How Can You Tell If Your Springs Need Replacing

[PaulPJ]

Hi Chaps, as the title says, how can you tell if your front springs need replacing. Neither of mine are broken and there is a lot of clearance between the wheel arch and the wheel but I was just wondering as my car does bounce a bit of uneven roads. The struts are fine and so I have ruled them out of the equation. :shrug:

[kaiser]

If your car is sagging, or sitting uneven on the springs, you might have to replace them.
A spring length, in principle, is a linear function of load. If you spring is too soft, the length will be too short, your ride too low.

Why are you asking??

[PaulPJ]

If your car is sagging, or sitting uneven on the springs, you might have to replace them.
A spring length, in principle, is a linear function of load. If you spring is too soft, the length will be too short, your ride too low.

Why are you asking??

Hi Kaiser, more curious than anything and because on uneven roads the car seems to jump a lot. The front struts are fine, no leaks and its only recently had an MOT. I just wondered if there was an easy way of telling if the springs needed to be replaced.

[ErikB]

The lifetime of a set of shocks is more limited or shorter than the lifetime of springs (normal conditions).

[geoffm]

I believe the early 75 models were fitted with poor quaility springs, my near side broke at 90,000 and had both replaced.
The garage that did the work was an ex Rover dealership and they showed me a recall notice issued to all Rover dealerships that was issued soon after the model was launched around 99/00 period.
I think the problem was relative more to the heavier diesel engine fitted, in fact when my near side broke I had little choice but to call out RAC recovery and when the guy arrived the first thing he asked after determining that the vehicle needed towing was if it had a diesel engine and when I said yes he told me he would have to call out a truck as the weight of the engine took the max loading on the transit tow hitch/pick up over it's limit.
The off side front spring when removed showed stress fractures so was on the verge of breaking.

[James.uk]

Too much bouncing = worn shock obsorbers..

Too small a gap in the wheel arch.. = worn (or broken) springs..

:D:D...

[kaiser]

I agree, if the car is too bouncy the shocks are the ones to replace. No doubt about that.

[HarryM1BYT]

but I was just wondering as my car does bounce a bit of uneven roads. The struts are fine and so I have ruled them out of the equation. :shrug:

Bouncing, or rather damping the bounce is the pupose of the damper in the strut. Ride height is determined by the weight of the car, versus the strength of and length of the springs. If they are unbroken and it is sitting at the correct height, there is not much point in replacing them. If it is bouncing excessively, then the damper(s) need to be investigated.

[Mike Noc]

The lifetime of a set of shocks is more limited or shorter than the lifetime of springs (normal conditions).

Not on a lot of 75's and definitely not on mine. 3 out of 4 springs broke - replaced the one that didn't as well but at 290,500 miles all 4 shocks are as good as new.

Mike