I, too am planning on making the first autocross of the season. That
would be the weekend of the 21st and 22nd of April here in the
Northlands. This weekend I started on the rear spring replacement.
Removed left spring, no trouble once I pried the roll bar away from
the front bolt head. (On the Spridget the two front spring mount
bolts go through the floor just inboard of the roll bar feet.) The
front mounting plate must be removed because the crossbolt fits up
inside a box recessed into the body and cannot be reached. Trying to
separate the plate from the spring is the problem. The front spring
bushing is rubber with a steel inner sleeve which is a close fit for
the 3/8" shoulder bolt which acts as crossbolt. When the bolt and
sleeve rust together, you cant get a grip on the sleeve to break it
loose because it is inside: 1. The eye of the spring. 2. The outer
steel sleeve of the bushing. 3. The rubber between the inner and
outer sleeves. I had one spare spring which I knew to be sagging.
Wonder of wonders, the bolt broke loose and came out. In fact, it was
remarkably clean. Since this was the spring that was actually on the
car when I got it, I had high hopes for the right spring. No way.
Some enterprising person had WELDED the threaded end of the bolt!
Maybe the thing had gotten stripped some where along the line. The
plate I had taken out of the left side had been soaking in penetrating
oil for 18 hours by now, so I took another shot at separating it. No
luck. I backed out the screw half way, springing the bracket open,
put a bigger socket over the bolt head, put the whole mess in my big
vise and tried to press the sleeve off. No way. I gave up and
hacksawed the bolt. Since the new springs come with bushings, all I
really need to buy is a new shoulder bolt. The other little problem
on the right is the rear bolts on the plate. These go through the
plate up into threaded blocks welded to the top side of the floorpan
behind the bulkhead. These two were frozen and had been sheared off
years ago by someone. That's right, I have been autocrossing without
them. With new springs and my new Yokos instead of the
concrete-compound tires I used to use this does not sound like a good
idea. I was able to drill them out and tap the blocks for new bolts.
My left arm may be sore for week after supplying all the end thrust
needed to drill under the car. Makes me wish I had Roger's lift :-)
to get the car higher. While I'm at it, I'll replace all bolts in
the front plates on both sides. Wouldn't want to shear those babies in
a hard corner... BTW, the bushing problem is something seen before
when I changed the rear shocks on a Fairmount wagon, so it is not just
a Britcar problem. phile@pwcs.stpaul.gov
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Login name: phile In real life: Philip J Ethier
Phone: 298-5324
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