BJ8 rear wheel well gap size

[AUSMHLY]

Hello everyone and thank you in advance for those of you who reply. I am a new Healey owner. (I can hear the room say, Welcome, like those meeting where we discuss such things). I am restoring a 64 BJ8 phase II. I've read and seen that the phase II cars rear suspension was changed. Six leaves springs, etc, resulting in about an inch higher on their wheels. Here's the question, How much clearence, inches, should there be between the rear wheel and the top of the fender opening? My clearence is much more than another 64 BJ8 phase II, I looked at last week. Is there some adjustment to set for clearence? Maybe his or my springs are new/old? I am under the impression that all the phase II cars should about the same clearence. Yes, no, what's up with that?

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Roger, welcome to the forums,
The "phase 2", after about May 1964, the one with the "dip" in the top of the frame rail is generally accepted to have a measurment from ground to wheel edge of wheel opening at center of the wheel, of 28 inches. The earlier cars are 27 inches. Variations of spring set & spring tension can have a major bearing on the height. Too high results in loss of rebound travel. Too low results in loss of compression travel. Probably better to be a bit too low than too high since at best, there is limited rebound travel.

Many of the cars have sagged in the back. There is also the chance that wrong springs have been installed resulting in too high or too low. The front should measure similarly. I doubt if an inch variation is very critical. You do see quite a few Healeys dragging their tails due to weak rear springs.
D

 

[Keoke]

HI Asumhly,Welcome to the Forum, If you place your hand on top of the tire about the middle of the wheel arch it should have about about 4 fingers worth of space between the top of the tire and the fender opening. Alternatively, if you place a rule just behind the Knock Off resting on the wheel hub,you should measure about 14" +1"-1/2" to the fender's opening. Variations in springs can cause this dimension to increase almost 1".All Phase11 BJ8 cars will probably fall in this range.---FWIW---Keoke

 

[Dave Russell]

[ QUOTE ]

Alternatively, if you place a rule just behind the Knock Off resting on the wheel hub,you should measure about 22" +1"-1/2" to thefender's opening. ---FWIW---Keoke

[/ QUOTE ]
Keoke,
Where are you getting 22"? I can't find anything that lines up anywhere near 22".
D

 

[ThomP]

28" is what I get on my '67 BJ8 with relatively new springs (3 yrs old) from Healey Haven.

 

[Keoke]

Dave you are right, Just having a Senior Moment, I had the rule reveresed in dim light, it is calibrated on both sides. the 22" figure should be corrected to: 14 Inches. the Finger dimension is ok though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif---Keoke

 

[Dave Russell]

You must have been using a yard stick.
D

 

[Bugeye58]

Ah, it was only an 8" error. Easy to make in dim light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Jeff

 

[Keoke]

[ QUOTE ]
You must have been using a yard stick.
D

[/ QUOTE ] OH MY GOSH NO!, I Used one of those seamstress kind with the brass tips on the end,don't want to scratch the chrome hub you know.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[AUSMHLY]

Dave, and others that have input, thank you. I measured the distance, inline with the knock on, from the ground to the bottom of the wheelwell opening. It measures 29 3/4 inches. I thought it looked too high. OK guys, how or what do I do to correct that? I would like to close the gap between the tire and fender. Is new leaf springs the answer? If so, any recommendations from whom to purchase?

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Roger,
With the car sitting so high, a good part of the axle rebound travel is eliminated & the ride & handling will be pretty choppy.

If the springs are new, they might settle a bit with time. Probably not enough though. If the spring rate is correct but the arch is just too high, a spring shop could re-arch the springs to a lower setting. If the spring rates are too stiff for the car, removing a leaf or even two should help.

I have found this situation to be a problem with replacement Healey springs. I hesitate to suggest a suitable replacement.

You can get an idea about spring rates by putting your full weight on the rear bumper & bouncing the car. 200 pounds of weight should bounce the car down about 1/2 to an inch. If the car doesn't move this far, the spring rate is too high & a leaf or two could be removed. The remaining leaves should be shortened proportionately.

If it does move, then the rate is ok & the arch needs to be decreased.

Check around for a spring shop that understands the problem & work with them. They can alter the springs without even having to remove the main leaf, shackles, & front mounts.
D

 

[Keoke]

Ausmhly, It could be that the car has a set of overarched springs.But you have not indicated if the existing springs aappear to be new or old .I think springs from most of the common suppliers come out of the same bin.But current items seem to be more in line with the specifications.A possible temporary solution is to remove the second leaf from the bottom in each spring and see how the car settles after being driven for a bit.Also look at the frame where it dips under the axel and make sure there is no obvious damage there.--FWIW---Keoke
Somthing is still bothering me here Frank. What size tires are on the back of the car and did you measure both sides?

 

[Greg]

I just installed a set of new springs in my BJ8. I purchased them from Jule in Canada. He supplies them in a couple of ride heights. I bought the set that he said would lower the car a little, which on my car was about 1/2". So far I am very happy with them. I also put a 1/2" spacer under the passenger side spring block to lower it so it matched the 1/2" of sag on the drivers side (which remained even with the new springs). To me the car now looks just right.

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Greg,
I did exactly the same on my BN2 front springs. It seemed to me to be a much "safer" way to get things just the way I wanted them, rather than taking a chance with new & unknown front springs. If you start measuring the corner heights, they may come out uneven, but having the bumpers parallel to the ground gives the appearance of everything being level. Sometimes the bumpers can be raised or lowered on one side to give a level appearance. I messed around with springs & bumpers until everything "looks" right.
D

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hi Greg, how do I get intouch with Jule in Canada? I'd like to discuss this with them.

 

[Greg]

AUSMHLY,

The Jule phone number is (905)854-3555. I think that I talked to Martin. He is very helpful.

Greg

 

[DerekJ]

I believe that Dennis Welch supplies a line of BJ8 springs that make the car sit correctly. I got to say that the BJ8 ride height is pretty ugly...sorry guys!

Derek
www.healeysix.net

 

[Keoke]

[ QUOTE ]
I believe that Dennis Welch supplies a line of BJ8 springs that make the car sit correctly. I got to say that the BJ8 ride height is pretty ugly...sorry guys!

Derek
www.healeysix.net

[/ QUOTE ] Not if you know how to set the springs up right.---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/patriot.gif