Enhanced rear springs buttons

[John Harris]

Before you could buy them I made mine from UHMWPE for fitment to as new spring from an exact set of measurements that I got of the net. 

The Dutch club made some, but they were too thick if I remember correctly - I did get some to check 

[p7rider]

I made mine from acetal and top hat shaped with the wider diameter wear the leaves slide about 2.5mm thick then made a 1/2 spacer block and have a nice ride height with a bit of negative  camber

[Colin Lindsay]

Just bought a set from a UK seller on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144504702564

[alan.gilbert_6384]

Hi All,

Has anyone replaced these buttons without removing the spring ?  Thought I saw on one the American site that you can prise the leaf apart with a screw driver and insert new buttons, just wondering 🤔

[Colin Lindsay]

Very difficult to do, provided you could even get access with the spring in place; however you'd need to remove all the traces of the old buttons, which are usually squashed and flattened into place, and often don't come out in one piece. You'll need to remove the shackle bolts and spacer tubes then prise the leaves far enough apart to allow the buttons in, otherwise they won't fit - they sit inside the leaves, in the 'dimple' which helps keep them in place and as they're difficult to compress they'd need quite a gap to reach the correct place. The spring leaves require considerable force to prise apart in situ, so it'll need a very large screwdriver at least.

[rlubikey]

20 hours ago, alan.gilbert_6384 said:

Hi All,

Has anyone replaced these buttons without removing the spring ?  Thought I saw on one the American site that you can prise the leaf apart with a screw driver and insert new buttons, just wondering 🤔

Alan, when I rebuilt my spring (with my home made buttons) I needed a hydraulic press to bring the leaves together again before I could insert the retaining bolts. I think I may have tried wedging apart the leaves but if I did I got nowhere. That spring is strong enough to support the back of your car so good luck trying!

Cheers, Richard

[cliff.b]

I have "invested" in some of these. They seem quite robust and firm with a slight "slippyness" to the surface. Ordered a pack of 8 but they sent 11 for some reason.

I will initially fit just the outer two each side, which I can do without removing the spring, and see how they wear. If all good after a few months I will take the spring out and do the others, but don't want to go through the hassle of that if they are rubbish.

[alan.gilbert_6384]

6 hours ago, cliff.b said:

I have "invested" in some of these. They seem quite robust and firm with a slight "slippyness" to the surface. Ordered a pack of 8 but they sent 11 for some reason.

I will initially fit just the outer two each side, which I can do without removing the spring, and see how they wear. If all good after a few months I will take the spring out and do the others, but don't want to go through the hassle of that if they are rubbish.

Hi How are you going to do it without removing the spring ?  This my thought but someone else says it can't be done, would be good if you do some pictures when you do it, cheers.

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, alan.gilbert_6384 said:

Hi How are you going to do it without removing the spring ?  This my thought but someone else says it can't be done, would be good if you do some pictures when you do it, cheers.

To split the leaves you'll have to undo the shackles, which can't easily be undone as the bolt may be too long to slide out sideways in the rear spring tunnel. The spring will then expand downwards but not enough to get the buttons in, so will need to be levered. Provided the button fits, if the remains of the old one can be cleaned out, the spring leaves will have to be compressed again enough to get the shackle bolt back in place. All the while working round the shock, unless it's removed, and around the large 'eye' on the end of the spring. It's going to be quite difficult - I'll not say impossible - but with many jobs it may be relatively easy to begin, but not to finish....!

[Stratton Jimmer]

I would never contemplate doing the job without removing the spring from the vehicle. It's asking for trouble.

[johny]

I think Cliff was talking about only changing the outer buttons in situ to test them and then remove the spring later to do the rest when theyve proved satisfactory. If this is possible it sounds like a good plan👍

[Colin Lindsay]

The end button is very close to the end 'eye', not much room for expansion.

[cliff.b]

2 hours ago, johny said:

I think Cliff was talking about only changing the outer buttons in situ to test them and then remove the spring later to do the rest when theyve proved satisfactory. If this is possible it sounds like a good plan👍

Yes, that is what I plan to do, but with the outer 2 on each side. I have done this previously with rubber ones, but they didn't last long which is why I want to test these ones 

Not sure if it is easier with a swing spring but I forced a flat blade screwdriver in at the end of a leaf, twisted it to make a larger opening for a pry bar. I then used this to open further so I could insert the screwdriver straight through behind where the button goes, so holding it open. Fairly easy to remove old and insert new rubber pads but will have to see with these new ones. 

Will post pictures when I get around to trying it, which may be a while.

[Pete Lewis]

i think remove the spring..... then only have to do it once 

if you do make sure you have enough side room to extricate the spring   its longer than you think 

doing spring work on the car is asking for a few sticky plasters or A &E visits to patch up the pinkies 

you will need to remove some or all the diff studs to fiddle the spring out 

Pete

[cliff.b]

8 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

i think remove the spring..... then only have to do it once 

if you do make sure you have enough side room to extricate the spring   its longer than you think 

doing spring work on the car is asking for a few sticky plasters or A &E visits to patch up the pinkies 

you will need to remove some or all the diff studs to fiddle the spring out 

Pete

That is good advice, and if I knew that the replacement pads are definitely up to the job I would probably take it 🙂

[cliff.b]

Decided to carry out the plan to replace 2 buttons on each side this afternoon.

[alan.gilbert_6384]

36 minutes ago, cliff.b said:

Decided to carry out the plan to replace 2 buttons on each side this afternoon.

Hi Did it make any difference ie ride height to one side (higher) ?cheers

[cliff.b]

2 minutes ago, alan.gilbert_6384 said:

Hi Did it make any difference ie ride height to one side (higher) ?cheers

I did both sides together but after a test drive it does look higher, certainly half an inch, maybe more. Ride feels much better as well.

Also I think less camber  Before and after camber pics below.

[alan.gilbert_6384]

16 minutes ago, cliff.b said:

I did both sides together but after a test drive it does look higher, certainly half an inch, maybe more. Ride feels much better as well.

Also I think less camber  Before and after camber pics below.

Was it easy to do?  I have a slight lean to the driver side and was thinking of putting in one of these to correct it.

[cliff.b]

20 minutes ago, alan.gilbert_6384 said:

Was it easy to do?  I have a slight lean to the driver side and was thinking of putting in one of these to correct it.

I found it pretty easy but I don't know if that is because it's a swing spring. Also, when I did the second side I found it easier to remove the old button from the location nearest the wheel which gave a little more clearance for the inner position.  The outer one was easy to insert anyway 

[Pete Lewis]

any lean needs a bit of simple check work 

jack car in centre and raise the front  is the back leaning    then raise the rear in the centre does the fron  lean ???

one easy contender is the antiroll bar  its worth disconnecting one end  they do get a twist 

but some simple jacking will tell you is the lean at the front or the back suspensions 

Pete

[cliff.b]

Anyway, part 2 of the plan is to monitor these over time and see how they perform. I will report back, eventually.

[Colin Lindsay]

16 hours ago, cliff.b said:

Anyway, part 2 of the plan is to monitor these over time and see how they perform. I will report back, eventually.

You succeeded, in any case. Well done. I'll know now that it's possible; thanks for sharing the photos.

[Stratton Jimmer]

Well done Cliff. I doubted you would be able to do it but you proved me wrong. Do let us know how the buttons wear as I need to change some on the GT6 this coming spring.

[cliff.b]

Just an update, as promised.

I was looking at the rear brakes on Sunday and a quick check of the spring buttons led me to conclude that, so far, they look the same as when I replaced them in December. I would judge that the improved rise height has been maintained as well. 

Early days yet but I must have covered at least 1500 miles since I fitted them. I will check them again when I have the wheels off and report back.