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Post by braders on Dec 26, 2012 20:34:06 GMT 1
Hello to everyone here on this great site. I'm the proud owner of what I think is the best transit mk1 that has ever been built. It is a exfire van from Germany purchased by a BMW specialist from reading who set about fitting a BMW m50 engine from a 325 se, you may have seen the van on here before it is immaculate from top to bottom goes and sounds awesome. The only thing wrong is the rear suspension bumps and bangs as you will know on mk1 s they don't have any spring hangers at the rear they only have a slipper set up that makes for a poor ride. I want to use the van to tow my mk2 escort,so am asking for your help as to make the ride and handling a Lot smoother, the van is running a mk2 axle so am I right in thinking I could just fit the mk2 set up or would it be better to go for a later set up,would like to use the best I can and be as safe as possible for towing. So any help or advice as to what and were I could get the bits I need to make this great van even better. Cheers to all Old fords never die not in my hands anyway
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Post by m201 on Dec 26, 2012 20:45:22 GMT 1
Welcome aboard Braders.
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Post by m201 on Dec 26, 2012 21:19:58 GMT 1
Hello to everyone here on this great site. I'm the proud owner of what I think is the best transit mk1 that has ever been built. It is a exfire van from Germany purchased by a BMW specialist from reading who set about fitting a BMW m50 engine from a 325 se, you may have seen the van on here before it is immaculate from top to bottom goes and sounds awesome. The only thing wrong is the rear suspension bumps and bangs as you will know on mk1 s they don't have any spring hangers at the rear they only have a slipper set up that makes for a poor ride. I want to use the van to tow my mk2 escort,so am asking for your help as to make the ride and handling a Lot smoother, the van is running a mk2 axle so am I right in thinking I could just fit the mk2 set up or would it be better to go for a later set up,would like to use the best I can and be as safe as possible for towing. So any help or advice as to what and were I could get the bits I need to make this great van even better. Cheers to all Old fords never die not in my hands anyway The cheapest, quickest and best way I know to improve a panel van is to wear ear plugs Braders. ;D Some say it's the only way.
The usual reason for that suspension banging is when a bush has gone. Or a shocks come free. You sure everything is hunky dory downstairs?
One extra thing you might check while you are down there is that your shocks are the right length when they are extended.
Lining your van will make it quieter, especially if you take SemiHemi's advice and stick flashing tape on the panels first.
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Post by FredTransit on Dec 26, 2012 21:36:26 GMT 1
yeah we have a mk2 LWB and a mk1 SWB and they dont bump when empty. I have never had a load in the SWB but did run the Mk2 LWB commercially and have towed with her too. No bumping on either count. Maybe your springs need re tempering or another leaf adding. We need pics of this van!! Oh and WELCOME!
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Post by m201 on Dec 26, 2012 21:56:41 GMT 1
yeah we have a mk2 LWB and a mk1 SWB and they dont bump when empty. I have never had a load in the SWB but did run the Mk2 LWB commercially and have towed with her too. No bumping on either count. Maybe your springs need re tempering or another leaf adding. We need pics of this van!! Oh and WELCOME! What do you expect to gain by re-tempering springs please Fred?
And by adding an extra leaf please?
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Post by mk1andy on Dec 27, 2012 1:37:55 GMT 1
I think this is the van a chap called Consulate had on the other forum. The reason for the bumps and bangs is the rear of the rear springs is the saddle and slipper set up the same as a lot of 190 chassis cabs. I think it may be possible to change to swinging shackles but you would need to find a pair of hangers, shackles and springs off a Lwb panel van as chassis cab hangers are too deep. I think maybe from a Mk2 but I'm not positive on this.
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Post by m201 on Dec 27, 2012 8:32:04 GMT 1
I think this is the van a chap called Consulate had on the other forum. The reason for the bumps and bangs is the rear of the rear springs is the saddle and slipper set up the same as a lot of 190 chassis cabs. I think it may be possible to change to swinging shackles but you would need to find a pair of hangers, shackles and springs off a Lwb panel van as chassis cab hangers are too deep. I think maybe from a Mk2 but I'm not positive on this. What do you see as banging against what please Andy?
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Post by FredTransit on Dec 27, 2012 10:01:51 GMT 1
tempering the springs or adding a leaf will give more clearance off the axle
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Post by m201 on Dec 27, 2012 10:14:41 GMT 1
tempering the springs or adding a leaf will give more clearance off the axle Please will you explain how you see tempering the springs as giving more clearance off the axle Fred?
Please will you explain how to rebalance the brakes front to rear after adding am extra leaf?
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Post by mk1andy on Dec 27, 2012 13:57:21 GMT 1
)What do you see as banging against what please Andy? The rear of these springs do not have a shackle as such. The end of the main leaf passes through the hanger which in effect is an inverted 'U' and it has a small roll pin passing under the leaf that stops it dropping out of the bottom of the 'U' if you jacked the van up on the chassis or were driving on rough ground with no weight on the van. When the van is unladen it is the spring slapping about between the hanger and the roll pin that causes the banging. It would be worth checking that there is a nylon sleeve on the roll pins and they are not worn out or missing as that will contribute to the noise.
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Post by m201 on Dec 27, 2012 15:00:17 GMT 1
)What do you see as banging against what please Andy? The rear of these springs do not have a shackle as such. The end of the main leaf passes through the hanger which in effect is an inverted 'U' and it has a small roll pin passing under the leaf that stops it dropping out of the bottom of the 'U' if you jacked the van up on the chassis or were driving on rough ground with no weight on the van. When the van is unladen it is the spring slapping about between the hanger and the roll pin that causes the banging. It would be worth checking that there is a nylon sleeve on the roll pins and they are not worn out or missing as that will contribute to the noise. Mmmm. Could be if the spring has lost the curve up at the end that should keep it in touch with both the hanger and the pin when the weight comes off the spring. If you jack the chassis up so that the axle hangs free, the spring should be in contact with the pin and the hanger. If you then jack the axle up, the spring should stay in contact with the pin and the hanger until it leaves the pin. If the shock absorber is doing it's job properly, and the shock absorber bushes are nice and springy, the spring should come into contact with the pin slowly and quietly. My book doesn't show a nylon bush on the pin I'm afraid so I have to take your word for it. However, replacing the nylon bush with a polyurethane one should help, especially if you get it made a bit bigger in external diameter. Personally, I can't remember any nylon bushes on the pin, and I can't see any on the Transit in my yard, but if my springs banged and my shocks were in good order, I'd fit a metal bush on those pins. With plenty of grease inside the bush. If that quick fix is of any interest to you, you are welcome to it Andy.
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Post by irishtransit on Dec 27, 2012 15:57:55 GMT 1
welcome along.
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Post by FredTransit on Dec 27, 2012 19:07:48 GMT 1
tempering the springs or adding a leaf will give more clearance off the axle Please will you explain how you see tempering the springs as giving more clearance off the axle Fred?
Please will you explain how to rebalance the brakes front to rear after adding am extra leaf?re tempering the springs will give them thier original lift. We have never touched the brakes when adding a leaf. Why would yo need to ?
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Post by muttleymk2 on Dec 27, 2012 19:49:37 GMT 1
Hello to you matey I think this MK1 slider shackle to swinging shackle conversion need a thread of its own. Its very doable as later MK1's had swinging shacles fitted
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Post by m201 on Dec 27, 2012 20:09:14 GMT 1
Please will you explain how you see tempering the springs as giving more clearance off the axle Fred?
Please will you explain how to rebalance the brakes front to rear after adding am extra leaf? re tempering the springs will give them thier original lift. We have never touched the brakes when adding a leaf. Why would yo need to ? Ah, you mean re-arching Fred. Which can involve re-tempering, but it would cost more than new springs. Mostly it's only done with valuable vintage motors to keep them original.Usual way it to re-arch in a big press. Say a 100 ton press. No need to dismantle the spring that way.
Other than that a blacksmith might hammer each blade to the correct curve. But proper blacksmiths are hard to find, and expensive once again.
You need to adjust the load proportioning valve to get your rear brakes to work.
The LPV adjusts the amount of pressure your back brakes get in relation to the fronts. The more load you put in the truck, the more the truck sinks down on it's springs. The more it sinks down on it's springs, the more pressure the LPV sends to the brakes. The more pressure the rear brakes get, the harder they work The harder the rear brakes work the better the brake balance.
The better the brake balance, the safer the truck.
If you stick another blade in the springs, the LPV doesn't realise the load you've got on board, so it doesn't increase the pressure to improve braking. If the rears aren't working properly, your brake balance is out. The more your brake balance is out, the less safe your truck is.
In the extreme, when you brake hard, the fronts lock, and you slide out of control.
Messy when a child runs in front of you on a slippy road.
Messy on the motorway when the traffic shuts down suddenly, and your back end starts to over take the front.
Especially messy when you have a jack-knifing trailer on the back.
MOT brake tester will pick it up if you go in loaded by the way.
Do they load commercials during their brake test in this country yet please Fred?
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