Anyone speak Healey 3000 rear suspension?: Classic Cars forum: Classic Motorsports

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April 5, 2011 5:08 p.m. NOHOME Reader

Helping a friend put his Healey back together after a complete restore. Rear suspension is odd to begin with since it is an under-slung chassis with a leap spring AND upper links!

The problem we are having is that with the axle resting on the frame, the spring mount on the leaf spring is about 4 inches below the axle. It takes a considerable effort to jack the leaf spring up to meet the axle and get the U-bolts and plates where they belong.

When all is done, the springs are pulling the axle quite firmly into the frame. My standing n the car and jumping does not budge the axle Maybe since there is not engine or bodywork on the shell, this is normal?

My instincts tell me there is too much arch in the spring. It would take zero arch in the spring to allow it to mate up easily, but these springs seem to have a good arch to them.
April 6, 2011 12:23 a.m. dougie Reader

Can you give me more detail on the car, year etc. Are the leaf springs new or OEM?

This is also an excellent source of information:

http://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/ubbthreads.php/forums/1/1

Dougie
April 6, 2011 2:21 p.m. NOHOME Reader

Car is a 1966. Not up on the exact model of BJ?

The springs are the ones that came off the car I am told. They have a significant arch to them where I would have guessed that the suspension design required either a flat spring of even a reversed arch.

We got the whole thing bolted up, however, I can't see where that rear axle is ever going to part company with the little rubber droop-stops on the frame unless I put a ton of concrete in the trunk.
April 6, 2011 10:55 p.m. dougie Reader

It sounds as though you have everything right. The weight of the car could should level it out. The rear axle only clears the frame rails by about 1/2" when the car's empty. The distance increases as more weight is put in it. Things should look like this: http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=28894

Dougie
April 7, 2011 7:14 a.m. Gary Reader

There isn't anything I can contribute to this other than to say NOHOME, I'm sooo glad you didn't say "learn me about" Healy 3000 rear suspensions, because I cringe when I see that elsewhere, even if it's done in jest.
April 7, 2011 2:12 p.m. NOHOME Reader

Gary:

Amen.

"Needs (verb)ed" is another one that grates on me. Then again, it is the internet, so live and let live!

Dougie:

Other than the arch being more pronounced than in the MOSS catalog picture, I agree that it all looks good. Lets see what happens as more weight goes into the car. That engine IS a monster.
April 7, 2011 2:58 p.m. oldtin Dork

I've got the BMC mechanical parts list for BJ7 & 8s. It's the big book of every nut and bolt/part number and how they fit together if it would help...
April 7, 2011 5:16 p.m. NCtim New Reader

In reply to NOHOME:

If I remember correctly, (which is hard these days) my 1957 100-6's rear leafs were almost flat. The body is aluminum and about the only weight you're going to add is the battery and gas in the tank. If you're jumping up and down on the frame and the axle doesn't budge off the frame something sounds amiss as you're creating a fair amount of weight if you weigh at least 200 pounds.
April 9, 2011 6:32 a.m. NOHOME Reader

NC

Yea I agree. We both jumped on it on thursday and it never came off the frame by as much as a millimeter. Owner insist that these are the springs that came off and that it just needs weight.

Every picture I see of Healey springs shows a flat spring, and I suspect that when in use the arc is actually reversed. Not these puppies; they have a 4 1/2 inch chord when measured from a straightedge down to the spring mounting pad.(That means a big curve to them)

I am going to leave them alone since he does not want to hear any negativity. We will return when it becomes impossible to ignore!

Thanks for everyones input. Sure I will be back a few times as it continues to go together.
April 9, 2011 11:49 a.m. dougie Reader

The early 6-cylinder cars with the notorious low-slung rear ends do have near straight rear leafs springs. The BJ8 phase 2 cars (65 1/2 - 67) have an obvious arch.

http://www.ahead4healeys.co.uk/LEAF-SPRING--UK-MADE--id3798.html

Dougie
April 10, 2011 7:28 a.m. NOHOME Reader

That big arch sure looks familiar. So you can see where with the axle sitting on the frame, it would take some compression of that spring to bring it up to the axle so it can all be bolted together. Complicated by the fact that the logical place to locate the big C clamp will prevent you from assembling the u-bolts and lower plates!

It is done. Moving on to the wiring...