Any recent experiences with rear leaf spring vendors?

[shortsguy1]

I always try to do my homework by reading existing threads, but I have not found a recent discussion of rear leaf spring quality from the various vendors. The recipient car is a 1966 BJ8. The driver's side spring is sagging and I want to have it ride closer to flat. I know I can add a leaf to my existing spring, or re-bend my springs, but after 50 years, I am comfortable retiring some old parts in favor of new ones.

Moss sells each spring (021-583) for $117 plus shipping. Reviews from several years ago suggest the ride height of the car was too high after installation of their springs. But those comments seem less frequent, so I suspect they are currently selling a better product. Their product has 5 leafs (original was 6 leafs in the BJ8).

Victoria British doesn't seem to have the greatest reputation for springs, but I have never purchased from them. Their spring (5-573) is on sale right now for $90 each plus shipping. It is a 5 leaf spring.

Denis Welch sells a 6 leaf spring for $225 which is identified as the "Correct BJ8 Spring" although ironically the picture of it on their website is clearly not correct (the one in the photo has 8 leafs and matches their "8-leaf uprated spring). With shipping to California, each DW spring will be $300 out the door. Their spring is made in England.

British Car Specialists also sells a 6 leaf spring from England, but its picture is the same as the DW 8-leaf uprated spring. Since both companies have the same wrong photo on their websites, perhaps they are both selling the same product. It costs $310 each.

There is a company called GB Springs in England that makes a Heritage Spring for the Healey (6 leafs). I have not received a price from them, but perhaps they make the springs for DW or BCS. There is also a company called Owen Springs in England that make vintage car springs. Maybe they make some of the springs sold by other vendors.

Does anyone have any opinions on those vendors I listed earlier in my post and the springs they sell currently? I don't care much if a spring has 5 leafs or 6, but I want it to be the correct spring rate and sit at the correct height for a BJ8 (even though that is higher than the earlier cars). If both were the same price, I would choose 6 leafs to simply be closer to original in appearance (the car is unrestored).

Am I missing any other vendors that are actually selling a different product from these?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

 

[DerekJ]

AH Spares UK

 

[steveg]

Not in favor of ordering something iffy like a spring from the UK, because if the part doesn't work out returning it with shipping is not cost-effective.

 

[maxwedge5281]

i just recently bought a pair from jules. at the same time i installed a utze bilstein kit on front and rear. of course the ride and stance changed a bit. i am pleased with both updates??? but really cant comment on overall improvement due to the new rear springs. my 63bj7 is a v8 conversion so weight distribution and overall weight are not stock healey!

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Yep. Your weight distribution is likely much better.

 

[John Turney]

FWIW:

• I have Moss rear springs on my BN4 that I bought ~20 years ago and they've been fine.
• DW makes good stuff; I have lots of their parts.
• BCS can sell you either Moss springs or DW springs. They carry both. Perhaps they can tell you which ones are better for your application.

 

[shortsguy1]

Thanks everyone for all the great information. I really appreciate your assistance.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

i just recently bought a pair from jules. at the same time i installed a utze bilstein kit on front and rear. of course the ride and stance changed a bit. i am pleased with both updates??? but really cant comment on overall improvement due to the new rear springs. my 63bj7 is a v8 conversion so weight distribution and overall weight are not stock healey!

I also bought new springs from Jule for my BJ8 and had them set to have my BJ8 sit level. I paid about $295 for them back that was in July 2009. Very pleased with the way they turned out.

 

[RAC68]

A while back I purchased new rear springs from Moss. Initially, the new springs raised my BJ8 Phase 1 quite High in the back and over a number of years progressively sagged to a point much lower then appropriate. After having the springs reached, the springs again followed the same height progression, started out too high and in a much shorter time dropped well below appropriate height. Frustrated and since I still had my Healey's original set of springs, I took the second leafs from the 2 Moss springs and installed then into the original 7 leaf springs. The initial height of the created 8 leaf springs were exactly where they should be and over more the 10 years of use, have not changed.

Since you have a BJ8 Phase 2, I would suggest you consider adding a 6th leaf per spring and, if you want to get new unit, I have more confidence in Jules then any other provider.

Ray (64BJ8P1)

 

[shortsguy1]

Thanks again everyone. Just a few updates. I called BCS and spoke with John in Parts. He said that Moss's leaf springs for the BJ8 are made in China and will leave the car way too high off the ground. Obviously, his opinion is unlikely to be unbiased, but I appreciated his time and information. For the record, I don't have a bias against parts made in China. Manufacturing in China is as good as required by the company who has hired them, and it is not like a leaf spring is a very complicated part. But I just wanted to pass along what he said.

I also called emailed both Jule and Moss today to get their thoughts. Marty at Jule was kind enough to want to talk with me, although we didn't actually connect via phone. I will post more here if I learn anything more.

 

[blueskies]

If you do a search, you will find several threads from the past year that detail issues with installing Moss springs in earlier cars than yours. Is this the fault of the persons attempting to install the springs, or are the springs different from the originals? Time will tell how well they work in the long run.

 

[maxwedge5281]

a couple comments on the jule springs.they were very easy ti install as the ubolts were long enough to add the botton plate and start the nuts on the bolts. none of the problems with jacks and clamps as mentioned in an earlier post. so snugging the bolts was easy. you do have to open up the hole in the bottom axle mount to 7/16th for the spring center bolt.

 

[shortsguy1]

If you do a search, you will find several threads from the past year that detail issues with installing Moss springs in earlier cars than yours. Is this the fault of the persons attempting to install the springs, or are the springs different from the originals? Time will tell how well they work in the long run.

I honestly tried to search, but haven't found the threads you are referring to. I found a few recent threads on Moss springs for Healeys where folks said they were fine. Another thread starts with a claim of a problem with Moss springs, but the springs ended up to be just fine.

Sorry to appear lazy, but could you help me find the threads you are referring to. I have used the search tool on the forum, and google, and haven't found much. Thanks.

 

[Keoke]

For the record, I don't have a bias against parts made in China. Manufacturing in China is as good as required by the company who has hired them, and it is not like a leaf spring is a very complicated part. But I just wanted to pass along what he said.

U are about to experience a rude awakening--Keoke--:highly_amused:

 

[shortsguy1]

For the record, I don't have a bias against parts made in China. Manufacturing in China is as good as required by the company who has hired them, and it is not like a leaf spring is a very complicated part. But I just wanted to pass along what he said.

U are about to experience a rude awakening--Keoke--:highly_amused:

Keoke-
Did you type that on your "Made in China" Iphone or your "Made in China" Dell computer? Or perhaps your "Made in China" Google Nexus 7? I ride bikes for a hobby, and pretty much every carbon-fiber bike frame these days is made in China, even if it has a fancy Italian brand-name painted on the side of it. China has pretty much all of the largest solar photovoltaic manufacturers. Etc. Etc. Etc. The country is clearly able to produce high quality manufacturing when required to do so. The problem lies not in where the parts are being made, but in the quality control of the company who has hired the Chinese manufacturer. If a company doesn't care about quality or puts low-cost as the main priority, of course the parts will be junk. But it isn't the country of manufacture at fault. It is either the company which hired the Chinese factory, or our throw-away society which is at fault. Okay, I will get off my soap box now. Sorry for the rant.

 

[Keoke]

MY computer is a IBM---

If the vendor went to China he most likely wasn't looking for quality,he most likely was trying to push up his sagging profit line----:friendly_wink:

 

[shortsguy1]

I spoke to Martin at Jule-Enterprises, and as others have mentioned, he is a truly quality individual. He took quite a bit of time out of his day to discuss both the rear springs as well as other issues my car may have. As others have mentioned, his springs are intended to be stiffer than stock springs, which goes well with his stiffer than stock frame that he makes. He said that could amplify some of the torsional issues that stock healeys have. He gave me a few tests to do to check out the condition of my stock frame. I plan to perform those when I get a chance, but it will be a few weeks. If my existing frame seems decent, I plan to go with his springs. If my existing frame seems weak and fatigued, I will probably have to put less stiff springs on there. Anyway, thanks to the forum members who mentioned him as a source of springs. Even though I knew of his business, it would not have occurred to me to inquire about leaf springs.

I still hope to speak to Moss (they haven't returned my email inquiry), but other than that, I think things are on hold until I get to test out the frame of my car. Thanks again everyone.

 

[blueskies]

I honestly tried to search, but haven't found the threads you are referring to. I found a few recent threads on Moss springs for Healeys where folks said they were fine. Another thread starts with a claim of a problem with Moss springs, but the springs ended up to be just fine.

Sorry to appear lazy, but could you help me find the threads you are referring to. I have used the search tool on the forum, and google, and haven't found much. Thanks.

Here are links to two threads on the topic. I'm still not sure what is going on with these springs. Should they be that hard to install? Now, with a shop full of tools and decades of mechanical experience, installing these springs is a real pain. In contrast, when a spring broke on my 100-6 back when I was 20, I installed another spring, while lying on the ground, in a short time using only a few wrenches and a big hammer. It fit as it should.

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf...rings-on-100-6-Am-I-missing-something-obvious

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?99658-Leaf-spring-length

 

[Keoke]

In contrast, when a spring broke on my 100-6 back when I was 20, I installed another spring, while lying on the ground, in a short time using only a few wrenches and a big hammer. It fit as it should.

YEP:blueskies:
But as time progresses the ground keeps movin ferther away.:highly_amused:

 

[LarryK]

If the springs are not broken, they used to take them aoart and rearc them and reassemble. I have not done this in years, but there may be someone around that still does this. They fit and work like new.