Rear displacer strut spring

[diz]

Can anyone tell me the purpose of the spring that fits within the rear displacer strut on a hydrolastic car? From looking at the parts diagram I can only assume it is to maintain contact and prevent the knuckle joint spigot from coming out of the strut - but I would have thought that the displacer movement and strut length would have been designed to prevent this occurring.

Thank you, Diz

[Aussie Bill B]

I guess the spring keeps the dowel pin towards the outer end of its travel so that the strut tube can't lose engagement with the displacer. I think it's less to do with the knuckle joint end of the strut tube but more to keeping the strut tube and displacer stay together.

[diz]

Interesting; thanks Bill. I wonder if it is intended as an assembly aid to keep the components together before the system is pumped up?

In normal operation I would expect the strut to be in contact with both the ball joint and displacer and without any provision for lubrication I would imagine that the dowel would soon get stuck fast to the strut anyway.

[Aussie Bill B]

With the spring and dowel installed and with the rebound bump stop in place on the subframe, the trailing arm doesn't hang down far enough for anything to separate. With the helper spring attached too, the assembly definitely can't separate.

To prevent everything rusting together all the parts need a good coating of antiseize on assembly.