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Re: Front Spring Shortening

To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Front Spring Shortening
From: Joe Curry <spitlist@gte.net>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 00:47:04 -0400 (EDT)
I highly recommend taking it to a spring shop and tell them what you want
done.  They will take the
spring apart and using a very large press
straighten each leaf to your desired arch.  THen they will reassemble the
spring and if any of the
bumper pads are missing or damaged, they will
replace them.  It is an easy task if you have the right tools and therefore
won't cost much.

Regards,
Joe

Ron Deaver wrote:
>
> Joe (and others out there),
>
> I like the idea of "dearching" the spring vs blocking it.  I feel really
> silly, but I am not sure what is meant by dearching the
> spring.  Ironically, I have the entire rear suspension on my garage floor
> and am about to put a new spring into my lil brown 1980.  This would be an
> ideal time to set the spring correctly.  I picked up KYB shocks for the
car
> as well.
>
> Is dearching just a matter of removing the metal strapping that is
> installed around 3 or 4 points along the spring?  Where might one find a
> FAQ on how to go about this dearching technique, instead of going the
route
> of blocking the top of the diff?
>
> Ron Deaver
> 1980 Lil Russet Brown Spit
> Issaquah, WA
>
> At 01:18 PM 5/16/01 -0400, you wrote:
>
> >Luke,
> >This process requires inserting a block (usually made of aluminum between
> >the diff and the spring.  You
> >will have to increase the length of the studs
> >to compensate for the extra spacer you add.
> >
> >The effect is pretty much the same as dearching the rear spring without
> >making it flat.  The higher
> >spring will have the effect od dropping the rear
> >of the car equivalent to the thickness of the spacer.  It also increases
> >negative camber by drawing the
> >top of the vertical links inward in
> >relationship to the axles.
> >
> >This practice seems to be more common in Europe than in the US.  Most
people
> >just dearch the spring to
> >the desired height.  I prefer the dearch
> >technique because it puts less stress on the studs that hold the spring
to
> >the diff.
> >
> >Joe
> >
> >Luke Lewis wrote:
> > >
> > > Does anyone have a definition of "Blocking the rear spring up an
inch"?
> > > (And does 70,000 miles of sagging count as de-arching?)
> > >
> > > luke
> > > '71 Mk IV "Fireball" - in need of some _cheap_ projects for this
summer!
> > >
> > > >
> > > > This is a quote from Tim Suddard, the founder and editor of
Grassroots
> > > Motorsports Magazine, creator of the Roto-Spit, and generall all
around
> > > Spitfire racer nut.
> > > >
> > > > Take some GT-6 springs, cut a coil, and wrap them around
> > > >  Konis if you've got bucks (and KYBs if you have no bucks)
> > > >  and you will be happy up front. De-arch the rear spring,
> > > >  block it up an inch and use the same rear shocks. Top it all
> > > >  off with 1" Addco front anti-roll bar and no rear anti-roll
> > > >  bar along with decent 185-60x13" tires on six inch wide
> > > >  wheels and you will have one mean little Spitfire!!
> > > >
> > > > Having cut coil springs myself, I would say go ahead and cut them
with a
> > > torch if you have it, or a hacksaw if you must.  You will hear
hysteria
> >over
> > > the notion of using a torch, it's poppy-cock and bull feathers.  The
torch
> > > will heat up no more then 2" of the coil metal.  That will flatten,
but
> >that
> > > also helps it to distribute the load to the perch.  If a coil is
straight
> > > cut, it places a very high focused load on the perch.
> > > >
> > > > >>> Larry Elswick <sos@kymtnnet.org> 05/15 1:04 PM >>>
> > > >
> > > > What are the do's and don't's for
> > > > cutting coils from the springs to
> > > > lower the height of the car. Thanks!

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