Rear Springs

[duncan]

Hi Guys
The Marina rear leaf spring is a double spring - has anybody tried just using the outer "main" spring on its own?

A Marlin should end up with half the mass of a Marina - so just the outside leaf spring???

Pictures of my chassis with the NZ modifications and the floor/trans tunnel/front/rear bulkheads welded in

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Rear Springs

Not long after building mine I tried that, for about a fortnight, before reverting back. I found that going over bumps the diff. hit the top of the rear tunnel.

[duncan]

Re: Rear Springs

Not long after building mine I tried that, for about a fortnight, before reverting back. I found that going over bumps the diff. hit the top of the rear tunnel.

Excellent
did you try shortening the top leaf?

[stevejgreen]

Re: Rear Springs

A lot of the Marinas weight is over the front suspension where the cast iron boat anchor is.
There was a variety of leaf springs available on other versions of the saloon cars, estates etc. All listed, guess where!
The standard saloon spring is as suggested above about as soft as you want to go, of course adjustable shocks can reduce the speed of travel but they would be working a lot harder than designed, I recall driving on UK a roads with the top of the transmission tunnel removed, the vertical travel of the propshaft gave an indication of just how far the rear axle must be rising and falling.

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Rear Springs

Excellent
did you try shortening the top leaf?

No but I did fit new rubber bushes all round.

[boustrophedon]

Re: Rear Springs

Back in the days of Wee Beastie, I looked at having some single leaf parabolic springs custom made, it wasn't hugely expensive at the time.

[duncan]

Re: Rear Springs

I looked at my springs - they appeared to be well rusty between the leaves

So I spent an hour with a flappy disc getting the most of the rust off

I have got some teflon sheet - its for Barbeques! - and I am going to put a strip of teflon between the leaves