Rear Springs Yet Again

[MrIan]

Hi all, i've posted about my rear springs before but I was asuming my problem was with my old Spax Shocks as to why the rear end felt so solid.
Now i've been having a think and noticed that the rear shackle on the leaf springs is pointing forwards from the rear spring eye ( as in the spring looks like it's compressed and hence longer than it should be). The rear spring eye also looks very very close to the chassis rail which when driven over a bump looks like it would contact.
I would have thought the rear shackle would be pointing forwards from it's chassis mount or at least straight down but certainly not backwards to meet the spring. The springs are 7 leaf and Boris is a 1959 so might they very well be original ?
He appears to have plenty of clearance from axle case to bump stop mind you but as the shackle is pointing rearwards to meet the spring I doubt there's much room for movement before chassis contact with the rear spring eye.
Any thoughts?

[bmcecosse]

7 leaf springs will be a bit harder .. Take the dampers off _ how is it now? The springs are also posibly rusted up .. Clean them.

[kennatt]

its the classic sign that the springs have flattened,and need changing or retempering,its possible to fit longer rear shackle plates as a temp measure but the cure is as above.

[panky]

It also sounds like you need to replace the spring eye bushes, polly ones are cheap and easy to fit.

[MrIan]

I have some new rubber bushes at the moment so I might as well strip and clean the springs and use the bushes I have for now. I'll first remove the dampers to see what it's like as at the moment you need to put a hell of a lot of pressure on it to bounce it. It really feels solid.

[panky]

There should be enough room for the spring to come up against the bump stop without the shackle going running out of travel, my guess is the you dampers have indeed seized up

[bmcecosse]

If sitting on the bump stops _ it will be ! You can cut 1.5" off the stops...

[MrIan]

I'm sure it's not on it's bump stops, well at least it wasn't a few weeks ago as I was trying to adjust the spax dampers to find the adjusters were goosed. I was assuming they were set on the hardest setting as the rear is so solid. I'll have a look at it all over the weekend. I have noticed that B.M. are doing complete rear spring kits for less than £100.. so that might be the way to go if springs are tired.

[kennatt]

ah so you have non standard dampers well you can guess what's coming next

[MrIan]

ah so you have non standard dampers well you can guess what's coming next

Yes i've read the forum over the past month or so!!!!!
I know it's frowned upon by many but my excuse is they were on Boris when I bought him, on saying that mind you i've never had any trouble with Spax dampers in the past and these adjusters with one being siezed and the other turning without doing anything is new to me. I did order 2 replacement telescopic oil dampers from E.S.M but obviously the tele damper kit they do is different to the kit on Boris hence the new dampers were too short (mini front dampers were sent). So those are destined for my mini project .
I shall make a closer inspection over the weekend !!!

[MrIan]

Well I've had a quick look and there's what looks like 2" clearance at the bump stop yet there's been contact between the rear spring eye and the chassis to inner wing weld flange. So maybe duff bushes. Will check later.

[kennatt]

Well I've had a quick look and there's what looks like 2" clearance at the bump stop yet there's been contact between the rear spring eye and the chassis to inner wing weld flange. So maybe duff bushes. Will check later.

NO if that's the case it is DEF flattened springs NOT bushes,only solution as previously posted,NEW springs.Unless the damage is from older springs which have now been replaced. You can normally hear the clunk if the rear shackle hits the chassis.The rear shackle should ideally point very slightly to the rear on good springs.

[bmcecosse]

I assume you jacked it under the axle .......

[MrIan]

Didn't jack it up, just got on floor and had a look to see how it was sitting. Shackles are pointing back from the chassis to meet the spring eye and as I say there are corresponding marks on the weld flange and the spring eye confirming contact. I'll get it jacked up and continue the examination !!!!!!

[ManyMinors]

It is also possible that the rear chassis has been repaired around the area of the shackle and simply not shaped correctly to allow the shackle to move freely. Not uncommon on Minors. Some photos would help of course.

[MrIan]

The car did go through with a previous owner a complete restoration years ago and has again been repaired since by a later owner. There obviously has been repairs in the chassis to inner wing section so I'll sort some pictures as I was thinking the flange might be too big.

[MrIan]

Looks like someone else has had the same trouble with the rear spring eye........ http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?p=295196

[MrIan]

Well after a good look on the internet at rear spring / shackle pictures and also taking into account the look/condition of my springs it's looking like my springs have settled a bit too much (as mentioned early on in the thread). So I'm going to treat Boris to new 7 leaf springs with poly bushes.

[bmcecosse]

Good plan!

[MrIan]

Getting on with the new 7 leaf rear springs, found that a previous owner had poly bushed the shackles but the front leaf spring bush was not only rotten rubber but only half was left, the inner half just wasn't there at all ??
The springs that I'm removing are so weak I can compress them a good couple of inches by hand.
So a more than worthwhile job.