TR2/3/3A TR3 Rear Spring Question

Okay, so while I'm working on the rear suspension of the 59 TR3, I notice one of the "bands" that hold the leaf together is bent. Actually, the same one is bent on both springs.




Even though the springs have worked well for 20 years, I decided I should "fix" it. Took a big pair of Channel Lock pliers and squeezed it together. It, of course, promptly snapped in half.






I decided to leave well-enough alone on the other side. So, now the question is: Do I need to replace the leaf spring? Considering the horror stories I've read about trying to remove leaf springs with the body still in place, I'd rather avoid that if at all possible.

Any advice appreciated.


Mark

The rear leaf springs on my 1958 TR3A did well for 135,000 miles from new. Those clips on mine had gaps too. You get the gap because the leaves rub together and cause the rubbing surfaces to wear and/or rust as they flex with age. so the leaves get thinner and weaker and this causes the gaps. Mine were 42 years old. I suffered from a sort of "sashay" up and down on one side when I was driving on a smooth road with gentle rolling dips. Two of the leaves had become so thin, they had broken.

I suggest that for the price of new leaf springs that you replace them like I had to do. Since then, I've driven 45,000 miles on the new ones.

The one with the extra pad goes on the passenger's side in North America (on a LH steering TR).

Easy enough to replace the clips without removing the springs. Get some flat steel at the local hardware store and bend it to shape.

When they serviced the springs on my motorhome, the local spring shop left the new clip in a U-shape, then drilled the legs and added a spacer and through-bolt to close it.

Has anyone here tried gaitors for their springs? Considering the dust/sand in my local area it could save a lot of wear.

Don Elliott said:

I suggest that for the price of new leaf springs that you replace them like I had to do. Since then, I've driven 45,000 miles on the new ones.

Click to expand...

I'm not opposed to buying a new set of leaf springs -- the originals are 50 years old, so they've served well. However, everything I've heard or read rank removing the rear leaf springs with the body still on the car as slightly more difficult than brain surgery. In his book, Roger Williams essentially says it's impossible to do with the body on.

Did you replace your rear springs with the body on the frame? How did that go?

TR3driver said:

Easy enough to replace the clips without removing the springs. Get some flat steel at the local hardware store and bend it to shape.

When they serviced the springs on my motorhome, the local spring shop left the new clip in a U-shape, then drilled the legs and added a spacer and through-bolt to close it.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips. I'll give fabricating a new clip a try.

One thing to do on rear leaf springs is to service them once a year. As mentioned the leaves rub/slide together. Because of this, they need to be oiled. You can use any oil really, even used motor oil. Just get a pump type oil can end squirt oil along each joint. They will work better, and last longer.

In 2000, I replaced my rear springs. I didn't try to remove the long bolts that hold the front end of the springs just to the rear of the "B" posts. I kne they were solidly there from new. I knew this because they were solidly in place in 1990 when I did the reastoration of my 1958 TR3A. But at that time, the body was off - so no problem.

So in 2000, when I had the new springs in hand (the local Montreal sports car parts supplier had 5 pairs in stock - Made in UK), I removed the rear bumperettes and 12 bolts that secure the body to the frame. This took about an hour as all my nuts and bolts are stainless steel. Then I pushed my rolling jack under the raer of the car and lifted the body about 10" at the rear. I lifted against the bottom of the well for the spare wheel. This gave me enough space to slide the springs off the front bolts that were solidly in the frame.

As we say up here in French Canada "Voila".

BTW the RHS rear spring broke when I was seven miles from home. That was near the end of my trip back from VTR in Portland Oregon, a total drive of 7225 miles. I lead a charmed life.

Now you know the rest of the story.