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Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A New Leaf springs.

The question was. Leave as delivered or hammer the clips down to the leaf.

To the original question - and I think you are on the right direction with Eaton Detroit Springs webpage, here is a post I made elsewhere on whether to hammer the clips:

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?100314-Moss-rear-leaf-springs&highlight=leaf


https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/leafspringclipsiii/

"In fact the correct name of them is "rebound clips" A spring does not break when it is being compressed, it breaks on rebound. When a spring is being compressed each leaf is provided support by both the leaf below it and the leaf above it. When a spring is in rebound the leaves would separate and have any support unless there are clips holding them as a pack.


A correctly designed spring would have between 30 and 50% of the leaves between the clips. The longer the spring, the more clips. Typically the 1st 2 or 3 leaves are held together by one clip then further out 4, 5 or 6 leaves are held together with another clip. Many springs will have 2 clips to the front and 2 to 3 clips to the rear. But the number of clips, the number of leaves held by the clips are determined by the size of and the length of the spring.


As for tightness, the clips needs to be loose enough for the leaves to flex and move length wise. Too tight and the leaves would become bound and break. – Mike"
 
On my springs I decided to go with the ones made by Eaton springs. They were not cheap but as I had not got my front spring mounting points out of the frame I wanted springs that would outlast me.

I contacted Mike Eaton and he assured me he could make springs to match the drawings in the TR hand book.
They looked very good but because the material is stronger now than the material originally used they have 1 leaf less than standard but the same spring rate. Rebound clips were tight and they had the required extra spacers for the passenger side.

I had not commented on them till now because I had not driven on them but so far they feel fine. At a car show last September I was parked next to another TR3A and bouncing both cars they felt the same.
I will comment further after some more miles.

David

Pair of Eaton springs.jpg
 
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