The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

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 Post subject: Rear springs advice
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 12:50 pm 
My 1500HL has been laid up for about 8 months, I'm going to be putting it back on the road for summer, so I'm in the process of recommissioning it. I've noticed for some time that its much lower at the back than the front (steering is also unbelievably light), so have come to the conclusion that the rear springs have sagged over time, and I'm taking the opportunity to sort it out while it's off the road.

Question one: do I need to change the shocks as well (I'm presuming I do)?

Question two: Rimmers do standard springs and shocks - does anyone know what the quality of these are like?

Question three: and finally, do I need to purchase any fixings etc to replace additionally?

Many thanks.


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 Post subject: Re: Rear springs advice
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 2:12 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:26 am
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If they are the black shocks, and anything like the ones made for spitfires etc, they are not very good. The ancient ones that come off cars are often more effective. If you do not want to spend on adjustables, then keep a look out for NOS ones on ebay etc, but make sure they have the spring pans, often missing and no, they rarely fit from your old shocks.

Re springs, I had some new rear toledo ones from Wins, which gave the same ride height as the originals, which I though had sagged. Bought some used 1500 springs off somebody on here, and they are better, but yours may have sagged? difficult to tell. MAybe measure wheelarch height off ground, and ask for other peoples measurement to see

If I were buying springs, I would be tempted by the 175lb, one inch lower type all round.... but may be too high at the front :evil:

Never as simple as it should be.

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Brighton


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 Post subject: Re: Rear springs advice
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 2:15 pm 
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Posts: 5429
Location: The Old Asylum
If it helps I may have some spare powder coated front and rear springs. They are new but the original finish was crap so I had them powder coated, STD height and poundage etc.

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Mark

1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30


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 Post subject: Re: Rear springs advice
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 3:04 pm 
Quote:
If they are the black shocks, and anything like the ones made for spitfires etc, they are not very good. The ancient ones that come off cars are often more effective. If you do not want to spend on adjustables, then keep a look out for NOS ones on ebay etc, but make sure they have the spring pans, often missing and no, they rarely fit from your old shocks.

Re springs, I had some new rear toledo ones from Wins, which gave the same ride height as the originals, which I though had sagged. Bought some used 1500 springs off somebody on here, and they are better, but yours may have sagged? difficult to tell. MAybe measure wheelarch height off ground, and ask for other peoples measurement to see

If I were buying springs, I would be tempted by the 175lb, one inch lower type all round.... but may be too high at the front :evil:

Never as simple as it should be.
Yeah definitely sagged, as in I have measured and the back is down by well over 1 1/2 inches. Cheers for the advice on the shocks, they looked a bit naff. Half of me is tempted to just change the springs and see how things pan out - I mean it's not the biggest job to do the shocks again...


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 Post subject: Re: Rear springs advice
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:35 pm 
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In a rare occasion I had shocks where the spring seat was welded too low on the shock. These were nos. So maybe if your car was always low at the rear I would also check that.

Jeroen

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 Post subject: Re: Rear springs advice
PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:41 am 
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Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:41 pm
Posts: 1031
Location: Silsoe, Beds
I bought new front and back springs from Rimmers for my Sprint resto about 5 years ago. They were not that good in that they had an extra coil although the free height was the same and the internal diameter was a few MM too small so it would not seat on the damper plate properly so I sent them back.

my 1300 Dolomite also sits low at the rear, and that will be this summers job to fit new dampers, good secondhand springs and bushes.

Malcolm


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