On Fri, 2 Jun 1995, Dan Ness wrote:
> Not a bad theory, but I don't think that it holds true. I have a RHD that
> sags on the right hand side of the car. I even have the battery located
> It really baffles me to think that the problem is not resolved by replacing
> the leaf springs? If the leaf springs are not the cause of the sag, then
> is the entire car _bending_ over time?
Warning: this is a serious reply offered in the hope of contributing to
the end of this thread.
Consider a light weight sports car (in Kermit's case, about 1400 pounds, I
believe). Most of the time, it is occupied by the driver only, who likely
weighs more than 10% of the weight of the car (in my case, considerably
more). Over 30 years, the springs on the driver's side will likely sag
more than those on the passenger side.
The discussion has concentrated on the rear leaf springs, but this
assymetrical load is shared by the front springs as well. When Kermit was
restored, I was compulsive about putting everything together as it was
originally, and without thinking about it, I carefully replaced the
springs on the sides they had originally been on.
I was distraught to discover, after 4 years work, that my lovely little
bugeye had a decided tilt to the left, even when empty. I had visions of
a warped frame or some horrible mistake when I was welding in the rockers.
I looked the car over carefully, and found that the left *front*
suspension appeared to be sagging. I replaced the *front* springs, and
the problem was solved. So don't focus entirely on the rear springs; mine
are 35 years old and appear to be fine, but the coils got tired in front.
Ray Gibbons Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu (802) 656-8910
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