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Rear springs - again.


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I am thinking (seriously) of buying new rear springs for my TR3 as a 1st phase. The 2nd phase when I get enough courage, will be an attempt to fit them!

My 1st phase dilemma is which ones to get? Should I just replace with standard or go for uprated ones e.g. Moss offerings. I understand that the standard ones are on the soft side, but would the uprated ones be too hard for ordinary motoring? I recently changed the lever arm dampers to re-furbished and uprated (15 percent) dampers by Stevson Motors. As such I am inclined to go for the uprated ones.

Any advice appreciated.

Rob

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Good luck with trying to get the spring pins out then, if all else fails lift the rear of the body.

Stuart.

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Rob. When re-building my '3 I started off the uprated springs from the TR shop, because no one had any standard ones.  I found the ride was harsher that I wanted, plus the ride height was on the high side too. a couple of years later I swapped them for standard ones, which gave a great improvement in comfort, & no noticeable deterioration in road holding.

Bob

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It is quicker to remove the seats, carpets, body /chassis fixings and rear bumpers etc. The rear springs slide off easily with the back of the body lifted. It is important to fit the shock absorber before attaching the axle to the springs. I had my original springs overhauled by Jones Springs who have all the correct specifications for all types of springs. This is also a chance to add uprated bushes., and the Revington location kit on the front pin. It worked very well and the car rides very well.

New springs are a bit of a minefield and at least the original ST units are proper material. 

Richard & B

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1 hour ago, Richardtr3a said:

It is quicker to remove the seats, carpets, body /chassis fixings and rear bumpers etc. The rear springs slide off easily with the back of the body lifted. It is important to fit the shock absorber before attaching the axle to the springs. I had my original springs overhauled by Jones Springs who have all the correct specifications for all types of springs. This is also a chance to add uprated bushes., and the Revington location kit on the front pin. It worked very well and the car rides very well.

New springs are a bit of a minefield and at least the original ST units are proper material. 

Richard & B

Richard

I know you did this job quite recently as I read the posts. Can you list the necessary steps to raise the rear body? PM me if you wish. I am OK with the rest of the job as I've done everything previously i.e. new shackle bushes, shocks, drop links and bump stops, other than removing the front pin.

Rob

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I used stock springs. The uprated springs that came with my long door loosened my fillings.

 

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13 hours ago, RobTR3 said:

Richard

I know you did this job quite recently as I read the posts. Can you list the necessary steps to raise the rear body? PM me if you wish. I am OK with the rest of the job as I've done everything previously i.e. new shackle bushes, shocks, drop links and bump stops, other than removing the front pin.

Rob

Sorry I was not clear enough. The front pin has to stay in place. If you remove all the body fixings starting at the back and leaving only the bolt in the footwell near the gearbox, you can then place a short scaffolding board across the rear body under the spare well well and use a hydraulic jack to slowly lift the back of the body. After about 6" lift the outer end of the front pin will be clear of the body and you can slide the spring off sideways.. It is best to do it out in the open and leave the doors open. Take care of the packing pieces so that it goes back as it came off. Luckily I used stainless steel bolts when I fitted the body to the new chassis. a long time ago. Even when new the pin would not move. Then using new bushes and uprated  Revington location kit slide the new spring on to the pin and lower the body. Once the front end is in place fit the back end and then the shock absorber link. Finally jack up the axle until you can fit the  u-bolts and then stop for lunch.  The body is surprisingly flexible.

Good luck

Richard & B

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Rob.

Before you start on raising the body, it's worth spending some time trying the push the pin inwards, it might just move in which case the job just got a whole lot easier.  Slacken the nut on the end of the pin, then hold a strong steel bar over the end, & downwads, clear of the body, & hit it inward as hard as you can with a mallet.

if you are lucky it will start to move inwards, if so the next step is to remove the nut, screw a bolt with a washer on it into the inside end of the pin (can't remember the thread size) then use a crowbar or similar to lever the pin out further. Of  course you will have the car suitably supported at this stage.

Bob.

 

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Thanks for that Bob, I will try it. It'll also try a short length of steel tube over the head of the pin with a washer and screw in the appropriate size bolt into the pin head as per wsm. Revington recommend heating the chassis boss whilst screwing the bolt into the head and levering out.

Based on comments by yourself and others, I'll stick with new standard springs rather than uprated.

Rob

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This may be a silly suggestion, but…

Would it not be possible to leave the “Main” leaf of the spring in place (the one which connects to the chassis), remove all the others and replace them with new ones.

I can understand it would be a problem if the bushes were worn and needed replacing, but otherwise does the “Main” leaf contribute much to the springiness of the spring, or is it all the other leaves that do that?

 

Charlie

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I found getting the front pin out was mainly technique. 3 hours for the first one, trying different approaches and 30 min for the second one. Lots of sore knuckles, swearing, a few cuts interspersed with coffee seamed to do the trick. Worth a go before raising the body.

Mick

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2 hours ago, Charlie D said:

This may be a silly suggestion, but…

Would it not be possible to leave the “Main” leaf of the spring in place (the one which connects to the chassis), remove all the others and replace them with new ones.

I can understand it would be a problem if the bushes were worn and needed replacing, but otherwise does the “Main” leaf contribute much to the springiness of the spring, or is it all the other leaves that do that?

 

Charlie

That used to be a common practice on trucks when I worked for International Harvester many years ago, usually to replace a  broken leaf or two. It was a money saver but not necessarily easier bend the tabs, knock out the centerbolt and strip the springs from under the truck. Also the shackles and pins and bushings do wear out. Best to replace the whole spring.

Here is a method one fellow used on his TR3: https://triumphtr3b.wordpress.com/2018/12/03/rebuilding-the-rear-suspension-springs-on-a-triumph-tr3/    

I've not tried it but it does look promising. Jacking the body is not too hard to do either.

Tom

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5 hours ago, RobTR3 said:

Thanks for that Bob, I will try it. It'll also try a short length of steel tube over the head of the pin with a washer and screw in the appropriate size bolt into the pin head as per wsm. Revington recommend heating the chassis boss whilst screwing the bolt into the head and levering out.

Based on comments by yourself and others, I'll stick with new standard springs rather than uprated.

Rob

You do need to be very careful applying heat as you cant really get any where you need it as the tube the pin runs in is inside the box section all your heating is either end and too much heat with  whacking the pin can easily distort the chassis. The bolt size for the puller is 5/16"UNF.

Stuart.

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4 hours ago, TomMull said:

That used to be a common practice on trucks when I worked for International Harvester many years ago, usually to replace a  broken leaf or two. It was a money saver but not necessarily easier bend the tabs, knock out the centerbolt and strip the springs from under the truck. Also the shackles and pins and bushings do wear out. Best to replace the whole spring.

Here is a method one fellow used on his TR3: https://triumphtr3b.wordpress.com/2018/12/03/rebuilding-the-rear-suspension-springs-on-a-triumph-tr3/    

I've not tried it but it does look promising. Jacking the body is not too hard to do either.

Tom

Last spring I had break on a TR was through the main leaf where the clamp rubbed on it

Peter W

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2 hours ago, stuart said:

You do need to be very careful applying heat as you cant really get any where you need it as the tube the pin runs in is inside the box section all your heating is either end and too much heat with  whacking the pin can easily distort the chassis. The bolt size for the puller is 5/16"UNF.

Stuart.

Hmm, point taken Stuart. I wouldn't be comfortable with a torch near the car anyway.

Rob

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