Leaf Spring Cover Plate Problem

[Black Cat]

Hi,

I have a 1500 Spitfire and the rear leaf spring has a 1” lowering block fitted. With the lowering block in place I’m unable to fit the axle cover plate mainly due to the nuts and bolts protruding above the body. How have others overcome this problem?

Thanks

[Gary Flinn]

I'm sure one of the suppliers does a Cover to suit in GRP or ABS?

[yorkshire_spam]

Cut the top off the cover plate and weld in a 15mm(ish) steel strip to put a step in it to clear the stud tops. I'll see if I can find a picture of mine.

 

 

[Colin Lindsay]

Bill at Rarebits used to sell an extension cover moulded to clear the bolts, but it's no longer on his website.

 

[Steve P]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Bill at Rarebits used to sell an extension cover moulded to clear the bolts, but it's no longer on his website.

 

I think i bought one of the last ones he had,it wasn`t even trimmed from the moulding process.

Steve

[Black Cat]

Yorkshire_Spam

A photo of the modification would be useful. 

[Pete Lewis]

i used a thick truck mudflap  and self tapped  it to cover the aperture its not structural  but needed to keep the noise out

Pete

[Black Cat]

And the road dirt. The previous owner had a plastic bag taped over it.

[Pete Lewis]

yes needs to be something substantial /workable 

if you have the orig cover you could space it higher with some 1/2" ??   thick firm  rubber glued down and the cover screwed through .

if fitted and in contact with the studs it makes a wonderful racket 

Pete

[yorkshire_spam]

1 hour ago, Black Cat said:

Yorkshire_Spam

A photo of the modification would be useful. 

It's a little rough and ready, but it does the job (3mm thick home made rubber gasket under the plate...)

[Black Cat]

Yes, think I can manage something like that.

Thanks for all your comments.

[Adrian Saunders]

Can the studs be swapped to correct length bolts? That would create a lower assembly. 

[Clive]

5 hours ago, Adrian Saunders said:

Can the studs be swapped to correct length bolts? That would create a lower assembly. 

That is exactly what I did. Used 2 studs as guides, fitted bolts (just get the correct length so they have enough thread in the casing) then replaced studs with bolts. 

[Mjit]

What worked for me when I had a 1" lowering block was:

1. Buy a couple of half height 9/16" plain nuts.
2. Hacksaw the studs flush with the top of the nylocks.

The standard cover would then just fit.

DO buy the plain nuts first as you don't want to be running around trying to find someone who sells them on a Saturday the first time you need to remove the spring and realise your mod. means you can no longer lock a pair of full sized nuts together on the stud to remove it...😖

I have to say the 1" block didn't stay too long, just TOO big a drop for road use (especially if you live in speed-hump land and have a sports exhaust).  I swapped to 3/4" and only ocassionaly scrape the exhaust now.

[Black Cat]

Had a look at it this afternoon and had some half 9/16 lock nuts which I used to replace the standard lock nuts and I think it will just about work. Need to remove the fuel tank so I can cut the bolts down but you could have saved me a lot of work trying to adapt the cover plate.

Good job I hadn’t started any adaption work

Many thanks Mjit

[Mjit]

I cut mine down with everything in situ using a hacksaw.  Wouldn't claim it was the most fun I've had with my clothes on but do-able.

Oh, and if removing the spring/diff in the future you can do it "tank in", you just have to release the studs from the diff (either by removing nylocks and using 2 locked half nuts, or by winding them out with the nylock if they release at the diff end before the nut) but leave them in place.  Free the spring from the verticle links and "release it from the top of the diff" (usually involving much swearing and trying to hit something you can't reach to release both spring and spacer block).  From there you should be able to pivot the spring top forwards and remove the studs.

Refitting is the reverse, though obviously forgetting about the studs, getting the spring and spacer block in position, realising you can't get the studs in, swearing, and fighting to get the spring/block to release again so you can pivot forwards and insert the studs.

Every.

Single.

Time.

😢

[PeteH]

Hi

2 Half Nut`s?. = One Full Nut + 10 min work with a Hacksaw?.

Pete.

[Black Cat]

Did the job today, fitted half nuts and cut the studs flush with the nuts and it looks as if the cover would just fit but as a precaution, and as the door gaps at the top on the lock side were a touch wider than the bottom I added some additional packing plates to the rear body bolts ( Hadn’t tightened them up at that point) which raises the body a few  millimeter  higher over the spring bolts and this gives a little more clearance and also made the door gap better.

[Mjit]

17 hours ago, Black Cat said:

 

 

That's not JUST a half nut on each stud and cut flush is it, or did you do 2x half nuts/cut/replace half nuts with single, full-sized nyloc?

My method was a full nut for fit, with the 2 half nuts in the toolbox so the full nyloc can be removed, replaced by the 2 half nuts, and the 2 half nuts then locked together to remove the stud from the diff.  If you've gone just half nut and flush I'm not sure what you're going to do the next time you need to remove the spring...