Morris Minor Owners Club

Although my springs look relatively recent and in decent condition I’m concerned they may have sagged.

Is anyone able to confirm the ride height at the rear please. The vertical distance on my car from hub centre to wheel arch rim is 14 1/4 inches and from bump stop to chassis is approx 1 1/4 inches

The car looks to sit nicely on the ground but the shackles are at quite an angle and there’s very little clearance between the rear spring and the chassis leg causing them to crash together over very rough bumps


Thanks.

The ride height is specified in the BMC workshop manual. The ride height is the same for both car and traveller.

Thanks but I think the manual shows the height measured from ground to shackle which I can’t measure as my car is currently off the ground. Hence my request.

Cheers

If the car is off the ground, then any measurement is likely to be distorted. To check the height, the car needs to be resting on correctly inflated tyres on level ground. Also consider what weight is in the car - fuel, spare wheel, tools, luggage, shopping, cat, bags of cement, whatever. Also check the front suspension height as everything interacts with everything else. I have noticed that some modern springs can relax very quickly. There are some good quality ones around, but they tend to cost a lot more than the cheaper ones.

If the car is supported by axle stands under the axle tube and the car is also supported at the front and is in a level plane the relationship between the springs and body will remain the same - so if you play around with the current off the ground measurements and deduct the measurements given in the workshop manual you should be able to determine the amount of spring settle.

On its wheels but off the ground. I have a mid rise lift. Hence my request. If anyone would care to take a measurement for me to compare with I’d be grateful.

Cheers.

For what it's worth, I have one Traveller reading 13 and another showing 13.5 inches. Neither car has saggy springs. Sorry, not in a position to check bump stop clearances. Bear in mind my earlier comments, these cars are in daily use. Also consider that different wings from different suppliers and presses may have slightly different profiles; and previous restoration work may affect the exact position of the wing. Even how dry/wet the wood is and how the piping is fitted could affect the position of the wing, and thus the measurements for which you are asking.

It would be better to use the measurements from the manual - could you not just treat the plate of the lift (where the tyres are sitting) as the ground, or just lower the lift?

Thanks, my car is at a nose down angle. Rear wheels on the lift, front on the ground. Hence my request. Didn’t think it would be that difficult but you live and learn.

Thanks for the measure

Cheers

Checking the leaf sag is not difficult even with the traveller as it is. All you have to do is jack up the front of the car until it is level. Then measure the distances as set out in the diagram below from the top surface of the ramp and if the measurements are shorter than the measurements quoted that will give the amount of rear leaf sag. Any other method of measuring is open to variance. If the distances are considerably shorter it indicates that the springs have settled and need either re-setting or replacement. Looking at a very serious enlargement of your photograph above especially around the rear shackle there is very little clearance between the spring eye and the flange of the repair panel that has been fitted. I would suggest that the leaf spring is ok but the problem may be the depth of flange of the repair panel.
Check the condition of the shackle pins and especially the bushes. If the bushes have failed the spring eye will become very close to the repair panel flange.

The Traveller looks very nice , and the garage is pretty good too - a nice floor from which to take the measurements

Another thing to check is the condition of the pads between the springs and axle and also the bushes for the shackles. All can have small effects on the ride height, but cumulatively it could be significant, although the springs are more likely to be the issue.

Thanks both for the above, Phil, that’s my main reason for asking about ride height. The shackles are (were) too close to the chassis and banged when going over speed bumps or very rough surfaces.

Having determined my springs are pretty much ok I can only assume that the chassis legs have been welded in slightly out of place.

This afternoon I’ve cut back and re-welded the flange on the chassis leg to prevent them crashing into the lower shackles and spring. A quick test drive indicates this has been successful.

My garage is the ‘place where magic happens’ or so my friend say when they want things fixing.

Any guesses at the car in the foreground? You can just see the wing and there’s another clue in the pic.

Thanks for the help folks.

MG TD or Morgan.

Morgan Plus 8?

Myrtles Man wrote: ↑Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:42 pm Morgan Plus 8?

Bang on, we’ll done both.