International Lancia Forums

Does anyone know where to get rear leaf springs refurbished or renewed in the UK? Also any advise on spring rates for track race use appreciated.

Cheers

Buy them from Cavalitto in Italy c 400 euros plus postage.

What does Cavalitto deliver? New old stock or retempered?

new stock complete with bushes on mine

how did you find this changed the rear ride height?

Some who've bought in UK say the tail end was very high.

Another chap with new rear leaf springs for a Mk2 Escort said he had to put huge weights in the rear for a couple of months to set springs up for road use.

When mounting, you should put your wife and kids in the trunk before fastening the silentblocks, so they are without tension in normal load

That's a very good idea - the weight I mean not the wife n kids bit!

I had to change one of the rear silent blocs on Huib's 1.3 Rallye Coupe(Elena) this afternoon,
And afterwards I had to prove my wife and kids were in the trunk when I secured the bolts.
So I did.

Best wishes,

Lucas

Fastening the silentblocs is a bit more complicated. Typically a silentbloc can swing about 15 to 17 degrees each way without tearing the rubber. The bolts should be tightened with everything in the center position. Failing to do so will ruin your silent blocs very very quickly.
For the rear spring the lowest position is determined by the maximum extension of the shock absorber. The highest position is determined by the rubber bumper over the rear axle.
What you do is:
put axle stands under the car body (the jacking points)
take the jack away from under the rear axle so the axle comes down maximally
measure the distance between rubber bumper and axle
divide by two which gives the "adjust distance". Better, easier and quicker is to get this value from the DT book
put the axle at the adjust distance from the bumper and torque the bolts.

You need a lot of weight in the boot. It helps to put axle stands under the front member of the subframe. Engine is now weight and no longer counter weight. Also the leverage of the weight of gearbox, body etc is higher. The put some cilinder blocks in the boot till the distance is correct.
The bolts to torque in this position relative to the rear springs are:
- silent bloc(s) at front of rear springs
- bolt through silent bloc at rear of springs
- bolt through shackle bloc
- top and bottom bolts of shock absorbers
- both bolts of panhard rod
- bolt through bottom silent bloc of anti roll bar connecting rod

Note that the adjust distance from the book is not exactly the geometrical center position. It takes into account that rubber needs a number of swings exceeding the soft maximum to tear the rubber.
I recommend to use the book value and only do the measuring and arithmetic if the book is not valid for any reason.

Cavallito springs fitted with perfect ride height! I can send photo if you give email.

Tim