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Re: nose up attitude

To: Paul Jacobson <digigraf@connexus.net.au>, spitfires@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: nose up attitude
From: Atwell Haines <carbuff@nac.net>
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 21:33:11 -0500
At 06:06 PM 12/14/98 +1100, Paul Jacobson wrote:
>I did have the suspension apart to replace all the bushings with poly
bushes. I have a feeling that this is probably only part of the "problem".
I think that if the back-end was standard the front would look ok, however
the rear spring has been replaced with a MK IV unit and the wheels sit
pretty deep in the arches (possibly the rear spring is a bit tired).
Looking at the front end, I think the the guard height needs to drop about
an inch to balance things up, I'm probably going to have to fit some
lowered and uprated front springs as I can't see things are going to settle
by that much. 

Hmm, I know that US-spec Spits, from the early 70s on, had higher front
springs fitted to comply with our minimum headlight height law.  I have a
'79 sales brochure that shows a pronounced nose-up attitude as new!  I
_don't_ know if Australian cars were equipped that way.

I do know that if the rear spring is sagging, and you have re-bushed and
re-sprung the front, your car will be nose-high  for sure!  (We have a
couple like that in our local club.)  Maybe the front springs are out of
position, turned on their saddles?

Please get some verification on your country's springing before spending
lots of money, but I would look hard at that rear spring.  Can anyone else
help Paul?

>
>Also now the car is on the road the back end doesn't feel all that happy
over level crossings and similar. I've done the radius arm bushes so they
are ok. What else should I have a look at?

This could be a result of the suspension geometry being out-of-kilter
because of your ride height problem/differences.  Get the springing the way
you want it, THEN have the aligment adjusted.


Good Luck,

Atwell Haines
'79 Spitfire


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