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Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 2:57 pm
by Robdavies
Hello, the top leaf of the rear spring is broken and gone a bit curly, can it be welded effectively as heating must surely wreck the temper?
Would it be better/nessersery / possible to replace the individual leaf/spring/pair of springs ? Ouch sounds expensive!

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:25 pm
by Stan Thomas
I certainly would not advocate welding a spring leaf, and I've never heard of it being done in 50 years in the trade - but you can get individual leaves made.

Then you have to decide if it is worth having the other leaves set and tempered to save any aggro in the future - and just to pile on the misery - springs should be re-set or replaced in pairs ...........................

There are a number of spring specialists about - but avoid those who advertise but then sub out your job and add on a profit.

Start by having a chat with someone like Jones Springs of Wednesbury in the West Midlands (no connection). Their number is 0121 568 7575.

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 3:58 pm
by theoldman
I can recommend Jones - they make all the springs for our locomotives.

Neil

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 9:39 pm
by captain bobo
Jones also have the profile & dimension information for the Daimler 15 springs; give them the part number for the part & apparently they provide it custom made.

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 8:49 am
by ranald
One word of caution about Jones Springs. My Lanchester 15/18 springs left my house with the clamping plate held by bolts with countersunk heads giving a flat surface for fixing to the car. They came back with a new style hex type fitting which did not give a flush fixing. They offered to look at the problem if I could returned them at my expense. As it would have cost a lot to send them by courier for a second time and they were not guaranting a solution, I had it sorted locally.

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 6:43 pm
by terryfrombury
Hi
I had the two rear leaf springs and the two front coil springs of the Special Sports rebuilt by Rossendale Road Springs
http://rossroadsprings.co.uk/
Only minor complication is that you would need to give them the spec details for the springs, but they made a good job of mine.
Terry

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:24 pm
by Robert Wells
I had Jones Springs repair and reset the springs for my 1935/36 '15' - several new leaves needed. Initially they could find the spec for the fronts but not the rears, but later they said they'd found the spec for the rears as well. Trouble was, both sets came back several inches too short pin-to-pin. Apparently there are different curves within each spec, with the same spring rate. They readily agreed to reset them again, at no charge. This time I gave them the minimum and maximum distances between the fixed pin and the swinging shackle pin on the car in each case, and asked them to use their judgement to allow for the static deflection under the weight of the car. The springs came back a fair bit longer, about one inch less than the minimum pin-to-pin length this time, I think, maybe a little more - but I haven't tried fitting them yet as the chassis and body are away at the bodywork restorer.

So I'd advise you to give them the min and max pin-to-pin measurements, and also the static weights on each spring (which thinking back I didn't do). Kev at Jones was very helpful and their prices seemed reasonable.

Robert Wells

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 12:14 pm
by Stan Thomas
Thinking about it further - and noting you are in Gibraltar - I suggest you contact Jones Springs and give them all the details of your car plus the main leaf dimensions, with a view to having two new main leaves made (as you have a broken one), then you could rebuild your springs and retain an equal ride height (although you would also need to rebush the ends as the leaves come bare).

This would probably be the cheapest acceptable option for you - but you would need to check shipping costs - unless a Club member was going your way on holiday!! Let us know how you get on.


Now, just in passing - here is an interesting thing about leaf springs!!

Count how many leaves your springs have - and you would be wrong - you counted one too many!!

The main leaf does not "count" as such, so if you counted (say) ten leaves in total, your spring is known as 9+1.

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:40 pm
by Robdavies
Golly thanks for your responses, I had a feeling that like dampers, rebuilding springs had to be done in pairs. Still if your going to do something might as well do it right. I'll have a chat with Jones and see if I can work out a cunning plan with them. I'll probably drive up with them as fancy a jaunt to England. Maybe take in an auto jumble or two, maybe see some of you around, thanks again for your time and thoughts.

Re: Daimler 15 spring, Busted !

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2019 11:22 am
by Observer
When fitting springs you need spring stretchers. In Chris Clarkes book it tells how it took two men a crowbar and an apprentice to fit the rear springs when the body is off.
Spring stretcher is the best option.