Capri leaf springs mk1 Tina help

[chinkamon]

Hi all

 

So I bought some 2.8 capri leafs from gs escorts the other week, the old chaps bored stiff so decided to stick them on for me whilst I was busy but come across a bit of a gap when using the old u bolts.. 

He asked do you guys an girls use different u bolts when doing this or not? As the originals were obviously designed with multi leaf spring depth as a pose to the single leaf depth?? 

[colr6]

I used 1-1/2 lowering blocks when I fitted mine, with those you get new U bolts to cover all thicknesses. 

[chinkamon]

Cheers col that's the solution I just put forward

[colr6]

Or if you don't want to use blocks, eBay item no...300406492121

[chinkamon]

Nice one col!! 

[piekey]

Does the axle location fit directly over the hole in the capri spring ?

Saw some single leafs on a mk2 tina where the std axle located about 30 mm away from the hole in single leaf (thick piece of spring that axle should sit on was well forward of lowering block)

[colr6]

The Capri location pin is the same as the mk1. I moved my pin back approx 25mm to centralise the wheel in the arch.

[puddy]

You also need capri rear spring hangers because the eye of the spring is much bigger and will just sit against the chassis leg.

Puddy

[chinkamon]

Well the springs are fitted but the axle seems too far forward? I used the lowering blocks but I'm wandering shud the lowering blocks fit over the location pin on the spring? And I assume the spring will only fit one way? 

[colr6]

If you pull up some pics of a mk1 off the net from the side view and pay attention to where the rear wheel sits in the arch it looks odd, to far forward. That's why I moved mine back 25mm. If you do that be carful on how much of the prop goes into the back of the box. Mine wasn't a problem as it was made to measure anyway.

[chinkamon]

Yea we never noticed how far forward it was before but it is about an inch-2 inch away from the back of the wheel arch without looking, I suppose it can't go too far forward as the prop an gearbox won't allow it to move too much? Is that about right?

[chinkamon]

Also the lowering blocks we used don't seem to fit the pin in the springs too well. The hole is slightly smaller than the pin head, did u guys have to do a bit of 'fettling' to make it a snug fit? 

[colr6]

They are just a generic block,....one size fits all.....usually after a bit of modding

[chinkamon]

Cheers col

[Kenbex522]

On my Corsair which is basically the same as cortina, i originally used a 2.8 spring. You can see in the first pic the pin is in the same place as the old spring. My axle used to sit forward in the arch. I changed them for a mk1 Escort single leaf which sits the axle further back. The pin is in a different position. I still used a 1" lowering block even though the springs were de cambered 2"(3" drop total)  but had to change the locating pin diameter as it didn't fit in the lowering block. I also had to use Capri/Escort shackles as the rear bush is much bigger and as said can hit the chassis on full bump.

[chinkamon]

On 09/08/2018 at 10:11, colr6 said:

. That's why I moved mine back 25mm. If you do that be carful on how much of the prop goes into the back of the box. 

Col, how did you move yours back 25mm? Did you drill and fit a new pin? If so what pin did you use? 

[colr6]

Yes just redrilled the hole in the spring, it was bloody hard compared to the multi- leaf for some reason. I used an m8 bolt with the head rounded off to fit the hole in the lowering block.

found a couple of pics, before and after. Not the best but you will get the drift of the difference 

[chinkamon]

Thanks col, I thought about an M8 but thought it wouldn't be strong enough? I guess you had a good drill bit for that then! 

[colr6]

The pin is only a locator nothing else.

[chinkamon]

Oh so it's not anything more than a sort of guide really? 

[puddy]

Don't forget the nose angle  of the diff as well. Mine  was pointing upwards when i did mine. I cut the lowering blocks in half to make wedges  ala mk1 lotus tina. 

Puddy

[colr6]

Bloody hell Puddy, if you had to do that to get a correct diff angle usually 4 deg I'd be looking to see what was causing the error ! Couldn't see the changeover to Cappa springs doing that.

[colr6]

9 hours ago, chinkamon said:

Oh so it's not anything more than a sort of guide really? 

That's all it is really.

[chinkamon]

Cheers guys helpful as ever! ?

[puddy]

On 21/08/2018 at 18:42, colr6 said:

Bloody hell Puddy, if you had to do that to get a correct diff angle usually 4 deg I'd be looking to see what was causing the error ! Couldn't see the changeover to Cappa springs doing that.

My springs have been decambered as well. Lotus  cortinas ran them as standard on leaf spring  models iirc

Puddy  .