Rear leaf springs.

[olonas]

I am fitting new rear leaf springs, not removed them yet.
Is this another aftermarket parts issue with the front pin and plate?
The existing pin fits into the plate with the end flush to the surface of the plate.
I have attached images of the new pins and plates that I intended to fit. The images don't show it particularly well but the large end of the pin only enters the plate partially and protrudes. I'm reluctant to use these and also don't wish to start filing out the hole to accomodate.

rear pin 1.jpg (110.65 KiB) Viewed 1408 times

rear pin 2.jpg (106.47 KiB) Viewed 1408 times

[philthehill]

The amount of protrusion does not matter. What does matter is that the shoulder on the other end of the pin has a hard contact against the inner face of the spring mounting bracket.
The sides of the large hole in the detachable plate should be parallel right through. The head of the pin should go right through the plate using no more than hand pressure.

[olonas]

That's exactly what I thought Phil.
There's no way they fully enter the hole in the plate. I'll take a picture of the hole in the plate which, I think, is wrong.

[olonas]

front pin 3.jpg (141.51 KiB) Viewed 1368 times

front pin 4.jpg (154.41 KiB) Viewed 1368 times

metal plate.jpg (44.06 KiB) Viewed 1368 times

I've pinched a picture from ESM which shows the difference and what the hole should be like.
There's no way the large diameter of the pin will pass through the hole in the plate. It only enters partially.

[philthehill]

Having tried several pins through several plates I can confirm that the head of the pin will pass right through the aperture of the plate with no more than hand pressure.
If the pins will not do the above then they should be sent back for a refund.
This is not the first time the problem of pin to plate interference/fit has been reported on this forum.
Quality control seems to be a dirty word currently .

[olonas]

Agreed. Thanks for that.
For anyone changing their rear springs I have always found that supporting the car, as shown in the pictures, has worked perfectly with no damage to either the car or person. Of course the body needs to be sound!
I do place a trolley jack on each side, under the chassis rail in front of the hanger, as a back up. Can be seen to the right of the first picture.

support 2.jpg (124.29 KiB) Viewed 1320 times

support 1.jpg (110.37 KiB) Viewed 1320 times

[olonas]

Further to the above, I've received plates and pins from E.S.M. and they have exactly the same issue as those in my original post.
I will be contacing them for comments and will be returning them for refund.
It would appear that these parts are sourced from the same place where they are being manufactured incorrectly. I suspect the pins are correct but not the plates?

[neilmorey]

I had the same issue, ESMs response was that all the parts were the same. Disappointingly they didn't seem to consider that all the parts in stock being a poor fit as a problem.

It didn't take too long but I put the pin in a drill and rubbed it down with wet & dry until it fitted properly.

viewtopic.php?p=676541#p676541

[olonas]

Thanks for that Neil and the link. I am not alone in my dilemma!
Below is a copy and paste of the reply I received from E.S.M. to my query re these plates and pins.
"Thanks for your email. The plates haven’t changed since the photos were taken online, they are all from the same manufacturer. The pin will locate further in once its fitted on the car, but it needs to be wound in fully in order for it to be correctly seated."

[philthehill]

A non answer!!
The shoulder of the pin must pull up hard against the inner face of the spring hanger bracket. If it is not allowed to because of the incorrect hole in the plate the pin will not be secure.
If the head of the pin cannot be easily pulled through the plate there is a good chance that the sides of the spring hanger bracket will be distorted leading to a stress point and in the long term the possibility of the bracket cracking.
The plates that I have are genuine BMC NOS and the head of the pin can be pressed through the plate with hand pressure.
Below is a genuine BMC NOS plate with a (standard dia) after market pin head, the head of the pin can pass through the plate with hand pressure.
Note:- The front pin has been modified to accept a J2/J4 Metalastic bush mounted on a modified high tensile cap headed bolt.

rear spring plate..JPG (1.01 MiB) Viewed 1217 times

Rear spring front bush.JPG (978.98 KiB) Viewed 1153 times

Rear spring front bush.JPG (978.98 KiB) Viewed 1153 times

[olonas]

Thanks Phil. I have done what Neil did. Clamped the pin in a pillar drill chuck and used emery tape, wrapped along a flat file, and "eased" the pin. They now just pass through the hole in the plate using a bit of hand pressure.
The pins and plates, still fitted to the car, look to be in very good condition, no rust or corrosion at all. I hope to re-use those in preference to this aftermarket stuff!
It will be interesting to see how, not "eased", pins fit into the old plates.
Your picture is exactly what I see under the car (except for that centre hole in the pin). Hence my pin face being flush comment.

[olonas]

On measuring the larger diameter of the pin, unmodified, it's 1".125 in Imperial. Which I would suggest, at 1 and one eighth inches is probably the correct size. To fit properly in the plate I have reduced that diameter to 1"118, i.e. a total reduction of 7 thou.
I would further suggest that the hole punched in the plate is the offender. Are the manufacturers possibly using Metric tooling for that?

[olonas]

Just completed one side. It would appear that the new plates are the issue here.
It all came apart without any drama and the old pin came out of the plate. I left the plate insitu and tried a new, unreduced, pin and it went into the plate perfectly with the shoulder at the threaded end hard up against the inner face of the hanger.
I contemplated using the old pin, it is in v. good condition, but decided on a new one.
It was a bit of a pig lining up the top pad and plate in the axle. I've used polyurethane pads and bushes.
The new U bolts came with Nyloc type nuts. Used "normal" nuts and lock nuts in preference.
Strangely the old U bolts had U.N.F. threads. The new, B.S.F..

[philthehill]

I find that keeping everything loose allows a bit of wiggle room to allow for centring of the axle spring bracket against the poly pads and spring plates. Once the axle is located everything can be tightened.
If the 'U' bolts had UNF threads then the 'U' bolts have been replaced once already. The original thread was BSF with BSF half nuts for locking.