Trevor,
The purpose is to retain the springs in relative alignment to each
other, should all else fail. They are also real handy when re-assembling
leaf springs.
There should be a rubber bush inside each one to stop the rattles that
would otherwise occur. In your case, it sounds like the rubber may be
perished (they do that, given time).
It's possible to replace the rubber linings, but because of the age of
the retainers, most times the tabs that hold them in place break when
folded back, so you end up getting new retainers anyway.
DON'T attack the springs with a welder, unless you are prepared to
dis-assemble teh spring pack, removed the welded spring and have it re
tempered. The localized heat will weaken that leaf around the area of
the weld, the size of the area will depend on the amount of heat and
duration.
Welding on any spring is a desperation measure, that should be
undertaken only by a pro with the proper facilities, and then only if
there is now other way to repair the spring.
In any case, the spring pack retainers being loose has no real
detrimental effect, other than the annoyance of any rattling.
Rick Morrison
72 MGBGT
74 Midget
On Tue, 04 Aug 1998 02:57:17 -0400 Trevor Boicey <tboicey@brit.ca>
writes:
>Those square metal boxes that go around the leaf springs,
>what is supposed to be holding them where they are?
>
> On my newly-finished B, most of them are free to rattle
>around and obviously doing nothing. How should I fasten
>them?
>
> At risk of being a DPO, I find it hard to stop myself
>from reaching for the welder to tack them in place.
>
>
>--
>Trevor Boicey, Ottawa, Canada.
>tboicey@brit.ca, http://www.brit.ca/~tboicey/
>
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