alleviate the issue if the point at which the clearance is least is as pictured. You would have to place the plank, drive over it then remove it. Stiffer springs might help as they would compress less with passenger and driver in situ.

Maybe you could have 2 chocks in the boot for such a purpose and when rolling over them you could shout chocks away, tally-ho (etc). Obviously you would have to have a Biggles style flying helmet and scarf or you would just look silly..........

It would be a shame not sort the ride height (etc) just because of this one issue. I have many issues with mine due to the design of the speed-bumps where I live. The humps with spaces ideal for wide cars such as 4*4s but not for Spitties....

Neil

[Mac]

Might just chuck a bucket of cement over it one night

Actually not that bad if you take it crosswise so one wheel is on the ramp while the other is in the drip and then one is on the road when next goes in dip.

[secretsenor]

I am also looking for some front springs..

But Triumph Tune are on the otherside of the world to me and I am hoping to get some springs made by the local bloke.

I need to check the following information to place the order for the TT4407 copies.

Free Height - 9.75 inches (247.7 mm) [my guess]
Installed height - 6.5 inches (165 mm) [andre's measurement]
Inside Diametre - 3.13 inches  (79.5 mm) [original size?]
Y diametre - 0.45 inches (11. 4 mm) [original size?]
7 Coils - as per Triumph Tune UK
480lbs - as per Triumph Tune UK

Can anyone confirm these figures??

Is there a phone number or email address someone could provide so I can give them a call and get these details?

Is there a recommended person that I could speak to there that might be helpful and know what he is talking about?

[Spitfire1500]

Must say, gorgeous motor ;D