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Re: [6pack] Spring spacer question

To: Sally or Dick Taylor <tr6taylor@webtv.net>
Subject: Re: [6pack] Spring spacer question
From: Robert Lang <lang@isis.mit.edu>
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:56:28 -0500 (EST)
On Wed, 19 Nov 2008, Sally or Dick Taylor wrote:

> Dave---The placement of the spacer should be under the spring. I think 
> the reason for this is so the spacer can't fall out, when the suspension 
> goes into droop. This is rarely the case, as most of the springs we use 
> are of sufficient length to keep this from happening. It's easy enough 
> to check, tho. When all parts are stacked back in place, including the 
> shock absorber, let the trailing arm hang free to see if the spring is 
> still under tension. (It should be). Check by seeing if you can pop out 
> the spring, using a large screwdriver.

All "good stuff", as usual Sir Richard.

Just as a point of information, some of the really stiff rear springs are 
short. So short that they can fall out at full droop (with the shock arm 
resting on the lower bump stop). Well, they don't fall out, but they do 
get cockeyed in the little pocket on the trailing arm or they get 
cock-eyed in the upper spring perch. There aren't many bad outcomes in all 
this except I have seen the springs knacker the upper spring perch and I 
have found fret mark on the trailing arms where the springs were obviously 
rubbing against the pocket sides.

But in all cases these are extreme lowering springs with big rates.  I 
have some 600 pounders that fall out when I jack the car up, but they 
never fall out while the car weight is on them. I think the free length of 
those springs is well under 8", but if you think about it - a 600 pound 
spring only compresses about an inch (assuming corner weights of 500 - 600 
pounds) under load, so they have to start out pretty short otherwise you 
change the ride height. Possibly a lot.

FWIW, the springs I have in my race car are TriumphTune 4215A (I think).

I sometimes tie-wrap the top of the spring to the upper spring perch to 
help the springs seat on thier own, but I don't always do this, so I have 
to re-seat the springs each time the car goes up on stands and is then 
lowered to the ground... pretty much every time I run the car I have to do 
this. It's a pain, but my excuse is that it's close to exercise which my 
doctor says I don't do enough of.

:-)

> Dick

regards,
rml
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Solo Chair 2008       TR6 40 F Prepared        |  Triumph!
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