At 12:03 PM 1/26/98 -0800, you wrote:
>Interested in your use of cut-down Pinto springs in a Tiger. Any idea of
>what year Pinto and how much they need to be cut? Thanks. Bob
>
Bob,
I just went to the parts store and found a book on springs.
Turned out that the front Pinto spring was the right diameter with slightly
larger wire. I assume most of the Pinto springs are the same from year to year.
Do not have proof of this. It was a long time ago (about 10 to 14 years).
I wanted to lower the Tiger while at the same time getting stronger
springs for autocross use.
Figuring out where to cut the spring was easy.
Given the Pinto spring rate from the book, and the measured spring rate of the
Tiger spring along with the height of the two springs unmodified, along with
the lever arm effect of the lower "A" compared to where the tire hits the
ground and taking in to consideration that shorting a spring raises the
spring rate .I computed the necessary number of turns on the Pinto spring.
Easy!
Or in other words, I used a cutoff wheel to remove one turn of the
Pinto spring and then used a torch to heat up the end tail. Turned the red hot
end to the floor and pushed down on the spring to make the cut end square to
the floor. Still used the rubber piece up inside the spring housing at
installation.
This was when I still had the 289 in the Tiger. This dropped the Tiger about
an inch in front. Also moved the upper bump stop to the lower A arm and
made a new upper bump stop from an old Tiger tail pipe hanger to allow for the
lower front end.
When I put the 351C in, the front was a bit low, so I welded a 1" high
1/16" wall thickness cylinder to the spring perch on the lower A frames.
(Fits inside the spring) Then I cut rubber shims from an old tire to shim
up the spring .
Presently have around 3/4" of shim and the Tiger sets at normal ride height
with the 351C.
Jim Barrett Tiger II 351C and others
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