Spitfire 1500 rear spring. Choices

[Anglefire]

I've decided over Christmas to replace the buttons in the rear springs, fit polybushes etc.

However, I wondering if I should replace the complete spring. 

I have heard horror stories around the fact that they tend to sit too high and lowering blocks are needed.

But the real question is suppliers - James Paddock do a new spring for about £90 (https://www.jamespaddock.co.uk/rear-leaf-spring-mk1v-1500-3)

Or Canley Classic at some £235 https://www.canleyclassics.com/?catalogue=triumph-spitfire-mkiv/1500&diagram=triumph-spitfire-mkiv/1500-rear-suspension-road-spring

Now Canley I know do good stuff - but 2 1/2x the price? Is it that much better?

I might see if I can ring them in the morning and see what the difference is......

[rogerguzzi]

Hello Mark

                  I bought one from these people about 2 years ago.

It sat a bit high at first but has settled now.

This how the car sits now with luggage and probably a full ish tank of petrol.(somewhere in Spain or Portugal!)

https://www.gbsprings.co.uk/heritage-car-springs/

 

[Anglefire]

Thanks Roger - I'll contact them - and local too which is handy

[Mjit]

Sitting high is just down to the spring being

a) Needing to settle.
b) Being new but compared to some tired, sagging 40+ year old one that's technically been sitting too low.

Lowering blocks are normally a personal choice and down to people wanting their cars to sit lower/have more static negative rear camber than standard, rather than being to counter new springs being too high.

[Anglefire]

This is mine (well last year) - front is a bit high (New springs and shocks) rear well low.

 

 

[Peter Truman]

4 hours ago, Anglefire said:

This is mine (well last year) - front is a bit high (New springs and shocks) rear well low.

 

 

Put a six potter in that’ll settle the front! Nice colour similar to my daughters Mk2, hers is a Porsche colour

[Pete Lewis]

4 hours ago, Anglefire said:

front is a bit high

the spring pad on the shocker cant be in the correct place  , its one of the big variables of aftermarket shockers

have you checked the fitted length  against whats in the WSM ?? 

pete

[Anglefire]

 The shocks are koni adjustable and standard springs.  All came from Bastuck in Germany as they were the beat price at the time. 
The spring plate is fixed. As far as I know and remember. 
 

[Pete Lewis]

just thinking   if the fitted length is as spec then the shocker pan is wrong  nothing else raises the car ride height 

you dont have 1/2 ton of tools in the boot ???

Pete

[Anglefire]

The boot does have some stuff in it - but not 1/2 tonne! 

I assume the fitted length is correct- I've not measured it! Presumably if I jack up the front and measure them that will give me an idea? Might have chance this week if I get the kitchen and breakfast room decorated during my week off.........

[Anglefire]

Unless the springs were supplied incorrectly - given it was over 2 years ago now, there is not much I can do. 

[Clive]

1 hour ago, Anglefire said:

The boot does have some stuff in it - but not 1/2 tonne! 

I assume the fitted length is correct- I've not measured it! Presumably if I jack up the front and measure them that will give me an idea? Might have chance this week if I get the kitchen and breakfast room decorated during my week off.........

No measure the spring length with the car on the ground, compressed length. Should be 8" I think (sorry, out of time to look it up....)

[Anglefire]

Thanks Clive  found this with a quick search and you are right.
wonder if the issue with heights is the spec for the mark IV is softer and shorter. Though that doesn’t make any logical sense.  

 

 

 

[Anglefire]

I’ve finally got into the garage and measured the spring length. And it’s 8”. 

that’s between the two chrome seats  

 

I also measured from the floor to the arm.  
though that’s a bit more variable  

[Clive]

So correct.

How about lower seat pan to centre of lower bolt?

[Pete Lewis]

so its looking like the spring pan is in the wrong place but its also worth detaching one  end of the anti roll bar if its bent and many are

you can get raised ride heights but would then expect the coil length  to be a bit different side to side if the bars affecting this

you dont have any leaning  but any idea gives you something  else  to do   Ha !!! 

Pete

[Anglefire]

Surely if the spring pan is in the wrong place, and presumably too high, the length of the shock is wrong below the bottom pan (as Clive has intimated)  as the spring length is correct between the pans. 
Given the shocks are Koni I can’t see them being manufactured incorrectly? 

[Anglefire]

Could it be that the bonnet being a Gt6 one has a different arch profile? 
I guess the measurement to compare with others is the floor to the top of the shock. 

[rogerguzzi]

Hello Mark

                   Do I remember you saying your bonnet is fibreglass?

If so it would it be lighter?

Roger

[Anglefire]

No it’s a steel bonnet. The bits around the indicators are fibreglass -  but they are small as you know. 

[Clive]

My car. On Koni's. short 480lb springs and spacers which give 8" fitted length

6 years, 20K miles, and about 15 countries, not to mention trackdays and autosolos, have taken their toll on the cosmetics.

And I ought to mention the gearbox is in for attention too..... (jumping out of gear at 6500+rpm in third, scary in a corner. Did it repeatedly at Goodwood)

The rear arch height gives you an idea of how the car sits. Very stable at high speeds, corners/grips well. It was about 15mm lower, but speedbumps were sometimes an issue.

[Anglefire]

Not sure if it’s my phone but I can’t see the images ☹️

[NonMember]

I can't see them either. The URLs look dodgy - they're all on mail.google.com!

[Pete Lewis]

yes blanks to me also , but thats not unusual being a ............ dinosaur

pete

[Colin Lindsay]

Can't see them either, Clive - it links to something called 'Service Log-in' html.