Darrell, a.k.a. TR250Driver (though I don't know what a TR250 has in common with a Spitfire or GT6 other than the engine) wrote: > What role do the front springs play?
It strikes me that there may be a question of terminology. When some people talk about sag they are speaking of the body roll, i.e. the lean, toward the driver's side due to the driver's weight. Since the frame doesn't twist, the front and rear must roll the same amount, but people tend to notice it only from the rear because that's the end you watch for extended periods of time when you're following someone. At least on the swing-spring cars and to a lesser extent on all the other Spitfire-bassed cars, most of the roll stiffness is in the front. So the rollbar and the balance between the front springs are the main determinants of roll. The rear of the car simply leans left or right according to what the front dictates. The driver's side spring would have a spacer to compensate for the driver's weight, to produce a level (laterally) car when only the driver's seat was occupied, or when the passenger's side was occupied by someone who might typically be much lighter. (I'm trying hard to avoid any gender imbalance here, probably! n! ot succeeding. :-) Other people speaking of sag might be referring to the nose-up attitude, i.e. pitch up, that happens when the back end drops. Unlike your TR250 the Spitfire-based cars have a single transverse leaf spring, so when it (singular) weakens or if the axles are lengthened or the back bumper gains weight, the entire back end sags regardless of the roll. -- Jim Muller who driver the Spitfire to work today after a year of being without it Your messages not reaching the list? Check out http://www.team.net/posting.html === This list supported in part by The Vintage Triumph Register === http://www.vtr.org === Help keep Team.Net on the air === http://www.team.net/donate.html === unsubscribe/change address requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or try === http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool === Other lists available at === http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo === Archives at http://www.team.net/archive === http://www.team.net/the-local === Edit your replies!
