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rear spring question

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bluemiata90

bluemiata90

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Does anybody know if this is normal. I'm restoring my 61 TR4A and have the body off the frame. I just noticed that on the passengers side spring, there's a extra spacer about 5 inches long and 1/4 in thick that the axle rests on and the large U-bolts hold the axle to the spring. This spacer is only on the passengers side and seems to be original with the car. I looked in several parts books and never found an additional spacer for the passengers side. Is this normal or is something wrong with my spring.
 
Being that the axle is mounted above the spring this would lower the passenger side. I would suspect that they were either compensating for a worn drivers side spring, or a heavier than average driver, or both.
Or it's possible that a spring was replaced at some time, that had a different amont of arch to it, and this was the soloution..... Possibly even from the factory. I've heard of stuff like that before.
 
Banjo, Those are several possiblities. I don't remember the car ever sitting any lower or higher on one side, but anything is possible. I think I will just leave well enough alone and not mess with the springs.
 
Every tr3 that I have worked on or bought from has that spacer, so I figure it was done at the factory. I do not imagine the 61 tr4 is different.
George
 
sp53 thanks for the reply. I'm glad to hear that you noticed this spacer also. As I mentioned above, I will leave well enough alone, but it is reassuring that it may have been added at the factory.
 
My TR3A came from the factory like this. Bill Piggott writes about it in one of his books. When I restored my TR from 1987 to 1990, I couldn't remember three years later which side had the extra piece but I got it correct after looking under another very original TR. When I replaced the rear springs in 2000, I took off this piece and added it to the new spring for that side because replacement springs don't come with them.

Don Elliott, Original Owner, TS 27489 LO

https://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthreads/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1919/ppuser/4127
 
Don, thanks for the confirmation on the extra spring spacer. It's good to know that I shouldn't have any problems after it's restored. I went to your site, beautiful TR3, I can only hope that mine looks half as good as that when it's done. thanks again.
 
Re: ?? rear spring question

[ QUOTE ]
Does anybody know if this is normal. I'm restoring my 61 TR4A and have the body off the frame. I just noticed that on the passengers side spring, there's a extra spacer about 5 inches long and 1/4 in thick that the axle rests on and the large U-bolts hold the axle to the spring. This spacer is only on the passengers side and seems to be original with the car. I looked in several parts books and never found an additional spacer for the passengers side. Is this normal or is something wrong with my spring.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi,

Do you mean TR3A?

Yes, US spec TR3 and early 4 used a spacer on the passenger size, I think to compensate for weight distribution when the car had only a driver (no passenger). Perhaps, over time, the usually greater weight on the LH side of the car caused a bit of additional sag in the LH spring, so the RH side was lowered slightly to allow for this.

I think I read somewhere that UK-spec cars of the same vintage didn't use any spacer. Instead they used different springs, side-to-side, for the same purpose. There were far fewer of these particular models sold in UK than in the US, though.

Later TR4 and TR4A solid axle used a pair of much deeper spacers and different arc on the springs, to improve handling.
 
Re: ?? rear spring question

You are correct, I just sold my TR4A last week and I am restoring the TR3A. I did mean TR3A. Anyways, enough information has been given on both the TR3a and the TR4A springs, I appreciate all the help and information. thanks
 
Re: ?? rear spring question

I can't help but thing this is related (distantly) to the fact that my TR4A IRS seems to sit lower on the right then the left. I realize this is a totally different beast then (my) TR3A with a solid axle, but.... It has bothered me for the whole time I had the TR4A as to why this is so. The rear springs on the 4A are new this summer and the difference is still there.
 
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