Triumph Spitfire Rear Shocks--and How to Adjust the Rear Drum Brakes

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Early Spitfires didn't have the best reputation for great handling. For the most part, that was due to the swing spring setup in the rear. It was hardly a rare setup, and worked well... but with the limitation that it had a tendency for "jacking" when quickly maneuvering from one direction to another (such as in a slalom). In any case, most of us will never drive our Spitfires that fast; and on a normal road the handling is pretty good for the period.
That assumes, of course, that the suspension is kept properly maintained. The standard shocks available today are generally made by the same few places regardless of where you buy them from.... and they're terrible. The performance is okay, but put any amount of mileage on them and the don't seem to hold up. We'll demonstrate that here, as well as how to change them. On a Spitfire, the rear shocks are amazingly simple to swap out (the fronts require special tools--or at least a quick trip to your local mechanic with the removed coil over assembly).
While we're back there, it's always a good idea to adjust the rear brakes. Modern cars with drum brakes typically are self-adjusting... but apart from the last of the GT6s, Triumphs generally aren't. This will be very similar to how you would adjust the brakes on an Austin Healey 3000, a Triumph TR6, MGB, or most other sports cars of this vintage. If you have a soft pedal or less-than-enthusiastic braking, this is the place to start.
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[@americanpatriot2422]

Outstanding video and presentation. I wish the MGBs were as easy. The only bonus for the MGB is the long service life of the hydrologic dampeners. If I recall the front shocks on a Spitfire are even easier.

[@midwestmotoring]

Yes and no. The fronts on a Spitfire are fall-off-a-log easy to remove from the car... but it's a coil over design, so you have to have a special tool to separate the spring from the shocks once they're off the car. It's basically a strut assembly. MGBs aren't too bad, but it is a pain to have to crawl under the back to get at everything though....

[@americanpatriot2422]

@@midwestmotoringAll your videos are outstanding. Thank you

[@truequan]

I like how you put little tidbit comments in. " Actually never re-use these" I'm trying to figure out (bottoming out) if I need to do, or have done, the same on my 75 TR6. The mechanism is weirdly different. Good video.

[@midwestmotoring]

The TR6 is pretty easy too. I'll have a video on that eventually, but the trick is to disconnect the link to the trailing arm with the wheels fully on the ground. When you raise the car the springs will come loose. Then you can get everything out of the way and swap (or repair) the shocks.