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Thread: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Thought i would run this by you guys. Has anyone fitted Mk2 single leafs to a Mk1. I know the they are 10mm wider but would narrowing the spring eyes affect the spring in any way ? The reason I ask as single lowered leafs for Mk1 seem very expensive and i have a set for a Mk2 already in the garage. Even new they seem cheaper for a Mk2.


    My current set up is too high even with 2 inch lowering blocks.

    Thanks

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    Racer Decade Plus User rallyrob's Avatar

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    My Mk1 sat on Mk2 multi-leaf springs slipper springs. My slipper spring mounts were Mk2 as well so I had to cut them down a bit an reweld them so they would go in the front spring mounts then I just feathered the front edges of the springs off till they both sat nicely in the slipper mounts with enough to slide in an out of the slipper mounts.

    Never had any trouble with it.
    Last edited by rallyrob; 03-12-2018 at 01:17.

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Quote Originally Posted by wildo105e View Post
    Thought i would run this by you guys. Has anyone fitted Mk2 single leafs to a Mk1. I know the they are 10mm wider but would narrowing the spring eyes affect the spring in any way ? The reason I ask as single lowered leafs for Mk1 seem very expensive and i have a set for a Mk2 already in the garage. Even new they seem cheaper for a Mk2.


    My current set up is too high even with 2 inch lowering blocks.

    Thanks
    I ground 10mm of the front eye of a MK2 spring to fit them to a MK1 in the past and it worked out fine.

    i used a small angle grinder and a (good) few flappy discs. Take your time and keep a bucket of water handy, grind a bit and dip the spring in water, grind a bit, dip, grind a bit , dip, etc...
    Keep the spring as cool as you possibly can.

    Use the MK1 bush at the front, i think i used a spacer in a MK2 shackle on the rear of the spring.

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Cheers guys that’s pretty much what my plan was.


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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    having a quick scout around, i think i need to adjust the front eyes and looking at the rear shackles on the Mk2 flair out to accommodate the wider spring. so i either thin the rears aswell or save myself the grief by buying Mk2 shackles. The next issue is whether i can squeeze the wider spring in the mk1 spring saddles. Knowing my luck that will be a no. Given that i will probably get the springs refurbed etc i need to see if Mk1 springs work out better value than previously thought.

    Watch this space.

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Quote Originally Posted by wildo105e View Post
    having a quick scout around, i think i need to adjust the front eyes and looking at the rear shackles on the Mk2 flair out to accommodate the wider spring. so i either thin the rears aswell or save myself the grief by buying Mk2 shackles. The next issue is whether i can squeeze the wider spring in the mk1 spring saddles. Knowing my luck that will be a no. Given that i will probably get the springs refurbed etc i need to see if Mk1 springs work out better value than previously thought.

    Watch this space.
    You can use the Mk1 shackles. The bolt will tap out of the shackle plate, then re drill the plates and use a 10mm longer bolt. (from memory the MK1 bolt is unf and smaller than the MK2's) You dont need to weld the bolt to the shackle, just keep it as a nut and bolt.

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    I'm not even sure what rear spring shackles mines got. It rings a bell that they're 105e shackles and nylon bushes, I think... Does that even sound pheasable? I might be wrong though I suppose. I know they're the same shackles and nylon bushes that have been on it since I bought the car off my mate in the late 80's. He'd been rallying it between the early to mid 80's. I vaguely remember that sort of set up being mentioned as the way to go at the time...
    Last edited by rallyrob; 04-12-2018 at 14:21.

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    So finally had a day off work and set to this. Removed passenger side and compared with the single leaf one i have. Same curve so i doubt these will get the car any lower. New springs it is then, but this still give me expensive mk1 springs or cheaper mk2 and mod just the front eye. Why they seem to be cheaper and more readily available is anyone's guess.

    I have found as mentioned earlier the mk1 shackle will probably work with a longer bolt through the lower spring part, new ones can be bought for mk2 at about £26 all in with bolts etc. The spring saddles/shock mount will accommodate a 60mm spring so no issue there either.

    Lets see what my inquiries bring back to spring price.

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    ok so thinking out loud again, I have the single mk2 springs which are the same curve as my original mk1 ones. If i get these re-furbed i could probably get them de-cambered. I know the company who can do this and trust them but will de-cambering them increase the length by taking the curve out ?? so i can get it straight in my mind what they will be doing before i go and see them. I assume they have to roll the eye round further etc if so there is no point me doing anything with them until they are re-furbed. Or maybe i can get then to do the eye adjustment.

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Wouldn't the rear shackle take care of the length change issue?

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Quote Originally Posted by davemk1 View Post
    Wouldn't the rear shackle take care of the length change issue?
    Correct, as per a suspension movement. As the spring compresses upwards it effectively gets longer which in turn is absorbed by the shackle moving towards the rear. That's the whole purpose of it being floating.

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    hi, you use the mk2 shackle at the back, and use the bush of a mk1 at the front, you don't need to grind anything off the spring, if you straiten the spring the shackle will move to the rear, the same as it would when it go's up and down when you are driving, you can bent the spring strait with a press, but don't use heat, otherwise it will change how strong it is, cheers marcel

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Current plan for the Christmas period (if I get chance). I have got new mk1 front poly bushes and new mk2 rear shackles (had to cut the 1 of the mk1 ones off) rear mk2 bushes ok for this trial. I will try and fit my mk2 springs and see what I get. If they fit well I will then probably get them refurbed etc and de cambered if need.
    Last edited by wildo105e; 18-12-2018 at 11:52.

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1



    Ok so some quality time on the car. Managed to trim down the front eye added mk1 poly bushes. Managed to get the rears fitted with the original bushes for test.

    Fitted with 2" blocks and get the stance above which i am happy with. Running 15 x 7 wheels it is pretty close after trimming the arch edges. So any lower i think would cause issues.

    Next plan will be to mod the spring shackles so they use a bolt for the top bushes as anyone who has dealt with shackles will know they are a real pain. As you have to access the nut from inside the boot by removing a bung. This is ok for the passenger side, drivers side is under the fuel tank and there was no way i was taking that out. Once the shackles are modded this wont be an issue.


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    Last edited by wildo105e; 27-12-2018 at 19:46.

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Did I understand it right that MK2 60 mm wide spring can be used with MK1 spring plates? Do the U-bolts fit to holes without modifications to plates?
    Did the front eye fit to MK1 using MK1 bush without narrowing spring as anglia 58 suggests?

    On the other hand if somebody has spare MK2 spring plates I could buy those.
    Last edited by pta; 08-01-2020 at 15:02.

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    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

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    Re: Mk2 single leaf springs fitted to Mk1

    Quote Originally Posted by pta View Post
    Did I understand it right that MK2 60 mm wide spring can be used with MK1 spring plates? Do the U-bolts fit to holes without modifications to plates?
    On the other hand if somebody has spare MK2 spring plates I could buy those.
    You did understand it correctly. They are only 10mm wider so it is not a lot on a spring plate 5mm a side, unless my car had the wrong plates already fitted, I doubt that though.

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