First - I guess I didn't mention specifically that the car itself sits
level, it's just that the left rear wheel is tilted in at the top and
the right rear wheel is perfectly straight up and down.
Second - Wow!! So many responses. Thanks to everyone. I've always had
a "thing" for Triumphs and now seeing the camaraderie of other owners it
makes me more sure that I want a Triumph (or else misery loves
company...kidding). I'm sure I wouldn't find as helpful of a group, or
even a group at all, if I had a Fiat Spyder or something like that. I
think from all the responses that the problem is not a major fatal flaw
and that the car is worth pursuing. I'll probably take it to a mechanic
next Monday and I'll let the list know what comes of it.
Thanks again for all the help.
Bob
Hopefully soon to be Spitfire owner.
> ----------
> From: Barry Schwartz[SMTP:bschwart@pacbell.net]
> Reply To: Barry Schwartz
> Sent: August 10, 1998 10:47 AM
> To: Albert F Jones
> Cc: spitfires@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Leaning Rear Wheel
>
> >a rubber pad in the top of the clamp box in the middle of the rear
> spring.
> >Due to the driver most commonly being alone, the pad wears on the
> driver's
> >side more than the passenger side, and the sliding action of the
> spring
> >causes it to wear out. With the pad worn away, and the weight of the
> car
> >on the spring, the spring no longer sits squarely in the clamp box,
> but
> >sits higher up on the worn side. With the car stationary, each rear
> wheel
> >still carries the same load and so the rear spring still sits
> parallel to
> >the road, but because of the worn pad and the spring not re-acting
> squarely
> >on the clamp box, the differential, and therefore the chasis/body,
> lean over.
> ***************************************************
> I'll have to disagree with this article on this one. The spring clamp
> does
> in fact have a rubber pad (actually, the one I have is plastic)
> between the
> clamp and the top most spring leaf, but the spring does not slide in
> the
> clamp, it rocks. If you look at the design of the spring itself, you
> will
> see that the main leaf is securely clamped to the diff. The other
> leafs
> are not clamped as such but retained (laterally) by a bump in each
> subsequent leaf and this bump (half arch) rocks or rotates slightly
> around
> a bolt with a sleeve around it. This is what reduces the roll
> stiffness by
> allowing these leaves to rock about this axis contributing little if
> any to
> roll stiffness but still allowing support and springing in a purely
> vertical sense. The pad usually doesn't wear so much as it
> deteriorates
> with age, and at any rate, is fairly thin and would contribute little
> to
> cause the body to lean one way or the other. if the body is truly
> leaning,
> I would suspect a broken main leaf in the spring (had one of those),
> or a
> worn out one. If on the other hand, the body is level to the ground,
> but
> one wheel is cambered much more than the other, I would suspect
> incorrect
> parts as I mentioned, or some type of damage-
>
> Barry Schwartz (San Diego) bschwart@pacbell.net
> 72 V6 Spitfire (daily driver)
> 70 GT6+ (when I don't drive the Spit)
> 70 Spitfire
>
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