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Re: [Spits] Rotoflex vs Early axle length

To: Todd Bermudez <red_tr250@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Spits] Rotoflex vs Early axle length
From: Barry Schwartz <v6spitfireguy@cox.net>
Date: Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:02:11
Todd,
First off, if the axles are truly sliding type, then it would appear that
whoever had the car before had the truly independent suspension of the
rotoflex car in there - that is to say that the suspension has the lower
wishbones and uprights of a MK2 or early MK3 GT6.  This would be almost
identical to the setup that I have on my Spitfire, which is a MK2 GT6
rotoflex, with TR6 sliding type axles, and heavy duty SWING SPRING.  You
would not want to use a camber compensator on this type of suspension (not
sure if it would even fit with the lower wishbones anyway).  The axle
length is actually in between that of the early Spitfires (MK1-3, and that
of the later 1500)  The early Spitfires and MK1 GT6 had a rear track of 48
inches, the GT6 rotoflex had a rear track of 49 inches, and the Spitfire
1500 and late GT6 (Swing Spring) had a track length of 50 inches.  If in
fact you have sliding (rotoflex) type suspension like mine the best thing
to use if you leave in the sliding type axles is a swing spring for a GT6
as well.
The sliding axles MUST have the lower wishbones to retain the hub uprights
in place.  
As a foot note, all rear springs, fixed, Swing, early, late, etc that fit
the Spitfire/GT6 range, no matter what year, type, or rate, are the same
length.  There are no long or short springs.  There are different rate
springs, and contrary to popular belief, the spring rate is actually softer
in the GT6 (for the boulevard ride that Triumph was trying to achieve)
there wasn't that much weight difference in the weight over the rear axles
from the Spitfire, the weight was mostly that big six up over the front
axle - There are however long or short axles -
So the short answer is that if you want to use a camber compensator on this
car - you will have to replace the axles and uprights with early
Spitfire/GT6 uprights and solid axles with a fixed spring-
And of course you all know how I feel about that :-)

*********************************************************************

>Just did what I said I wouldn't & bought another
>car...a '72 GT6 with some interesting things in it. 
>It has an A-Type TR6 transmission in it(I'll be
>keeping that) but it also has a set of sliding axles
>that the PO had made years ago.  Apparently, he was
>tearing up his rotoflex donuts so he had these custom
>machined.  I plan on using them if at all possible. 
>My question is since I have a MK1 GT6 with fixed
>axles, should I be concerned with the length of the
>sliding axles?  I mean would the over all length of
>the rotoflex axles be the same as the fixed
>(early/late) axles?  I was planning on using these
>sliding axles WITH the camber compensator...anyone see
>any issues?

Barry Schwartz
La Mesa, CA (San Diego)
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