Section : Rear Axle

Rear axle, brakes, wheels and tyres.

my droopy rear end

Posted By : Kenny Jones, 14-Mar-2003, 04:13pm

I HAVE A 1500 THAT HAS A DROOPY REAR END ON DRIVERS SIDE BY ABOUT TWO INCHES .CAR HAS BEEN ON STANDS FOR THREE MONTHS FOR OTHER REPAIRS OVER WINTER BUT NOTHING AT BACK.PLEASE KEEP IT CLEAN

Followups :

my droopy rear end

Posted By : Michael Davis, 15-Mar-2003, 06:13pm

Got to be a worn rear spring would be my guess.

Any advance on that?

Mik
- my droopy rear end
  
  Posted By : Kenny Jones, 16-Mar-2003, 05:54pm
  
  THANKS MIK.AFTER THREE MONTHS OF CONVERTING TO OVERDRIVE AND DOING UP THE FRONT SUSPENSION ETC.ETC. I WAS HOPING FOR AN EASY CURE. THANKS KENNY
  - my droopy rear end
    
    Posted By : Michael Davis, 16-Mar-2003, 07:32pm
    
    Shouldnt be too hard a job, if you put the rear end up on stands, you can unbolt the spring from the suspension each end and then from the diff in the middle and pull it out sideways. Note that youll need a big space to work in (spring is almost as wide as the car and has to come out alongside it).
    
    You can hopefully do all that without having to fully disassemble the rear suspension.
    
    I have to say I've never actually tried it like that for real but I had the back end out of one of my cars a while ago and I'm pretty sure there'll be enough clearance...
    
    ...on the other hand, every spitfire I have seen leans slightly towards the drivers side...
    
    If anyone wants to disagree with me, please feel free :-)
    
    Mik
    - my droopy rear end
      
      Posted By : John Tabor, 17-Mar-2003, 11:57am
      
      Kenny,
      changing the rear spring is a simple job although the spring-eye bolts usually stick in the sleeves and have to be cut out. You'll need about 3 feet to easily get it out of the wheel-arch area. I changed mine in about 2 hours.
      HOWEVER . . if the car wasn't leaning before you did the front suspension I would suggest checking that first. On the later cars it is the front suspension that does most of the work. Slackening and re-tightening all the bolts at the front with the car on it's wheels may cure it.
      Good luck!
      - my droopy rear end
        
        Posted By : Michael Charlton, 17-Mar-2003, 03:26pm
        
        If it is the rear spring ,then make sure you buy a new one from a reputable place.
        Its so demoralising taking it all to pieces ,refitting then dropping the car down and finding no difference on ride height.
        I had this problem ,with the whole of the back end too low,fitted a new spring ,then found no difference.
        I was confident it wasn`t a faulty new spring and didn`t know where to start.
        Finished up letting Canley`s do the job,fitted another spring ,of theirs,now all is sound .
        `My` rear end no longer sags !!
        
        Mike
        
        my droopy rear end
        
        Posted By : Kenny Jones, 17-Mar-2003, 09:12pm
        
        THANKS LADS FOR ALL THE INFO. THE CAR WAS EMPTY WHEN I NOTICED THE DROOP BUT IT WAS A GOOD POINT.I WILL TRY REWORKING FRONT END AGAIN AND LET YOU KNOW.I DO HAVE AN OTHER SPRING THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE RETEMPERED BUT I WILL TAKE YOUR ADVICE AND GET A NEW ONE IF REQUIRED.CHEERS KENNY.
    - my droopy rear end
      
      Posted By : Ben Duckett, 17-Mar-2003, 12:19pm
      
      Could that be as a result of having just a driver in them?!!
      Ben
    - my droopy rear end
      
      Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 17-Mar-2003, 02:37pm
      
      I've done this job many, many times. And it is simple, you have to either remove the fuel tank or the rear backboard though to access the top of the diff, but once unbolted the spring will slide (with encouragement) out.
      
      If you have a spring ready to go on then it's a half day job, pottering aroung the car.
      
      Good luck
      NiG
      http://www.niginthecar.net