This is a "been there" on the recent threads on uneven rear-end droop on
Spitfires. My poor Herald was uneven for a very long time, low on the
driver side (or was it high on the passenger side?). WARNING: You
_might_ not need a new spring! There are a couple of things to check
before you shell out for one.
First, is the spring operating freely? They need periodic lubrication.
At least for the early fixed spring (as opposed to the later swing
spring) the owner's manual recommends painting them with oil. Does it
squeak when you push down on the bumper? If so, oil it!
Second, is the frame sitting uneven, or is it just the body? With the
car on the ground, on it's wheels, measure the height of the top shock
absorber mounts on both sides. Do this on flat level ground after
driving the car (not after jacking it up), make sure both tires are
properly inflated, etc. If they're the same, then maybe you've got a
collapsed body mount, not a suspension problem. Like my Herald had!
Measure from the top shock mount up to the underbody to verify.
Third, how are the differential mounts? Are they solid and parallel to
the frame? Here's where you have to do some disassembly - take out the
spring! If you've got a swing spring, get everything off the top of the
differential, except leave the studs in. Lay a straight piece of wood or
metal across the machined flat surface on the top of the diff. Does it
pass the upper shock absorber mounts at the same relative height on both
sides? If it does, then your diff mounts are straight, at least when
there's no weight on them. Check the front mounts for breakage (so
that's why the parking brake doesn't work!). Check the rear mounts for
wear - remove one bolt at a time, and check whether the holes in the
frame that they pass through are still round or whether they've worn
into an oval.
If the body mounts and the differential mounts are all OK then yes, your
spring is shot. Or maybe it's the swing spring mechanism - I'm not sure
exactly how that setup works or what can go wrong with it, as I've got
the early type.
Bill Kelly
'62 Herald with a reasonably level rear end
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