vitesse front suspension springs problem

[Robert Barrow]

Hi everyone   Has anyone had trouble with new vitesse front road springs bought from Rimmers. mine have just kept sinking
even though the car is jacked up for around five months every winter and has only done around 3000 miles since fitting.
If anyone has and has been able to purchase any better ones elsewhere please let me know.because at the moment the springs have collapsed so much there is hardly any gap between the coils and if they are being made out of low grade spring steel there is no point in buying any more of the same.

I would appreciate your comments  Thanks.   Bob

[Nick Moore]

Hi, have you contacted Rimmers? Even if it's been couple of years since you bought the springs, they may be willing to replace them, especially as you have only covered 3000 miles. I'm sure they are used to people buying their products and not using them for years.

There are other spring suppliers out there though. Faulkner Springs, for instance - choose the spring rate you want, internal diameter and away you go. See dfaulknersprings.com. Alternatively, some people have fitted progressive rate springs.

[Robert Barrow]

TO   Nick Moore    Hi Nick

Thanks for your Reply and your info. No I have not contacted Rimmers since it is about five years since I bought the springs from them and even though I did not fit them straight away It is obviously well past any gaurantee period so I decided not to.
However I still felt they should have lasted far longer considering the low mileage and the fact that the car is stowed away and jacked up off the springs every winter but even so the springs just progressively lowered as time passed,which to me indicated poor quality
spring steel being used or they had not been tempered correctly during manufacture.
Finally I will definitely look into Faulkner springs as you suggest.

Thanks once again  Regards   Bob Barrow

[junkuser]

Doesn't sound like they were fit for purpose if they have settled that far, no matter how old they are.

[Pete Lewis]

sounds more like you have been given 4 cyl springs they would be over 220lbs less capacity than 6 cyl.

just a thought   all the specs are in the workshop manual


Pete

[Robert Barrow]

TO Pete Lewis

Hi Pete. I am certain they are the correct grade of spring for the Vitesse both in length and in gauge ie wire diameter of 0.470" + - .002" I measured this before I fit them because someone told me that I could fit  GT6  front springs because that also has the 2 litre engine but amazingly the wire gauge for the GT6 is smaller ie  0.450"  + - .002"  and of course the Herald and Spitfire will be even smaller. However thanks for your interest.

Kind Regards  Bob Barrow.