Chaps, do the rear springs sit in a rubber fitment of any kind where they meet the axle or is it just the bare spring into axle.  Probably if so why these end up corroding and snapping so often...

On the bottom they sit on a metal ring but this usually gets so corroded it looks part of the axle. If you tap it with a chisel it'll come off. I have replaced these in the past I'll have a look through my receipts tomorrow see if i can get a p/n. There is a rubber mount at the top that twists into the spring.

Ah cool, saw the one onto the chassis when I cleaned the arches out.  Youd expect some sort of cushion on the axle side - this is usually where the spring snaps due to corrosion at the base

Yeah that's were mine went. Lost the last inch off the spring base. But some have struggled at the rear when fitting coilovers. The adjuster fits where that collar is so if it isnt removed you can't get the adjuster on.