1958 Tourer Leaf Springs

[Stewart291TMM]

Hi Everyone,

More questions for you all, if you would be so kind

I stripped the leaf springs off the car last week and was thinking about renovation or replacement and a couple of questions arose.
Speaking to Jones Springs in Dudley about replacements they seemed to think the tourer should be fitted with five leaf Springs rather than the seven as shown in the picture.
I'd appreciate some thoughts on that and what the difference would be between the 5 and the 7.

Also, you can see in the picture that both springs appear to be "missing" a fixing bracket, pressumably they were they made like that? Seems strange they are both like it if not. Is this how they should be? I should have paid more attention when I took them off to make sure they go back on the right way round!
Does the addition of these brackets make the suspension firmer or somehow makes the ride more stable?

Thanks as always for your help and comments.

Stewart

[philthehill]

The two spring clamps go in front of the axle and the one spring clamp goes to the rear of the axle.
I recommend that you fit poly bushes to the spring eyes and poly pads under the metal spring locating plates.
You can have either 5 leaves or 7 leaves the working load is the same at 440 lb.
The 7 leaf spring I would suggest is slightly more flexible than the 5 leaf spring.
The thickness of the spring leaf is the main difference other than the number of leaves.
The 7 leaf spring has leaves of 7/32" thickness.
From car No: 680464 the spring comprises of 5 leaves which are 1/4" thick.

[Stewart291TMM]

The two spring clamps go in front of the axle and the one spring clamp goes to the rear of the axle.
I recommend that you fit poly bushes to the spring eyes and poly pads under the metal spring locating plates.
You can have either 5 leaves or 7 leaves the working load is the same at 440 lb.
The 7 leaf spring I would suggest is slightly more flexible than the 5 leaf spring.
The thickness of the spring leaf is the main difference other than the number of leaves.
The 7 leaf spring has leaves of 7/32" thickness.
From car No: 680464 the spring comprises of 5 leaves which are 1/4" thick.

Hi Phil,

Really appreciate your reply,
When you say the 7 leaf is more flexible do you mean that is a softer ride or maybe "bouncy" compared to the 5 leaf version?
Stewart

[philthehill]

I would not say it is a softer ride or maybe bouncy just that the 7 leaf spring with the thinner leaves will flex and absorb a bump better.

[Stewart291TMM]

I would not say it is a softer ride or maybe bouncy just that the 7 leaf spring with the thinner leaves will flex and absorb a bump better.

Thanks for that, I understand what you mean. I guess I flip a coin now!

Cheers
Stewart

[philthehill]

No problem
You could always do as I have done - remove the bottom leaf of the 7 leaf spring to give a bit more flexibility without loosing too much of the load carrying capacity. So a hybrid 6 leaf spring.

[Stewart291TMM]

No problem
You could always do as I have done - remove the bottom leaf of the 7 leaf spring to give a bit more flexibility without loosing too much of the load carrying capacity. So a hybrid 6 leaf spring.

Interesting option, didn’t realise that could be done.
Maybe start with the old seven leaf, see how that goes and drop it to six at a later stage.
Food for thought

[jaekl]

To clarify a 1958 tourer would have seven leaf springs. The five leaf springs for saloons was introduced sometime in 1959. I don't know if the early seven leaf is the same as the traveller seven leaf. Never looked into it.

[geoberni]

To clarify a 1958 tourer would have seven leaf springs. The five leaf springs for saloons was introduced sometime in 1959. I don't know if the early seven leaf is the same as the traveller seven leaf. Never looked into it.

They were different. See attached, it was December '58.
The saloon leaves changed from 7x 7/32" thickness to 5x 1/4" thick.
I've never seen a reference to the Traveller leaf thickness...
What I find curious is that all 3 springs have replacement parts for the Main and Second Leaf, but not for the remaining 3 or 5 as applicable.
Did they only ever expect, or have, breakages of the 2 top leaves...
There seems to have been a great deal of exceptions to the change over point on the saloons (680464), I haven't bothered working out the exceptions....

Spring1.JPG (81.7 KiB) Viewed 274 times

Spring 2.JPG (170.84 KiB) Viewed 274 times

Edited at 17:41 to correct my typo

[philthehill]

It does not matter if 5 or 7 leaf springs are fitted as the loading for both style of springs is the same. I would suggest that the deflection rates are different.
As regards the spring leaf breakage - only the breakage of the two top leaves would cause a serious problem as they are the main support due to their length. It is uncommon for the remaining leaves to break but it is common for the underside of the leaf above to wear at the point where the leaf below ends - at which point it is better to replace the complete spring.