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Measuring spring arch

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Darwin

Darwin

Jedi Knight
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I am in the process of rebuilding the rear leaf spring on my 68 spitfire. Can anyone tell me shat the arch should be and how to go about measuring it. ie: is it measured from the floor to the bottom of the spring or from the center of the bolt eyes or what?

thanks
 
The arch is measured with the leaf spring on the floor and the spring eyes on the floor (upside down for a regular style installation like a pickup truck).

You then measure form the spring pack to the floor. That's your arch measurement. If you want and extra inch of arch simply add a leaf or two and re-measure. You will need a new center bolt because you will likely ruin the old one when diassembling the spring. Plus a thicker spring pack will necessitate a new, longer center bolt.

If you car is two inches low right now, measure the arch, add enough springs to raise the arch two inches and reassemble everything.

Short leaves raise the arch but do make the spring stiffer. A long leaf will not be as effective in raising the arch but will not make the spring much stiffer.

I hope I've explained this so you can understand it...
 
Andrew,
All I have is the Haynes and it doesn't give any specs. Would you happen to have them?
 
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Looks like I owe you an apology. I didn't have my manual with me at work. Got home tonight and looked through: NOTHING on arch. I was pretty sure I remembered seeing something about that, but it must have been in the Vitesse 2L/GT6 manual, which is currently on loan to a friend and which would NOT have Spitfire info regardless.

Sorry!
 
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