Worn out front springs?

[Radiation Man]

Just working through making the list of winter jobs on my mew to me Spitfire.  When I bought it one of the things I noticed was it looks like the front springs are past there best.

The rear of the car looks to me to be about an inch higher, certainly the rear of the sills are higher than the front by about 1.75 inches.  Assuming they should be parallel to the ground?

Front springs look really compressed, about 7.25 inches long and not much space between the coils.  I dont think they are uprated springs.

Think I might be putting new springs on over the winter months.  

Car has had a new rear spring in the past.  Not sure if the back sits a little high.

What sort of length would standard normal springs be when on the car?

Any advice welcome!

[johny]

This page has some useful info:

https://w.teglerizer.com/triumphstuff/springs.htm

[Radiation Man]

That’s a helpful link, thank you.  There are some paint marks on the spring that could be purple and white as per the table... so perhaps they are old and tired standard front springs that have lost about 3/4 of an inch length.

[johny]

Trouble is I dont know if 'fitted length' refers to on the car or just installed on the damper in which case youve got to get the weight off the wheel to compare it with the table...

[Radiation Man]

Job for tomorrow.

[johny]

Got to say Ive never heard of knackered front springs as normally our cars have fallen apart long before that can happen. Is it possible that a new rear spring has been fitted recently so its sitting higher (something that seems to be quite common)?

[dougbgt6]

Johny,

After I bought my car, 5 years old in 1978, I discovered a broken leaf spring. The PO had a boat TO big for the car and the bouncing up and down had broken the rear spring.

Once replaced the car looked like a prototype TR7. Took off the front springs and they were 2” shorter than the new ones.

They old were factory original. The PO was a car abuser and the springs were completely buggered from bouncing up and down with the boat.

Replaced the springs recently and after 40 years, no difference in length.

Never buy a car with a tow bar!

Doug

 

[Radiation Man]

I can’t think my front springs are good as there is so little distance between the coils.  The car doesn’t feel like it has hard springs on so it must be hitting the bump stops a lot.  Doesn’t feel like it drives badly but it cannot be right.

[Colin Lindsay]

[Clive]

Beware new springs. Most suppliers sell one spring for all spitfires. Fit one and an early car will look ridiculous, far too high at the front. 

So find somebody who sells specific springs for each model.

Remember to check/adjust the tracking when done/settled too.

[Radiation Man]

Thanks Clive.