rear leaf springs on symphony

Hello members, I have recently fitted a tow bar and now find my rear springs are right down on the bump stops, In order to correct this I was going to fit heavy duty leaf springs (two leafs). I wondered if anyone else has gone down this route, as I guess the original single leaf was well worn after 17 YEARS. Cheers Alex

Have used Grayston many times in the past and have always been happy with their service.

I've found this other make who will supply or supply & fit.................

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gunfiresix wrote:Hello members, I have recently fitted a tow bar and now find my rear springs are right down on the bump stops, In order to correct this I was going to fit heavy duty leaf springs (two leafs). I wondered if anyone else has gone down this route, as I guess the original single leaf was well worn after 17 YEARS. Cheers Alex

Just a bit bemused why it is sitting low after fitting a tow bar?

PB

The vehicle has been fitted with an lpg tank which is quite heavy, and the tow bar is quite substantial, so I guess the combined load plus vehicle age has just pulled the springs flat. Alex

This issue with springs brings back memories from my days at the roadside. We had the first of the Ducato and Talbot Exspres vans. We went through front tyres at an alarming rate. Most people went from Transits to these vans so the amount of kit they caried was putting the vans on there weight limit. The cure for this was have an extra leaf fitted to the rear springs by a local firm. I had a lot of Transits over the years and I always felt they were within limits all be it a harder ride. It might be worth you putting youre van on a weigh bridge fully loaded before some one with a white hat starts getting intrested. It would realy spoil youre day if you were over the limit.

Thanks for the advice will get a weight check ,but still think its old age on the springs, wondered if anyone has fitted twin leaf springs on their van. Alex

I had the same problem with my Talbot express harmony she was sitting bum down when loaded and i got a advisery on the MOT

I was advised to go to paddington springs who added a extra heavy duty leaf

Now fully loaded inc water tanks full and a trailor she sits level and the ride is nice not stiff at all

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there just behind Wembly stadium and did it in less than 3 hours they also re do single leafs

I was told that the springs are the standard van type and was not up to the extra weight campers carry normaly and then we load them up even more so over the years they sag mine where nearly bending the wrong way

Steve

I have just been talking to one of my mates that worked with me about the issue of rear springs. You will find the van diferent to drive with the ride hight at the back sorted. Not only will you get better life out of youre front tyres you will also find the handling at lot better because the steering geometry is set for a van with a level ride. My mate said he had an ocasion that he had to brake hard and he found the front brakes locked on a dry road. As for towing a trailer that was a nightmare because the trailer pushed the back down even farther. Just as a side line we had a 4 wheel drive Talbot in our area. That got stuck on grass at the side of the road. There was a lot of debate as to the reason for it being stuck most of it being aimed at the driver not the van for a change.

Would 'Air Ride' be a simple solution?

We did have air bag spring assisters fitted to the rear of the T4 vans. When the T4s came to us they had a recovery system that required the tow pin to be the corect hight or the recovery gear wouldnt self steer. That system was not a good idea and was eventualy taken out of the vans. A batch of T4,s were recaled for waranty work on the rear suspension but we didnt have any were as near as much of an issue as the Seval vans. My mate had silly amounts of gear in his T4 and just put more air in the rear suspension untill he was put on a weigh bridge. When I moved to a Renault recovery vehicle my instructor said he was pleased it wasnt an Iveco he couldnt aford the dentist bill because they were such a hard ride. Surley we dont want our house on wheels to shake youre fillings out or break the pots en route The start of this subject must not be forgotten. If you have soft rear springs due to there age the real cure is to start with curing the origional fault and then take things a step at a time if you feel it nessesary to uprate. Maybe me thinks this must be the subject well covered I had best let you get on with sorting youre springs.

Dave 418 wrote:Surley we dont want our house on wheels to shake youre fillings out or break the pots en route The start of this subject must not be forgotten.

Exactly right, which is where Air Rides really score.

Dave 418 wrote:If you have soft rear springs due to there age the real cure is to start with curing the origional fault and then take things a step at a time if you feel it nessesary to uprate.

Air rides are fitted by Autosleeper to many new vans. They are also perfect for upgrading tired springs and will give a much better ride than just using stiffer steel springs due to the progressive nature of air suspension (the more you compress it the more resistance you get). They just need to be correctly adjusted (the right amount of wind in them).

Look elsewhere on this forum for people that have fitted them and are impressed by the improvment. Then Google Air Ride to see how easy they are to fit and adjust, applications and benefits.

I can lift our van a good 6 inches on the rear and still keep within the working pressure range of the AirRides

Hello members. Just a update on rear springs on my Symphony, I purchased twin leaf springs from Jones springs came with correct u bolts and new nuts, had them fitted by mobile mechanic, also renewed rear shock absorbas now van height is uniform and level with about an inch clearance to bump stops. Next stop is a weigh bridge to see what my pay load is, used to be 600 kg will have to see if there is much change. Thanks to members for advice but I decided to tackle the problem of flat springs, rather than use assisters, either spring or air, As the flattened spring would still be in place. Also did not have to adjust brake load compensator as the van was back to original hieght , give or take half an inch. Alex

I'm not too sure the 'new' setup will be much better, as 2 leaves as against one may give a 'harder' ride, when I removed my old bump-stop rubbers,
they were compressed between the chassis-rail & the spring, due to the constant load, but an inch gap gives only an inch of 'free' suspension.
Even the smallest bump will have them contacting, also, the load compensator should have been re-set/adjusted since the ride height has now changed.

Air rides are MUCH superior, they replace the bump-stops, & the air-bags take just about ALL of the vans weight whilst still allowing the springs to do
their work, the spring actually reverts back to its original radius, & the re-setting of the load compensator takes seconds.

The transformation to the ride & handling is enormous, I wouldn't have believed it but as I fitted them myself so I had the 'before & after' driving & its
probably the best thing I did on my van.

I have fitted the twin leaf springs and ride is excellent and no wallow , I stand corrected the load sensing valve has to be adjusted to get correct braking  for front and rear brakes, this is to be done in the next week. Also had the van on weighbridge,  comes in at 2.57 mt so still about 500 kg to play with, less once the wife and I are included, but in all a successful result, thanks for all the members input, Alex

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