Spring lengths Lowered vs normal ride height

[Rich]

Hello all, 

 

Ive had the Vitesse (MK 1 CV) for a few years but when i brought it it had been lowered by quite a bit. It did'nt have a lowering block in under the rear spring so i believe the spax are whats brought the height down.  I've replaced the rear spring as the old one snapped, but the shocks on it are spax on all four corners.  Im going to get the ride height back to normal but am stuck with what the front spring lengths are? Does anyone know the total unloaded spring length for the front springs as i think my springs are also 1 Inch shorter than standard.

 

I want to take off all the spax and go back to original shocks which i believe will improve the ride and raise the height so i don't hit every other speed bump with the exhaust.

 

Thoughts from the knowledgeable greatly appreciated

 

Regards

 

Rich

 

[Clive]

Shock absorber wont affect ride height at he rear unless the shock is too short and holding the spring up. Something I have never seen.

 

At the front the shock can affect ride height, but that is if the seat pan is fitted at the incorrect height above the bottom bush (adjustable seat pans are available)

 

When working out springs, you need to consider the strength of the spring and the uncompressed length. Ordering standard springs should the simple answer (but again many supliers sell one for vitesse and gt6, they were not the same originally)

 

As to shocks, no original shocks are sold by retailers. The so called standard (seem to be black) are woefully poor. And the front seat pans are/were too high on the shock.

 

If you are happy with the strength of the front springs, you can buy spacers to alter the ride height, may be a simple solution, plus no guesswork and you get to keep what should befair quality shocks.

 

At the rear, if it is still ow, what spring did you fit? if a std vitesse one it should sit at teh correct height. If a swing spring it will sit low.

[Pete Lewis]

vitesse front spring is 209009

free length 317.3 mm   fitted length  207.8 +- 2.29mm  colour coded brown

 

if they are white they are herald,   ( thats assuming any colour band or paint dab  is still present)

 

edit

having spoken to Garth it depends where the springs were made , most aftermarket have very different colour codes to the original triumph   eg club shop vitesse are marked single yellow as std  and double yellow as uprated 

 

Pete

[Steve C]

Hi Rich

 

If you find your front springs are incorrect, I have a pair of new, old stock, Vitesse front springs stashed away, that were bought from John Kipping's original shop many years ago, as part of a plan to put a Vitesse motor in my car. That plan never came to fruition, so they were painted, but not used.

 

Regards

 

Steve C

[Rich]

Thank you all for the replies, I'll have another look and do some measuring.

 

Steve I may take you up on the springs once I've figured out the set up.

 

Regards

 

Rich

[steveweblin]

 

A page from the Triumph Service Training Notes showing spring lengths.

[daverclasper]

Hi

 

Is the factory "fitted length",with the shock and spring fitted together but, off the car, or on the car with suitable loading (bags of sand etc) please.

 

Cheers, Dave 

[Pete Lewis]

Kerb weight on the floor , thats just car oil and fuel etc no bodies no loads

 

pete