replacing suspension...what do i need?!

[Rullverine]

QqTMy suspension is hideous. It's brown crusty, and everything sags on the drivers side by 2 inches.
Also the bushes are bad on the shocks and poking through on the lower arms due to rot!. I have new arms with bushes so that's ok. My question is, where can I get shocks and.springs from that are less bouncy and rubbish from? I don't need anything flash, or really want to ne spending mega money....but just something to improve how saggy/rolly it is! I would prefer very slightly lowered at the front to give.it a.nice stance without slamming it to the ground! Im assuming the front bushes will be screwed as everything is super old. I dont really wanna change all of it, so does anyone know which ones are prone to most wear?
Lastly what do you do about the mounting cups on the rear springs? I doubt the old ones will be much use welded by rust by now. How can you attach new ones if you cant find these parts?
Thanks....sorry this message uncovers many a problem!
Also anyone know of any other rads that fit 1256 hcs? I know they seem to be rare as now and im on my second rad weld :/

[vx-mike]

Pm me with your tel number, I may be able to help with the rad.

Mike

[shamm]

The club can get you complete bush sets and shocks are also available.
Snoot springs are slightly shorter and will lower the front slightly.

I'm only down the road so if you get stuck let me know.

Steve.

[oli8925]

South Yorkshire Springs for the springs. He can alter them to your spec so, say you want to lower it a little, ask him for 10mm lower springs for a 1256 HC. I think HPF springs are -30mm (?), but are designed to take OHC weight, so this guy is great for getting the look and feel you want for the OHV.

Club can get you shocks, or there are often a few floating around ebay, or KYB do standard spec shocks at something like £30 or £40 a corner. AVO and GAZ or Spax do adjustable shocks at a touch over £60 a corner.

Club can sort you out with rubber bushes, or you can get poly bushes from Motorsport World (Superflex bushes) or from a guy on here or RetroRides called Coggers. PM him. They're about the same price, poly slightly more expensive, so it's down to preference. Rubber typically gives a softer ride at the expense of longevity.

[Rullverine]

This is most helpful indeed! Everything has been answered, bar one thing....the rear spring mountingcups and top mountings. On my car im not sure if there salvageable, judging by the look of everything, it looks all welded together with grime, and age old rust!
Yeah I shall Steve...you might get mike speak to you about a rad, im buying it off him, bur he said if your going to the meeting at the weekend, he might be able to give to you. Then I could pick it up from you. Obviously only if that is ok with you!
Russ

[oli8925]

Cups - remind me how they're held in place. If I remember there's a single bolt going through the middle into the lower arm? or is it a stud? When I did mine the stud/bolt sheared as usual, I ground the studs out and just replaced with a nut, bolt and some large washers of my own. Easy.

[Rullverine]

That's it, I think it's a single bolt indeed, only they look like they are now part of the old springs. No amount of wd40 will ever penetrate the rust there to separate them from the springs top and bottom!

[droopsnoot]

Top should be easier to split as there should be a rubber insulator between the spring and cup, I think. I've seen people replace the lower one with a large flat washer, needs to be quite thick of course but it's only to stop the spring going anywhere.

[Paul Dawson]

I took the springs off my '72 HC recently and with a good soaking in PlusGas I got them out without shearing anything. And they looked well crusty beforehand.

As said, there is one bolt at the top and one at the bottom. If they shear then the spring will come out and it's a case of drilling out what's left and replacing with a suitable bolt at the top and nut and bolt at the bottom. The top one is the more tricky since there's a captive nut inside the mount which is hard to get at, so try to save the thread in that bolt if possible.



The top mount - captive nut inside


Spring with upper and lower mounting bolts

[oli8925]

Yep, now I remember