Hi,
My Spit has leaned left for 20+ years. I've replaced the rear spring and
all four shocks. I've swapped the front springs from left to right. The
left side remains an inch lower than the right. However, it steers
straight and tires wear evenly. It seems to be something engineered into
the cars to frustrate Spitfire owners.
Art Fournier
-----Original Message-----
From: Terry L. Thompson [SMTP:tlt@digex.net]
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 11:19 AM
To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Leans to the left
I had a lean on my car for close to 4 years now. About 2 years ago, I had
the rear spring replaced due to the notorius spring sag that plagues
spitfires.
At the time, I was told that the rear spring looked fine, but I told them
to
change it anyhow (i'd already bought the new one, and the old one was off
of
the car.) And they remarked that the leaning was just a spitfire
characteristic.
With the new spring in place, I still had a pronounced lean to the driver's
side, about 1 to 2 inches difference between driver and passenger sides
(especially if you parked on a slightly graded surface sloping toward the
driver's side.) My friend's commented that my car had a "Gangsta Lean" to
it.
Last month I replaced the front shocks and coils with a set of Carreras,
and
to my surprise, no more driver's side sag. It looks like it was the front
left coil that was shot all along. The coil had recently become so degraded
that my tires would scrape the wheel wells going over speed-bumps, inclines
or dips in the road.
I would 'bounce' the front end of your spitfire and see if you get a nice
stiff single return to that side, and even if you do get a decent return,
I'm convinced that those of us with more girth (I'm pushing about 207),
might need a stiffer than stock suspension.
The only thing I haven't replaced in my spitfire now, is the transmission.
And guess what is starting to act up now? (Do Spitfires have a 24 year old
warranty? I'm starting to feel like mine just ran out.)
Terry L. Thompson
'76 Spit 1500
Maryland
----- Original Message -----
From: <SMatson802@aol.com>
To: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, August 07, 2000 10:33 AM
Subject: Leans to the left
>
> While I am typing, I may as well visit this issue as well.
> Viewing my '71 from the rear, I can see a pronounced leaning to the port
side
> of the HMS Spitfire. On recall, I seem to have seen a number of
> questions/comments on that topic, but, because I didn't realize that I
cared,
> I didn't read any of them.
> My front spring has a spring spacer installed by PO that looks to raise
about
> an inch or less. I still have a list to the left. At the risk of asking
you
> to repeat yourselves, what are we dealing with here.
> Thanks in advance,
> Steve M
>
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