Rear spring broken

Big lumps of metals and spanners. Including servicing and fluids.

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itchyfeet
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Rear spring broken

Post by itchyfeet »

adriving along and a piece of my rear spring has snapped off
its the last bit that fits onto the trailing arm locating peg

ride height is OK but do you think its ok to drive home if I go slow?


thanks
Last edited by itchyfeet on 11 Mar 2018, 16:00, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Urgent help please rear spring broken

Post by 937carrera »

Hi Itchy,

It'll be fine. If you can secure the spring to the top or lower mount using tie wraps then that's just a bit of extra insurance.

I wouldn't try yumping though :)
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itchyfeet
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Re: Urgent help please rear spring broken

Post by itchyfeet »

Thanks.my gut feeling is dont hit any big bumps it wont move
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Re: Urgent help please rear spring broken

Post by muttleypup »

Had the same happen on mine couple years ago, only noticed because one side had dropped slightly. No panic should be fine provided no silly driving/cornering.
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itchyfeet
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Re: Urgent help please rear spring broken

Post by itchyfeet »

muttleypup wrote:no silly driving/cornering.

thanks I wil try and behave
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Re: Urgent help please rear spring broken

Post by Ian Hulley »

Steady as she goes mate :ok

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Re: Urgent help please rear spring broken

Post by multisi »

If you need one i have one in very good condition , taken off a van 10 years ago.
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Re: Urgent help please rear spring broken

Post by Mr Bean »

Likewise. I drove onto an unmarked closed road at speed in Germany some years ago leaping off a one foot (30cm) high drop :shock: .
After a change of underpants and putting every thing back where it belonged I couldn't see anything wrong with the van but failed the next MOT for having the end missing on a rear spring. I clearly didn't notice it in how the van drove...
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itchyfeet
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Re: Urgent help please rear spring broken

Post by itchyfeet »

I heard the clang and as I have had this before on a car I looked in my mirror to see it trundling down the road
I stopped picked it up.and went looking for where it came from
its not easy to see but I can feel it missing by hand.

Thankfuly it didn't happen on the motorway which I had just driven down at 70mph, might have gone through somebodies windscreen
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itchyfeet
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Re: Rear spring broken

Post by itchyfeet »

Got home with no problem, now I have had a chance to look I think it snapped weeks ago and the bit just jumped out.

The reason is I have heard a metalic clonking a few times and I assumed it was my tools / jack under the bed but the same metalic clonking was heard just before the bit flew out.

Also looking at the break it has a very rusty part which has been an initial crack thats been there a while and a final break which is slightly rusty so the final break didn't happen today.

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Re: Rear spring broken

Post by itchyfeet »

Next problem is which springs are they? I can't see the colour markings, but I don't know where they should be


I suppose I will have to remove them clean them and then I may find the marks.

My tintop sits 50mm higher than my pop top ( same wheels and tyres), the pop top is heavier but I doubt enough to make 50mm difference? so I think maybe the pop top has the lower springs and the tin top the uprated springs listed in Wiki

http://wiki.club8090.co.uk/index.php/St ... on_springs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brickwerks only offer a yellow and a nice price which is the uprated higher spring

I can't find the lower springs readily available, why is that?

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Re: Rear spring broken

Post by CovKid »

Higher ride height on my Caravelle too. Thats why my huge balloon tyres don't look out of place. I came to the conclusion that as it was sold as a people carrier, VW probably fitted slightly taller springs.
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Re: Rear spring broken

Post by itchyfeet »

CovKid wrote:Higher ride height on my Caravelle too. Thats why my huge balloon tyres don't look out of place. I came to the conclusion that as it was sold as a people carrier, VW probably fitted slightly taller springs.

I thought the Caravelle was lower than van?

My camper is lower than my tin top van
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itchyfeet
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Re: Rear spring broken

Post by itchyfeet »

Can you measure from ground to wheel arch please?

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Re: Rear spring broken

Post by Oldiebut goodie »

28" on my Caravelle with high top/furniture/+ roll of carpet!
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