REAR SPRINGS - What a transformation!!!

E

Erik The Viking

New Member
Greetings Pop Pickers!!

Well I've finally done the rear springs on Erik. What a transformation!!! Before the car was having serious handling problems, especially in the wet. It was way too easy to provoke some Roger Clark style cornering! My friend and I done both sides in just over an hour, and the car no longer handles like a tramp steamer on the rolling sea. The ride quality is also much better too :D
 
Hi Paxe,

Yeah, sure.

I bought standard rear springs, and I got them from Ian at Rover classics. The rear of my car is also poly bushed, and running Girling DeCarbon shockers. I had bought new shockers for the rear from a local shock absorber specialist, but the old Girlings were better!

Hope this helps
 
Have to agree, if the rear springs are only a little 'spongy' new ones make a fantastic difference to the whole car's set up.

I opted for progressives over the normal as my cornering can be a little 'enthusiastic'. My previous set were so bad that even the rock solid P6 was prone to something like scuttle shake over a bumpy surface. The new ones were magnificent and it felt like I had a new P6 to play with.

Again, it's all polybushed at the rear but kept the current set of shockers, which despite the previous weaker springs, were ok to keep.
 
The problem with my car was that that the rear springs had gone that weak, that the car was riding seriously low on the rear end, and because every time you entered a corner, all the weight was transferring to the rear, and dial in the opposite lock! Very scarey in the wet sometimes ??? But sometimes it was serious fun! :D
 
I would just like to add, I also tackled this job last year and as E the V said 'What a transformation!!!' and 'Done both sides in just over an hour'

It has transformed my V8, and I recommend this easy job to do come spring!!!! :D

Mike
 
I've just completed a 450 mile round trip this weekend, and on the motorways and busy A roads, I've found that the car now "tramlines" a lot less to. :D
 
This week i had the chance to fit new progressive rear springs to take care of the sorry looking rear end and a floating about handling. I also took the chance to clean the dust and light surface rust (don't be jealous!) of the suspension and driveline and paint everything in black smoothrite.
So how do i feel about the results? Well, it is nice to see the car sitting at it's normal ride height again. Sagged at the back does not suit P6s. Ride comfort seems to be nice too, now that the rear does not bottom out hitting the bump stops in extreme cases. Roll stiffness has increased impressively, also a good thing. But i am not exactly sure about the effect in the handling. In some tight 2nd gear slippery bends that i provoked it (floored the throttle) it oversteers as expected but it does tend to straighten up very fast and you get caught with opposite lock when you actually shouldn't and as you may well know the P6 steering is not for such things like quick response. I hear you say that maybe the P6 is not for such things altogether, but i had the impression that with the old springs the transition from oversteer to straight was sweet and progressive.

The rear shocks that came with the car are red Konis that write adjustable somewhere. On the MOT test last year they were found above average and i have the same impression too. But, does anybody know how these things are adjusted? And how can i be sure that they are adjusted the same left and right?

At some point i really have to drive a sorted P6, just to understand if everything is as it should be on mine...
 
Demetris:

The adjustment is done with the shocks off the car. The adjustment valve is in the bottom of the shock & is engaged with the shock fully compressed.

Here are the adjustment instructions from Koni: (clarified where possible :D )

Adjustment

If - after many thousands of miles of use - the damping effect of the shocks absorbers requires adjustment, this can be done as follows:

1. Remove the shock absorber from the vehicle and hold it vertically with the lower eye or pin attachment in a vice. Fully extend the shock absorber and insert a round bar or screw driver through the two small holes in the dust cap. Push the bump rubber (inside the dust cap) down and remove it.

2. Fully compress the shock absorber at the same time turning the dust cap or piston rod slowly to the left (anti-clockwise) until you feel the cams of the adjusting nut engage in the recesses of the valve assembly in the bottom of the shock absorber.

3. The damper may have been already adjusted. Therefore check whether the shock absorber is in the unadjusted position or not by keeping it compressed and gently turning further to the left counting at the same time the half turns until a stop is felt. Stop turning then and do not use force.

4. Keeping the shock absorber compressed make 2 half turns (360 degrees) to the right (clockwise). In the case of prior adjustment add the number of half turns previously found. The total range is about 5 half turns.

5. Pull the shock absorber out vertically without turning for at least 1 cm to disengage the adjusting mechanism. The dust cap or piston rod may now be turned freely. Refit the bump rubber inside the the dust cap and by fully compressing the shock absorber, seat the the rubber again at the top of the dust cap.

The shock absorber will perform as new again and can now be refitted.

N.B. Adjustment must always be carried out in pairs - thus 2 front and/or 2 rear dampers - and for the same amount.

James
 
Thanks James,

i don't feel like messing with them right now, but i will keep the advice for future reference.

cheers,

Demetris
 
If you ( me- weighing about 21 stone ) sit on the rear bumper / boot floor of a 3500 S would you expect it to sink down almost to the bump stops ? I imagine that's the springs , not the shockers and why it handled like a fish out of water ?
 
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