Help please - broken front spring
Discussion
Gutted ! - was going to refit newly re-finished SP wheels with their fresh PS4S on my Vantage this evening and while tidying up I spotted that the offside front spring is broken. Looking at the state of it I reckon it's been like that for a while - clearly I don't 'press on' enough to have noticed.
It's a 2010 V8V with sportspack and my searches with the usual parts sellers so far haven't come up with a replacement (or even a part number). I was hoping to do a trip up to the Lake District at the end of the month so time of the essence and all that - the car is currently sitting up on axle stands so I'm hoping I can get hold of a pair of springs and do this at home.
Is finding OE sportpack springs the way to go or would a swap to aftermarket alternative make sense? btw I'm not looking to lower the car and find the ride sufficiently direct.
Thanks in anticipation of your assistance
It's a 2010 V8V with sportspack and my searches with the usual parts sellers so far haven't come up with a replacement (or even a part number). I was hoping to do a trip up to the Lake District at the end of the month so time of the essence and all that - the car is currently sitting up on axle stands so I'm hoping I can get hold of a pair of springs and do this at home.
Is finding OE sportpack springs the way to go or would a swap to aftermarket alternative make sense? btw I'm not looking to lower the car and find the ride sufficiently direct.
Thanks in anticipation of your assistance
That happened to me a few weeks ago, on my 2010 V8V with sportspack suspension. Both springs were broken at the very bottom, and I hadn't noticed until it failed its MoT.
I had to get it fixed within a week, so bought some VelocityAP springs, because I could get them quickly, and fitted them myself, which was fairly straightforward.
They were £800 for a set of four.
I really wish I'd found original sportspack springs, because even with just a 22mm drop, I now need to re-engineer my drive so that I can get on and off the drive without dragging the belly of the car along the pavement, First time I've ever had lowering springs, and I'll never do it again, they ruin the driving experience because you're always worrying about when you're going to smash something new into the bottom of your car
I had to get it fixed within a week, so bought some VelocityAP springs, because I could get them quickly, and fitted them myself, which was fairly straightforward.
They were £800 for a set of four.
I really wish I'd found original sportspack springs, because even with just a 22mm drop, I now need to re-engineer my drive so that I can get on and off the drive without dragging the belly of the car along the pavement, First time I've ever had lowering springs, and I'll never do it again, they ruin the driving experience because you're always worrying about when you're going to smash something new into the bottom of your car
CoolHands said:
Is that a standard spring or a sportspack spring? they are differentSame break point, just above the taper on the last coil at the bottom of the spring. I only noticed because a bit of the plastic coat looked to be flaking away and when I picked at it I could see the fracture.
The part number was where I got stuck. I think the one listed on Scuderia is standard - other parts sites were more emphatic in listing things as 'not Sportspack'. As I understand it the spring and damper were both different for SP. On one listing I saw the V8V spring rating for Sportpack was the same as for the V12 (531lbs front, 590lbs rear) but I can't believe that's correct)
Thanks for the tip-off about lowering - even by 22mm. I'm really not after the 'slammed' look and I'm sure the sound of an Aston
scraping its guts on every speedbump is just not nice. I use my car for road trips and don't plan any trackday heroics.
Any other leads?
The part number was where I got stuck. I think the one listed on Scuderia is standard - other parts sites were more emphatic in listing things as 'not Sportspack'. As I understand it the spring and damper were both different for SP. On one listing I saw the V8V spring rating for Sportpack was the same as for the V12 (531lbs front, 590lbs rear) but I can't believe that's correct)
Thanks for the tip-off about lowering - even by 22mm. I'm really not after the 'slammed' look and I'm sure the sound of an Aston
scraping its guts on every speedbump is just not nice. I use my car for road trips and don't plan any trackday heroics.
Any other leads?
Try giving these guys a call and see if they can help ? https://performancesprings.co.uk/index.php/product...
Contact is jhall@melling.com (James Hall - very helpful chap). Just had an email exchange with him - being a Sports Pack owner and therefore interested party. They did a batch of 200 MG suspension springs at £15 each, although this would obviously be smaller production runs with bigger springs. Ideally he would need a full spring, although could work with a broken one. Would be very surprised if they came in at more than £75 each, although I haven't got a price off him yet. At that price or thereabouts I'd put my name down for a full set to pop on the shelf. He reckons if the material is already in the machine the price would be cheaper.
Springs shouldn't be expensive - I ordered a pair of Maserati 4200 rear springs from Eibach (OE). They were made in Germany, shipped to Maserati Italy, shipped from there to the UK centre and then posted out to me.
Cost was about £18 each plus about £6 P&P.
Contact is jhall@melling.com (James Hall - very helpful chap). Just had an email exchange with him - being a Sports Pack owner and therefore interested party. They did a batch of 200 MG suspension springs at £15 each, although this would obviously be smaller production runs with bigger springs. Ideally he would need a full spring, although could work with a broken one. Would be very surprised if they came in at more than £75 each, although I haven't got a price off him yet. At that price or thereabouts I'd put my name down for a full set to pop on the shelf. He reckons if the material is already in the machine the price would be cheaper.
Springs shouldn't be expensive - I ordered a pair of Maserati 4200 rear springs from Eibach (OE). They were made in Germany, shipped to Maserati Italy, shipped from there to the UK centre and then posted out to me.
Cost was about £18 each plus about £6 P&P.
Edited by JonnyCJ on Wednesday 12th May 10:09
oily mist said:
Same break point, just above the taper on the last coil at the bottom of the spring. I only noticed because a bit of the plastic coat looked to be flaking away and when I picked at it I could see the fracture.
The part number was where I got stuck. I think the one listed on Scuderia is standard - other parts sites were more emphatic in listing things as 'not Sportspack'. As I understand it the spring and damper were both different for SP. On one listing I saw the V8V spring rating for Sportpack was the same as for the V12 (531lbs front, 590lbs rear) but I can't believe that's correct)
Thanks for the tip-off about lowering - even by 22mm. I'm really not after the 'slammed' look and I'm sure the sound of an Aston
scraping its guts on every speedbump is just not nice. I use my car for road trips and don't plan any trackday heroics.
Any other leads?
Try David Appleby Engineering, they may have some in stockThe part number was where I got stuck. I think the one listed on Scuderia is standard - other parts sites were more emphatic in listing things as 'not Sportspack'. As I understand it the spring and damper were both different for SP. On one listing I saw the V8V spring rating for Sportpack was the same as for the V12 (531lbs front, 590lbs rear) but I can't believe that's correct)
Thanks for the tip-off about lowering - even by 22mm. I'm really not after the 'slammed' look and I'm sure the sound of an Aston
scraping its guts on every speedbump is just not nice. I use my car for road trips and don't plan any trackday heroics.
Any other leads?
Thanks Michael, I'll start a ring-round to see if any of the indies have suitable springs in stock.
I agree with Jonny - I didn't buy an Aston expecting it to be a cheapskate experience but there does seen to be a hefty Aston Tax on these items - those Maserati springs were a super bargain by comparison.
I agree with Jonny - I didn't buy an Aston expecting it to be a cheapskate experience but there does seen to be a hefty Aston Tax on these items - those Maserati springs were a super bargain by comparison.
I'm pretty sure that's for a 4.3 standard coupe. I'm expecting to see something different for 4.7 with sportpack.
I've made a few calls so far and DAE have some on order (fair price for a full set of 4) but none in stock
Got to love these cars and their handcrafted parts made from finest unobtanium.
I've made a few calls so far and DAE have some on order (fair price for a full set of 4) but none in stock
Got to love these cars and their handcrafted parts made from finest unobtanium.
oily mist said:
I'm pretty sure that's for a 4.3 standard coupe. I'm expecting to see something different for 4.7 with sportpack.
I've made a few calls so far and DAE have some on order (fair price for a full set of 4) but none in stock
Got to love these cars and their handcrafted parts made from finest unobtanium.
You just need to think outside the box, appreciate that many parts aren't made of solid gold and not pay the Aston tax. As the cars get older more and more solutions will appear (see the Alternative Parts sticky) and sourcing aftermarket springs now appears to be at that point in the cycle.I've made a few calls so far and DAE have some on order (fair price for a full set of 4) but none in stock
Got to love these cars and their handcrafted parts made from finest unobtanium.
There will be people who sniff at not buying OE, but it's a spring, nothing more, nothing less. Just need to know the rates, steel diameter, etc etc and you're sorted.
I'd be surprised if you don't get them sorted for very low comparative cost from Performance Springs in my earlier thread. Did you speak to them ?
Thanks for the words of encouragement Jonny. I agree that whilst these cars are things of great beauty we shouldn't be 'scared' of working on them (btw I enjoyed following your subframe renovation thread). I'm happy to pay for a good indie to do the things that are beyond my humble spannering skills but prices for some of the supposedly OE parts are frankly a bit silly. The alternative parts list makes sense to me when there are plenty of parts bins items (Volvo, Jaguar, etc) beneath the skin.
Your lead at Melling is next on my list of calls to make.
Your lead at Melling is next on my list of calls to make.
Thanks Oily - like you I always defer to the experts when something is beyond my skill set, enthusiasm level or where it involves engine work.
Actually quite envious, as I’d probably wished I’d had a broken spring when I did my subframe and front end restos. That way you would have a solution to your problem !
I do like chasing down things like this.
Let us know how you get on and if Melling are up for a group buy at reasonable cost count me in.
Actually quite envious, as I’d probably wished I’d had a broken spring when I did my subframe and front end restos. That way you would have a solution to your problem !
I do like chasing down things like this.
Let us know how you get on and if Melling are up for a group buy at reasonable cost count me in.
Incidentally, to replace the front springs, I think it takes less than 15 bolts to remove then replace each spring, including removal of the wheel.
It was the first time I'd done this job on any car, and was surprisingly easy. Probably less than half an hour for a pro, much longer than that for a cautious amateur ...
It was the first time I'd done this job on any car, and was surprisingly easy. Probably less than half an hour for a pro, much longer than that for a cautious amateur ...
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