TR6 Anyone using TRF Roadspings on their TR6

[tdskip]

Is anyone using TRF upgraded springs on their TR6?

My front springs are shot and I have a spare set of unused, new in the box, road springs from TR6.

Here is a link to the catalog page at TRF;

https://www.zeni.net/trf/TR6-250GC/index.php?menu=R&page=70

Thanks!

 

[DougF]

I have a full set on the shelf that I replaced with Richard Good springs. Mine sat too high for what I wanted.
I would not replace the fronts with the upgraded springs without also replacing the rear. I have friends who have upgraded the rear while leaving the front stock. But I believe the rear is too softly sprung to leave stock.
It would be like mixing radials with bias belted tires.

 

[Guest]

TD, when I replaced my stock springs with new ones, I wanted to go with more of a competition spring with a more controlled ride and lower. I bought my first set from TRF and noticed that the car sat almost 1" higher than stock! Dave had no answer except to send them back. Now that was two years ago, things may have changed since then. I ended up with the competition springs from British Parts North West. They were exactly what I was looking for. All I can say is take your old ones out and measure them against your TRF springs. Of course, you will be down a while without the correct springs if the TRF springs don't work out. I personally would think they have worked this problem out by now. Call BPNW.

 

[Alan_Myers]

Hi,

Yes, one type of spring TRF sells does cause the car to sit higher than stock, about 1". They also have an uprated spring that leaves the car sitting closer to the original height.

Anyone you get them from, it's best to buy all four as a matched set. Ask what height to expect. It's possible, too, to shorten springs and lower the car. Cutting the springs to do that also increases the spring rate.

 

[Brosky]

I installed the stock TRF springs in the rear to replace my originals with 58K miles that were beginning to sag. The car came up to an even ride height compared to the front and it handles and rides very well. No complaints on my part.

I did install all new rear bushings, link packages and had the lever shocks rebuilt by Apple with their HD bronze bushings inside.

So I actually did more than just replacing the springs.

EDIT: Make sure that you get the new rubber pads that the springs sit on also.

 

[SCguy]

My TRF uprated springs are sitting on a shelf as they raised my car too much.

 

[tdskip]

I love this forum - you guys rock.

So how many of you are running rubber vs. urethane (poly) spring packings (collar in Moss terms)?

The TR6 is currently too low and the camber is way off, so I'm thinking I have a combination of problems with my springs & collars.

Sounds like the TRF springs will definitely take care of the high issue but might over do the fix and raise her up too much...

 

[Brosky]

When I took a poll, everyone said that the uprated would sit too high, so I went with the stock. It worked out perfectly.

I don't rally or motor cross my car so I replaced the bushings with the original style rubber. Too many complaints about noisy poly bushings, but their fans will say it's due to lack of the proper type lube at assembly. Who knows? I didn't want to take a chance and my originals lasted 32 years, so why screw around for a stock car?

 

[Tinster]

Ditto on what Paul posted.

I replaced everything in the rear end, stock,
and I am well satisfied.

d

 

[YankeeTR]

While it will raise the spring rate just a touch, you can always cut a spring down to get the correct ride height.

I used to do that on a regular basis when I raced dirt cars with stock-style suspensions. If I cut one coil out of a 250# spring it might raise the spring rate 25/35#'s...probably not noticeable in a passenger car.

And you'll always hear NOT to cut the spring with a torch...while it may not be pretty it really doesn't have an effect on the life of the spring.

I suppose if you heated it for twenty minutes it may affect it but a quick cut would be fine...or just use a cut-off wheel.

 

[jackag91]

How can you tell if you need to replace your springs? Is there a test you could do? Measure the unsprung hieght? Load test them?

 

[Guest]

Really, the only reason you might want to consider replacing the <u>rear</u> springs on a TR6 (with the independent rear suspension) is if you can visually see the typical rear end squat while the car is standing still. You will see each tire tilted inward at the top. They should look essentially perfectly vertical if the springs are in good condition. The rear end will squat on hard acceleration (more so on stock, softer springs) and only noticeable visually from a bystander.
It seems most TR6s succumb to this malady over time. As far as shocks go, the stock lever-arm shocks are excellent shocking devices and can be uprated with a rebuild by shops that specialize in this. Many people that upgrade their rearends to competition springs will often keep the stock shocks and just upgrade them (example - Richard Good, one of the ultimate hi-pro TR6 guys, runs lever arm shocks.) An alternative is to convert to tube shocks. I would recommend the setup from British Parts North West as the easiest and one of the best (IMHO) setups. Just know that they supply you with a KYB tube shock which tends to ride rough. I changed to an adjustable Spax tube shock on their setup. Another "improvement" on the rear suspension is to re-bush the trailing arm with Nylatron bushes.