Integral Jacking System

After the expenditure of much releasing oil I have just managed to get the two integral jacks on the rear  suspension of my Speed 25 to move for the first time in 60 odd years.  However, they are in a poor state, and I wouldn't dream of trying to use them to actually jack up the car.  I would like to remove them completely in order to make a closer assessment of their state and possibly refurbish and re-fit them.  Can anybody advise on the best way of getting them off.  My initial impression is that I will have to undo the four large nuts on the end of the bolts which attach the rear axle to the leaf spring.  Is this correct ? Posted by NeilWillatt 17/06/2012 16:52:59

There is not much that can be wrong with the jacks themselves ,that lubrication will not fix ,unless they have been filled with dirt or clay they will live to jack again . The mounting bolts ,or nuts ,will  be underneath the spring plate probably with an allow spacer . The spring hanger "U" bolts will need a deep socket and this is a standard spark plug one ,but remember to take the load on the spring itself ,not the diff housing when jacking the car up or the load will all be on the "U" bolt nuts . I have just finished refurbishing mine on the SG 16.95 and they are pretty much indestructable Posted by ajw 19/06/2012 22:00:16

Thanks Alan,  I was thinking of doing the job with the car on ramps so that its weight would still be on the wheels thus leaving little or no load on the spring hanger nuts.  Do you think this would work ?  Neil Posted by NeilWillatt 21/06/2012 20:28:15

Hi Neil,            If your SP25 is underslung ,which I feel it will be (springs under the axle housing) any weight on the wheels will force the housing upward when the "U" bolts are undone ,use a bottle jack on the spring itself as near to the axle housing as is possible .If your springs have leather gaiters be very careful when using the jack ,I would suggest a block of wood with a groove cut across its width to allow the block to be used where the spring clamp is positioned near the "U" bolt ,this will limit any tendency to slide up the spring . Posted by ajw 23/06/2012 21:31:44

On a closely related subject, where is the best place to position axle stands on the rear of a Speed 25? Posted by johnlayzell 26/06/2012 13:33:01

In practice, the best place for axle stands is under the chassis as near to the rear of the centre section as possible, this would allow the axle to rest on the top surface of the springs and allow the U bolts to be removed.  The rear DWS jacks are fitted with two large screws (probably irremovable) through an aluminium casting which is subsequently bolted to the spring clamping plates. My castings have been replaced with fabricated steel supports.  I would add that I do not risk jacking up my 6 light saloon Silver Eagle under the aluminium differential casing for fear of cracking it. With a comparatively light body it is OK to jack the rear up under the big chassis rear cross member. Behind the axle there is nothing sufficiently strong to jack the car up on.  Phil 3861 Wa Posted by Silver Eagle 25/09/2012 22:22:30