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Spring height

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Jim_Gruber

Jim_Gruber

Yoda
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Does anyone have handy the official spring heights for BE Springs and Mark V Sprite Springs. After having 2 sets of wrong springs shipped to me 10 years ago I put a set of BE Springs in Bugsy my '68 Sprite. Now I have a set of springs I pulled out of a '69 Midget and they stand about 1/2" taller than the BE Springs. So the dilema, reinstall the '69 Mark III Midget springs or go back in with the BE Springs that were new 10 years ago when I rebuilt Bugsy's suspension the last time. Thoughts?
 
Springs, Free Length:


Sprite mk I & MK II and Midget MK I 9.4 in.

Sprite MK III & MK IV & Midget MK II & MK III except 1500 9.59

Midget MK III (1500 models) 9.55
 
Thanks Jack. Have bushings from Apple on the way and should be here by Friday. Now to find garage time.
 
jlaird said:
Springs, Free Length:


Sprite mk I & MK II and Midget MK I 9.4 in.

Sprite MK III & MK IV & Midget MK II & MK III except 1500 9.59

Midget MK III (1500 models) 9.55
Click to expand...

Does that mean the MG 1500 has a higher load rating? Because I didn't expect it would be shorter than the 1275 chrome bumper spring.
 
Strength is not equal to or always very much related to height.
I believe the better question is what are the different spring tension strengths for the different models?
 
RickB said:
Strength is not equal to or always very much related to height.
I believe the better question is what are the different spring tension strengths for the different models?
Click to expand...

Guess that is really my question - I have 1275 springs on Ms Triss and, the wheels rub occasionally on the front - should I go back to 1500s?
 
I've got MK3 Sprite springs on the front of Frank, and they are lowered.
They definitely need to be raised a notch, tires rub on hard turning.
1500 springs were way too high, but stronger too.
If they were cut down a bit or lowered then they might be better, I believe the strength was less in the earlier cars.
 
I ran lowered 1500 springs on my '63 (lowered via the spacers under the bottom perch method). Never rubbed but bottomed out the exhaust occasionally, it probably should have been raised back up a tad.
 
So think about this,

Spring Rate is 271 ibf/in for all Spridget springs. So only difference for us is length.

Enjoy.
 
Doesn't sound like what I remember Jack.
Where is this data from?
Pretty sure the 1500 springs were different, but I'm willing to learn.
 
Chapter 11 of the Haynes manual.


Here it is for the BE from the orginal BE shop manual General Data 4.

Free length 9.4 in
Fitted length 6.625
solid length 4.25 in
Inside diam of coil 3.125
Number of working coils 7
Diameter of wire .5 inch
Spring rate 271 lbd./in

Caster 3 degrees
Camber angle 1 degree
Seivel Pin inclination 6 1/2 degrees

Other good stuff there as well.

Your Orginal Shop manual should have the same for your car.
 
Thanks Jack, went and took a look at mine, and, you are mostly right. Later (1500) springs are 9.85 (not 9.55) so they are longer - same compression rate and everything else. except, 7.08 (vs) 6.625 in. fitted length.

This, of course raises the question, does having 1275 springs on a de-rubber bumpered car give me the 7.08 or the 6.625 fitted spring rate?
 
Guess you are going to have to get out your tape and measure it.

Or someone with that spec is going to have to.
 
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