I think my Rear end is sagging quite badly...! i dont have too much experience but my enthusiasm and determination out weight it ten fold. :rock:/>/>/> wondering if any of you kind folk can help? basically the car looks like its been lowered, but it hasn't, at least not to my knowledge! im guessing its 'time sag'. its normally a bit lower than this as just jacked it. because when i stuck some 8inchers on the back this happened :duh:/>/>/> completely bottomed out, arches basically resting on wheel! i thought it would be tight but not that tight...! so was wondering what people think the suspect issue / solution might be, bushes? sagging springs? they are corroded in areas dont appear to be obviously broken or cracked from where i can see, bushes on the rear of the springs look good from what i can see, on the front end of the spring, maybe not so :/ N/S front end closer up, (in between all the corrosion!) can see the bush looks like its seen better days to me in real life. replacing these a hard job? will it make a difference to the ride height? or should i concentrate on looking for a set of dampers or even new springs? thanks in advance for help!!
I would advise a set of new single leaf springs, I fitted them to mine and it made some difference!! Even handling etc seems to be improved. Kris
Yup, time for new rear leafs! and new rear shackles and u bolts as these will probably snap when you come to releasing the old rusty bits, new leaf springs come with new bushes
New springs ! Those are the aftermarket ones from around late 1990 the clips spread and sag had them on carla the centre pin had split spreading them
As everyone says, get it done!! Did mine this year and never looked back. I think you still might struggle with those 8" rims though? What tyre size are on them?
Looks to be too much negative offset on those wheels. Even with new springs, it looks like they will stick out beyond the arch. Mr mot man won't like it....but maybe extended arches are part of the plan?
thanks for all the replys guys! really appreciate it, its all very helpful ill order all new shackles and bolts to be safe :thumbup1:/>/>/> thats interesting to know they not OEM springs, and must have been replaced once already by the previous owner. you have a good set of eyes sir! tyres are 205/50/15 but i think Vernon is right with the offset ah i just measured the offset and its about -30 />/>/> . someone told me steel wellers were always 0. liars! yeah the arches are pretty much all goners now, so think i will have some fun and widen them, toying with tarmac arches! so is the general consensus that single leafs are the way to go? its only a laser , i have read some people said when they switched to singles the ride was way too hard? but if there was a choice i will urge on the side of better handeling / performance. i guess i am just able to swap in / out and dont need any sort of witch craftery to make them fit? i will look for a second hand set, and order some poly bushes to match. just thinking is it worth doing the dampers at the same time!? do they ever need changing / servicing the inserts etc? thanks all!
Do not buy second hand springs! You're buying what u already have, buy some new single leafs and they'll come with rubber bushes fitted.
I've just fitted singles to my laser and they are great, much better ride and not harsh at all. I did fit 1" lowering blocks though as it stood a bit high on fresh springs. The bonus there is if you fit 1" blocks you can reuse the existing u-bolts, ( that's if there don't shear on the way off!!). Remember to re-align your ARB when you fit the new springs too, the dampers will depend on there condition. Mine were shot so I fitted some gas ones. Actually I spent a fortune rebuilding the whole rear end while I was there and painted everything up! But if the wife asks, everything only came to £23.50
Now this may be a stupid thought but have you got the wheels on the right way? Just that from the photo the marks on the wheel look like the side that has been up against a hub, ie inside, is now showing, ie outside. May explain your high offset?
ah. New ones it is then! :guitar3: haha awesome, sounds good. 1" lowering blocks are good idea and if when the settle down can just whip them out! whats the best way of working out if the dampers have had it? so, re-aligning the ARB, covered in haynes manual?? what bits did you paint up or was it more of the bitchamin underseal
The dampers should have plenty is resistance in them, and be smooth action all the way through their motion. And if they are gas they should lift back on their own when compressed. Not sure if the arb alignment is in the manual? There is a good write up on lasers page for doing that, nothing stressful!! I painted the new springs, axle, arb, tank, tank straps, handbrake linkage, all in hammerite or similar, and under sealed the underside rear of the car.
ok ill have a scout for arb info, probably sounds more intimidating then it is. :unsure: sounds good mate any pics? i like the idea of painting / protecting as much as i can while its all apart, did you drop the tank down to paint behind it?
i have singles on my mk 1 ,and as said previously its a hell of alot better ,but single springs generally make the car sit a little lower than multi leaf ones although if yours are shot they will be higher ,i actually had to raise the rear an inch in order to fit my 205 wolfies on it without it bottoming out ,was fine when they first went on but once they settled down they would catch the arch when going over any of our nice english flat roads definately handles better though ,also poly bushed the rear end while i was at it and that improved the handling too :guitar3: :guitar3: :guitar3:
If you can, get rid of the rubber bushes and get Poly ones.Will really tighten up the back end and last a lot longer than the standard rubber bushes. :thumbup1:
I didn't take any when I put it all back together doh !! Yes I took everything off. I painted the top of the tank in bitumen paint too. Only have these rubbish pics I took in the shed while I has painting!!:
ok cool ill ditch the bushes in there when they come and replace em with polys. id rather put polys in now with the new springs then potentially have to replace the bushes in a few years again. get 2 birds stoned at once! :cigar:/>/>/> loooks awesome though pete, nice job mate! you have definitely convinced me to do the same, at least when i put it all back i have peace of mind it will be a bit more protected. did you primer the axel etc before hamerite?i have a tub of Zinc primer which i think might be useful to use here cheers all!
yeah Prev owner had them on the other way around...! VW heads eh :crazy:/> well spotted though stevep!!
