Bob Owen Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Any suggestions for best (easiest !)way to remove (and refit new) rear leaf spring on spitfire 1500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinR Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Outside the car : Jack both sides of rear of car up and secure on axle stands Remove both wheels Unbolt the spring from the top of the vertical links Inside the car : Remove the cockpit trim panel covering the front of the petrol tank Remove the spring bolt access panel Loosen the four spring retaining nuts, then one at a time "double nut" them and remove the complete stud from the diff. Back outside the car : Pull the spring out from which ever side you favour. Top tip, if working in a confined space, make sure there is enough room to pull the spring out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Owen Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks Kevin Sounds straight forward, a colleague had suggested that I would need a "spring de-tensioning" tool/lever but this is obviously notthe case bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Flinn Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks Kevin Sounds straight forward, a colleague had suggested that I would need a "spring de-tensioning" tool/lever but this is obviously notthe case bob The Spring lifting tool is only required with the Rotoflex type rear suspension, funnily enough I was using one to replace the Rear Spring on my Mk2 Vitesse on Saturday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Though a sizeable crowbar can be handy for levering stuff about..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJM Stag Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Yeah straight forward job and can make a big difference to handling/stance. Not sure if different springs are still available but make sure you get the right spring for what you need e.g. heavy duty, lowered etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted October 14, 2018 Report Share Posted October 14, 2018 (edited) Hello Returning to the forum following a break, replaced the rear spring on a spit 1500 yesterday. Not as easy as doing it years ago! Main problem I had purchased an original unused spring so had to build up the central box, I used an old diff as a jig to position the box an bottom plat to align the stud holes with the diff. Spring in car 3 studs fitted but the 4th front stud will not even screw in to the diff as if the hole not aligned. Any suggestions to resolve, the bottom plate is held tight in the spring? The stud has dropped down onto the diff. Spring now all tighten to move car into garage but with only the 3 studs being left slightly loose, thinking of driving car a short distance to seee if things realign. Any thoughts? Graham Edited October 14, 2018 by Graham C Add more information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waynebaby Posted October 14, 2018 Report Share Posted October 14, 2018 Hi Graham, The fact that you have three out of the four studs in their holes makes it hard to understand why the fourth shouldn't also be in alignment. I guess you could judge if you have a straight run through from the top of the spring box into the diff casing by either shining a torch down the hole or probing with a long screw-driver to see if you can see/feel a misalignment between the bottom plate and the diff. If you have this, then slacking off the three studs may give you wriggle room on the box to get the fourth in (you'll obviously need the weight back off the rear wheels to do this) I hope you find that the issue is just one of alignment and not a problem I've had, when the thread in one of the holes in the diff casing decided to strip on removing the stud (top left in the photo). I was lucky in that the stripped portion was just at the very top of the hole, and I was able to recover the situation using a longer stud (the kind used with spacer blocks) and screwing the stud deeper than usual into the casing. Good luck Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted October 15, 2018 Report Share Posted October 15, 2018 Hello Wayne Thanks for the advice, will try. The bottom plate is very tight between the bottom and second leaf. I will loosen off the studs and try. If that does not work I will take the spring out again and realign or even drill the holes out a bit more. Not happy to run with 3 studs fixing the spring in place. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham C Posted October 20, 2018 Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 Finally fitted all 4 studs, had to take spring out. Checked the alignment of the plates, box on the spare diff all OK. Cleaned out threads on the diff in the car. All four stud were screwed in the threads. Refitted spring, refitted three studs and fourth stud would not fit. Strangely this was in a different hole and it was the same stud. Clue here checked stud and found slight wear where the a spring leaf had rub it. Lifted spring up, so it slide up the studs and this gave the 4th stud a but of room, and managed to screw it in. Knocked the spring down. Screwed all the studs down. So it appear on of the stud may have had a very slight bend in it which would not allow it the centre it in the hole when the spring was in position. So moral of the story it may not be the spring but the stud. If one does fit it may be slightly bent. Hopefully this may be of help to someone in the future. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 20, 2018 Report Share Posted October 20, 2018 Glad its all come together A warning dont mention stud or doug will think its the wrong forum ha !! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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