Roger K Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 The car is a late non-roto Mk3 GT6, and I'm on my second new rear spring to try to get the ride height correct. The car looks quite comical with its tuck-under appearance, so despite the part numbers all being supposedly correct I think I'll have to fit a spacer, at least to start with. I've had four large concrete blocks in the rear luggage bay for a couple of weeks to no effect. My question is, how do you decide on a spacer size? Is it as simple as just going by the gap between tyre and wheelarch? If so I'll need a good inch, but I suspect the answer's more subtle than that. How easy are they to fit - do I have to remove the spring to do it, or can it be (basically) slid between spring and diff? Thanks chaps, Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 Just a thought - do you have the correct half-shafts fitted? The short ones will create very noticeable positive camber on a GT6; only late Spitfires and the last GT6s had the longer varieties. Just in case yours were ever swapped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 yes short shafts = \--/ on along shafted car and long shafts on a short shaft car = /--\ Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted September 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 I don't think so - I fitted new shafts, in fact everything is new except one of the vertical links and the two radius arms. They were sold by Rimmers as being for late non-roto GT6. Surely the earlier GT6s had a different design for the rotoflex? The car sits high. If I get two people to 'stand' on the rear bumper with the concrete blocks in the boot, the ride height and camber look OK. I guess the spacer choice is a bit hit-and-miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 3 types of shafts for GT6: early non rotoflex short, rotoflex and late non rotoflex long. First and last same but 1" difference in length. Respective part numbers are 128135 and 155928. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted September 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 I have the long shafts. With enough weight on the car, the ride height is correct and the camber is correct. But I can't drive around with the boot full of concrete blocks and two people sitting over the rear bumper. Nothing was tightened until it was down on the ground and loaded, but it's had two months to settle now and hasn't really moved, so I think I have to try a spacer. Can I fit one with the chassis supported by axle stands (i.e. full droop), access through the floor panel, replace the studs for longer ones and fit the spacer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ch.All.ch Posted September 20, 2021 Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 Hi Roger. I had the same sort of problem with our spitfire 1500 and our GT6 mk2. I had 3 different springs from suppliers of Triumph parts! Try "Owen springs" sales @ owensprings.co.uk these Guys make very good Leaf springs.The ride height now after 5 years is still good. I have fitted one to a Friends Spitfire GT6 conversion . Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted September 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2021 Thanks Chris, yes, I know Owen, I am in the middle of fitting a pair of their springs to the XK140DHC that came back from the paintshop last month. If anyone has fitted a spacer, I'd like to know the best way to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Flinn Posted September 21, 2021 Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 There is some advice on the Canley Classic website regarding the spacers, I've never fitted one myself but believe you need to remove the spring and you will also need longer studs if you fit the 1" spacer, you may get away with reusing the original studs with the 1/2" and 3/4" sizes, the spacers are I believe meant for the original early Models with standard swing axles. I presume your late Mk3 GT6's is fitted with the Swing spring arrangement as per the later Spitfires, if so, I'm not sure you can fit a spacer with this arrangement? It sounds like the spring is simply too stiff, I had the opposite problem on my Vitesse Mk2, with two reproduction springs being too soft and sagging, one of these was from Rimmers☹️. I ended up purchasing a good condition original Mk2 Vitesse spring, stripping it and refurbishing with new thrust buttons, bolts and a new coat of paint. How many leaves does the spring have? This is a copy and paste on the subject from the Club Triumph site "Canleys achieve it by using the correct spring! FYI there are two swing spring springs. 159640 which is short shaft Spitfire MKIV 159654 which is long shaft MKIV, 1500, GT6 MKIII In the flesh they look very similar, but in practice they are very different beasts. Use a 159640 on a GT6 and it would drag it's arse. Use a (proper) 159654 on a short shaft MKIV and it would sit high in the air. We use 159640 on our early Spitfire swing spring conversions, and 159654 on Herald, and early Vitesse conversions. Using a 159654 on short shaft saloon conversions compensates for any extra weight. As far as I'm aware we currently have the only supply on correctly specified 159654 (and it's been that way for a while). The market is currently awash with cheap and cheerful repro springs, but fortunately they haven't tried to copy the 159654. However there are at least 3 repro 159640 springs out there, that's why the price has tumbled on them in comparison to all other types of small chassis rear springs. One of the repro 159640 in particular is rubbish. We bought a small batch of them to evaluate based on the fact that we would no longer be able to compete with everyone else's retails. Joe fitted one to his Vitesse and we watched it droop ever lower on it's way around the recent Auto Ecose. It's to the point now where it needs replacing with a 159654, and it only did one event! Beware anyone selling 159640HD, or anyone telling you there's only one type of spring that fit's swing spring car's because patently that's not correct". Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ch.All.ch Posted September 21, 2021 Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 Roger. Sorryabout my answer. Yes i have fitted a spacer on top of a differential. On our 1500 spitfire as you know this has a swing spring as has the GT6mk3 none Roto. I took out the rear spring leaving the 2 Studs rear top then then drop the block on top .Now for extra room to move the spring with SW Hausing support the diff, and lower the diff just 3cm there is enough room its a bit tight but works.The exhaust back box must also be removed. I found it difficult to put the studs in to locate the holes so leaving 2 studs in place made fitting easy. Also check the length of your studs I had to put longer ones in "lower the Diff, more room" Don't tighten the spring down on top of Diff,leave nuts enough to hold in place. Replace Diff, using a spring lifter place the outer bolts in place then the drive shafts ,know tighten down the nuts on the Studs. With the wheels back on put a support under the wheels the weight of the car will help. spring end bolts can be tighten up. I hope this helps you. The thing was it didn't Work very well got a new spring from Owen's. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 21, 2021 Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 How high is it at the back, what is the gap between wheel and wheel arch? When I replaced my rear spring the car (late non roto mk3) looked like a TR7 prototype. Turned out the front springs were also knackered. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted September 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 23 minutes ago, Chris.Allibone said: Roger. Sorryabout my answer. Yes i have fitted a spacer on top of a differential. On our 1500 spitfire as you know this has a swing spring as has the GT6mk3 none Roto. I took out the rear spring leaving the 2 Studs rear top then then drop the block on top .Now for extra room to move the spring with SW Hausing support the diff, and lower the diff just 3cm there is enough room its a bit tight but works.The exhaust back box must also be removed. I found it difficult to put the studs in to locate the holes so leaving 2 studs in place made fitting easy. Also check the length of your studs I had to put longer ones in "lower the Diff, more room" Don't tighten the spring down on top of Diff,leave nuts enough to hold in place. Replace Diff, using a spring lifter place the outer bolts in place then the drive shafts ,know tighten down the nuts on the Studs. With the wheels back on put a support under the wheels the weight of the car will help. spring end bolts can be tighten up. I hope this helps you. The thing was it didn't Work very well got a new spring from Owen's. Chris Don't apologise, there's nothing wrong with your answers, Chris! Thanks for this, I might just get a replacement spring, sounds like the spacer may be more trouble than it's worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted September 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 Just bit the bullet and ordered a new spring, correct number, from Canley. Why did I buy from Rimmers? Should know better after the wheel stud issue (about which there has been a deafening silence). I've replaced the entire suspension on this car, fitted Konis, blasted and painted everything, it looks like new under there. Apart from the high-rise rear, that is. Thanks for the advice all, I think I knew it was going to go that route in the end, just didn't want to believe it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 21, 2021 Report Share Posted September 21, 2021 3 hours ago, Gary Flinn said: One of the repro 159640 in particular is rubbish. We bought a small batch of them to evaluate based on the fact that we would no longer be able to compete with everyone else's retails. Joe fitted one to his Vitesse and we watched it droop ever lower on it's way around the recent Auto Ecose. It's to the point now where it needs replacing with a 159654, and it only did one event! Beware anyone selling 159640HD Must be the one I had; it sagged alarmingly after only a few thousand miles and had to be replaced earlier this year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 16, 2021 Report Share Posted November 16, 2021 I fitted a canley kit swinger to the Vit6 it went so low and lower and lower ended up using courier and 1" drop block a real disaster now idea what part number it was ...long time ago and shes long sold now Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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