spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

RE: Rear Springs (long)

To: "'Pete & Caroline Phillips'" <phillipp@cfw.com>, Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: Rear Springs (long)
From: Phil Vanner <pvanner@pclink.com>
Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 11:44:30 -0500
Reply-to: Phil Vanner <pvanner@pclink.com>
Sender: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
Pete
I just asked this question since I am about to replace my rear springs. I 
have a cracked leaf.  In researching what to do to avoid just what you 
have, it looks like the options are:

Re-arch the springs you have (the new ones) You'll get the car to the 
correct height but will still have the high spring rate (stiffness.)

Pull a couple of leaves out of the new springs. My question is: How many 
and which ones? Do you have ten-leaf springs or fifteen-leaf?  I have been 
told that only ten-leaf (stiffer) springs are available but that's not 
necessarily true. The long and short leaves in the bundle have different 
effects on ride height and stiffness, so I guess experimentation is the way 
to go. On this subject, from the archives, Larry Miller has this to say:

        " I tried both the 10 and 15 leaf. Both make the car sit too high
and have very little compression.

I took the 10 leaf and removed the top three leafs and installed them
direct. This gives a softer ride but is still pretty stiff and the car 
still
sits too high. The ride is pretty good and I have not hit the bump stops 
yet
but I think it could still be a little softer.

The ride height can be adjusted by taking the removed leafs, cutting them
down, and using them as spacers between the car and the springs.

This winter I plan to start with the 10 leaf and remove the 2nd and 4th
leafs. This should soften up the ride some over removing the top 3. If I
were using the 15 leaf I think I would also remove the 6th leaf.

I plan on doing it first without using the removed leafs as spacers and if
the car sits too high I will cut them down and use them as spacers."

Frank Clarici agreed with him - I'm not sure if he's running without the 
top three or without 2 and 4, though. I would initially go without 2 and 4, 
based on this, and tune from there.  If I had 15-leafs, I would remove 2, 4 
and 6.


Mini Mania $ells a $et of comptetition $pring$ that they claim are 20% 
softer (but they couldn't say if this was softer than stock, or softer than 
what's currently available.) I am considering these. I have one good review 
of them from somebody local, if anybody else has used them, I'd love to 
hear about your experience.

Re-arch the old springs - not an option for me, as I have a broken leaf, 
but I do have a line on a used set that was replaced (his car now sits high 
also.) I'd have to bring them into the local spring place and tell them 
what I was after, and see what it would cost me.

Hope this helped

Phil

-----Original Message-----
From:   Pete & Caroline Phillips [SMTP:phillipp@cfw.com]
Sent:   Tuesday, May 25, 1999 10:18 AM
To:     Spridgets
Subject:        Rear Springs

We just replaced the rear springs in a Bugeye. The rear sits about 2 1/2
inches higher than it is susposed to. Does anyone know of a way to lower 
the
rear , short of having the springs rearched?

I think I remember a thread about this problem some time ago. Hope someone
has solved this problem.

Pete Phillips
61 Bugeye
Waynesboro, VA


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>