Rear suspension question

[npanne]

Afternoon all.

After a good 18 month or so of car neglect (the poor thing has been buried under building supplies whilst we had work done on the house), I decided that I need to get cracking, and the next job (hastened by now seized read brakes) is the replacement of the driveshafts for the lovely recon units I've have sitting patiently waiting.

I've just read the workshop instructions in readiness for this task, and it all seems quite simple - but something at the back of my mind tells me that I've heard of the need for a rear spring compressor (/ long iron bar) when reconstructing - but nothing of the sort is mentioned in my manual, and Google doesn't find anything similar either - have I misunderstood, or completely made this up?

[garyf]

Spring lifter only needed for the Rotoflex rear suspension on Vitesse Mk2, GT6 Mk2 and Early GT Mk3.

[npanne]

Perfect - thanks for putting me straight on that.

[Dogsbody47uk]

The spring lifter, essential on a rotoflex suspension, is quite helpful on the standard swing axle or swing spring for relieving the tension whilst you remove the spring eye bolts or the shock absorber nuts and bolts.Also useful on re-assembly.

[RobPearce]

I'm not sure how helpful it is, really. If you jack up the bottom of the vertical link, you can undo the UJ flange bolts and the shocker bolts, then if you lower the jack there's no tension left on the spring eye. If you happen to have a lifter anyway (perhaps because you also own a Rotoflex car) then by all means use it, but for a swing axle setup it's most definitely not worth any investment.

[Dogsbody47uk]

9716 wrote:

I'm not sure how helpful it is, really. If you jack up the bottom of the vertical link, you can undo the UJ flange bolts and the shocker bolts, then if you lower the jack there's no tension left on the spring eye. If you happen to have a lifter anyway (perhaps because you also own a Rotoflex car) then by all means use it, but for a swing axle setup it's most definitely not worth any investment.

I do have a Rotoflex car as well, and my spring lifter was made for by my neighbour for £10. He makes his own circuit racing cars! Everyone should have a hobby... He has no interest in classic cars.