Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Changing rear springs - 1972 4/4 4seat

As I'm bored,and in lockdown I thought I'd document my spring change.

Planned work is as follows:

Change worn 7 leaf springs to 4 leaf.
Re-furbish Armstrong dampers, and swap to SSL Adjustable valves.
Fit Panhard Rod
Make some bump stop brackets
Make a bash plate for the tank by the handbrake compensator
Change old brake hose to braided (might as well while I'm in there!)

I think I have everything I need - new bolts/washers and spacers from MR. new springs from BCC, new U Bolts from SiFab, Valves and Rod from SSL, Bump Stops from Alfaholics, some strip steel and a couple of big G Clamps!

Been dosing all the accessible bolts with WD40 over the last week or so. Springs have been soaking in oil for days.

I've been dodging in and out between showers over the last couple of days. So far I have removed all the interior trim, and removed/cleaned/refurbed the connecting brackets between the damper arms and the U-Bolts.

The photos show the current fitting. The drivers side (first photo) looks very odd. Testimony again to the previous mechanic! Think I'll need to knock something up on the lathe....

Also signs that there's been a mouse at work at some point in its history

Somebody is going to be a busy chap. Looking forward to seeing the transformation.

PS – Don’t forget the when you make those brackets the springs are around 5 to 6 degrees off the horizontal.

Looking forward to updates in due course.

Is it really time for Spring cleaning?

While you have it right there will you be fitting a steel protection plate to the tank to stop the handbrake mounting punching into it in the event of a rear end shunt? ..... will be doing mine as it gets rebuilt ....I'm just going to epoxy a square plate to the tank unless anyone has a better solution.

Looking forward to the panhard rod fitting

K

Front wheels chocked, back wheels off, Axle stands and back up Axles stands in place. Downpour.....

Got some WD40 on the Armstrong bracket nuts. Having a closer look - they are a mixture of hexhead, and cross slotted mushroom head bolts. These mushroom head things are all over the car - I think the previous owner had shares in the company. They are the work of the devil, as the cross head is difficult to get a purchase on, and you can't get a set of Mole grips on them. Needless to say, they won't be going back on!

Yep - in the list at the top - Bash Plate for tank Going to do exactly that - epoxy an L shape plate on.

I've read that the 4 leaf might move the axle back a bit, so may have to trim10mm of the Compensator Bracket holder on the axle if that's the case.

I'd get rid of those mushroom slotted bolts too ....they're what people use when they only have their local hardware shop for fasteners..... they'll have the tensile strength of cheese and shouldn't be used anywhere structural ..... replace with hex head of a decent strength if possible .

Looking forward to your progress ..... makes me appreciate having big sheds after all the years of working out in the elements ....far too old to be doing stuff like digging down through the snow so I could wriggle under cars on my drive !

K

A few years back I had to change the starter motor on a Landrover at 5.30am in the snow so I could get to work.......

Forecast is looking good from tomorrow onwards. A couple of hours or so a day and a good weekend at it should see her done. Waiting for the steel for the bash plate to arrive, and the new braided rear hose so no rush!

I guess you both have seen this article
http://www.morganownersclub.com.au/Rear%20End%20Collision%20Risk.pdf