Rear leaf spring brackets

[neilert]

I'm thinking about modifying the leaf spring brackets on my Longbridge BN4 to allow height adjustablility. Here is a first pass of a rear bracket that is solid rather than 12GA bent plate. The solid bracket would not allow mud/grease/rust to take over.

This bracket was just supposed to be stronger, but I'd be interested in thoughts on how this could be indexed, sliding front to rear to raise and lower the ride height.

If it's just a bad idea alltogether, feel free to comment. These blanks do not have the final hole drilled for the tube and bushings, or the grease fitting yet.

 

[healeyneil]

I wouldnt have thought that the strength of the brackets was an issue. If too much load goes there the whole bracket will tear out of the chassis ( I know ! )

 

[Cottontop]

Here is a first pass of a rear bracket that is solid rather than 12GA bent plate. The solid bracket would not allow mud/grease/rust to take over. This bracket was just supposed to be stronger, but I'd be interested in thoughts on how this could be indexed, sliding front to rear to raise and lower the ride height. If it's just a bad idea alltogether, feel free to comment.

While I am NOT claiming to be a self-proclaimed "Rear Spring Expert", if you read my thread, you'll know that I just spent over a week rebuilding and replacing my rear springs.

I liked the ride that I had (with gas charged rear shocks), but I only had THREE inches of ground clearance. I ended up using the top 2 leaves from the Jule springs and the bottom 3 leaves from my stock Healey springs. The ride height came up about 2 inches and with after a short trip, the ride seems OK.

I used 1" spacer blocks and bought new, longer, U-bolts.

I think that your drawing is fantastic and the machine work that you have done is outstanding, but why do you need a stronger rear bracket ? Has your existing bracket broken ? If not, why is IT not strong enough ?

Having spent quite a few hours with my hands in the rear spring bracket pocket, I know that there is less than an inch between the top of the spring brakcet and the top of the pocket it is in. I also cannot see any way to lower the bracket.

Because of the arc of the spring shackle, moving the bracket Up-Down-Front-Rear will not provide more than a few 1/8ths of height adjustment.

If I had it to do all over again, knowing what I now know, instead of buying new springs and having to modify my spring stack, I'd take some leaves out of the stock springs and put the money into a set of Air-Lift air bags. Then, buy adjusting the air pressure, I could set the ride height and ride firmness anywhere I wanted it.

I have a set of bags on the rear of my RV and can adjust the ride height up to 4" and get nearly any sort of ride I want. With an on-board compressor, I can even adjust on the fly. I bought the Healey springs B4 I put the bags on the RV.

What are your thoughts on using air bags ?

Tim

 

[vette]

Hi Neilert, I can see that you are a talented machinist, but someone once accused ME of overkill. I think that discription might apply to more than a few of us. Although you might get enough travel on the front mount to raise the car, as said earlier, the rear probably doesn't have much room. I did think about making my own brakets out of 1/8 or 3/16th plate but the store bought are so much easier, and they lasted 40+ years. If you make them so strong, you probably would twist and brake the frame if you got that much force applied somewhere.

 

[neilert]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I just spent over a week rebuilding and replacing my rear springs.

Because of the arc of the spring shackle, moving the bracket Up-Down-Front-Rear will not provide more than a few 1/8ths of height adjustment.

What are your thoughts on using air bags ?

Tim [/QUOTE]

Tim, thank you for the feedback on these brackets. Yes, I read your's and many other posts on finding a way to level a healey with the poor quality of new leaf springs. My current brackets are completely rusted out, so I thought it would be an opportunity to not only replace them but also improve them. I was thinking it may be possible to adjust one of the brackets with a turn of a screw, then pin or lock it in place.

Looking at it more closely, I believe you are correct that it won't work.

I'll check into the air bags- I don't know anything about them.

 

[neilert]

Although you might get enough travel on the front mount to raise the car, as said earlier, the rear probably doesn't have much room.

Hello vette-
Thank you for your help on my frame/suspension project. I agree that my initial thoughts on these brackets won't work. Since the brackets are close to being finished, I'll likely weld them to the frame, but abandon trying to make them adjustable.

 

[Cottontop]

Neilert,

The reason that I asked about your thoughts on air bags is that it seems to be one of those topics, like politics, where you instinctively just love'em or just hate'em.

I urge you to give them a look-see.

I might be able to answer questions you may have. I did a lot of research B4 I bought them for the RV.

Where do you live in KC ? I lived there for 25 years.

Tim

 

[neilert]

I checked out the air lift units, and it looks like they would be useful if your car sits too low on existing leaf springs. My car sits way too high. I bought the new springs from Moss, and they are not a matched set. If the car sits too low, or not level, I would probably shim like you did to correct it. Are there other benefits to the air lifts?

 

[neilert]

Where do you live in KC ? I lived there for 25 years.

Tim

I live near 95th and Mission in old leawood, and work in the river market area downtown. Where were you located?

 

[Cottontop]

Neilert,

Have you gotten my two Private Messages ?

Tim