Sagging rear end - Spitfire MkIV

[Rick2112]

Morning all - Just put the car back on the road very recently - and noticed the rear is sagging but only on the drivers side. I can get 3 fingers width between the tyre and arch on the passenger side - but barely one finger width between tyre and arch on the drivers side. Haven't checked anything just but wondering where to start.

 

Is this most likely to be a shock if just one side is sagging? Rebound doesn't seem too bad (pretty stiff but similar on both sides). Or could it still be the leaf spring even through the passenger side looks fine?

 

Just about to take a look under the car to see if anything looks broken...

 

Rick

[68vitesse]

This can be caused by a faulty spring or partially seized rear suspension do a search on the forum, http://forum.tssc.org.uk/index.php?/topic/472-slouching-gt6/?hl=spring&do=findComment&comment=3497, just a sample. My Vitesse leaned because the rear diff mounting holes in the chassis had worn.

Best of luck getting it sorted.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[Clive]

Check where the problem is by jacking the car up on FLAT+LEVEL ground. Trolley jack under the diff, then see if the front is level. Then jack under the centre at the front, see if it is rear end. It could be both!

 

Agreed it is often seized trunnions at the rear, though I once bought a car with a weird shock problem where the shock was acting as a very strong spring, jacking one side up. Caught me out!

 

Spring can be checked by removing and turning around. And also heard, as above, issues with diff mountings and bent diff brackets etc, that doesn't take much.

[Rick2112]

Thanks gents - few things for me to check there. A very quick initial look tells me that one of the shocks (drivers side) looks to be compressed about a 1/2 inch more than the other - but that doesn't make up for the remaining 1 1/2 - 2 inch of a gap so I suspect there is something else at play.

 

I'll take a  proper look next weekend

[Pete Lewis]

Many front shock have the spring plate location in wrong positions

 

had a spitty lean with odd front springs and odd shocker pad heights and nice plywood spacers trying to

correct it and a bent anti roll all on one car ...you never know whats under there, often suprises

 

do as Clive says jack front then back , most leans eminate from the opposite logic of what you see.

 

pete

[Rick2112]

Decided to overhaul the entire suspension as it's a bit overdue - new decent shocks all round and I've had the rear leaf spring re-tempered (it's a British Springs one so I trust this a bit more than buying a cheap replacement). Poly bushes to go in as well. Checked rear trunnions and all seem fine as far as I can tell - some resistance but they move well through a full range on both sides so I don't think I have an issue there.

 

I do have a question about the diff. Do I have to remove it from the car to check all the mountings, brackets and chassis bolt holes for bends/elongation etc? Or can you tell by sight that there may be an issue. Not something I've tackled before so sorry if a daft question.

[Clive]

I have never seen any front diff rubbers that needed replacing (others may have) but using a lever and checking if there is any excessive movement should be easy.

As to the rear diff mounts, try the same to check the bushes, and then slacken the bolt (or bolts) and see if there is any movement. Doubtful, but you never know.