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Hi, I'm new here. In fact it's my first Corvette website. I've owned Vettes 43 years. At one time we had His, Hers and Ours! Now it's just hers. It's my wifes 66 Convertible.
Around 15 years ago I took the rearend out to upgrade it. Now I'm finally putting it back together.
I can't get the leaf spring in. The arm and the hole in the spring are way off. I did get one side on. It took about 6 hours to do it. But this other side doesn't come close. The bolt
in the arm gets so far on an angle that it cant's get through the hole on the spring. I've tried multiple bottle jacks on the edge of the spring and to allow the metal cup on. The angle
is so great that I can't feed the bolt thought the spring at all. I've been all over the internet look for help but no luck.
Since you're new here you get a pass. ALWAYS mention what year car you're working on....many here have multiple cars spanning generations and a C1 rear and a C2 rear are light years apart....
Assuming its a C2 you have something assembled incorrectly.....that bolt should go in like butter with a bottle jack, straight shot through the arm and spring- pictures would help...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Oct 29, 2018 at 02:59 PM.
The trailing arms may also require a support or jack underneath to move them up to help in the alignment of the spring and end bolt. In fact the trailing arm can move both up/down and also sideways a bit to get proper alignment. As the trailing arm moves up it also moves out a bit by itself.
A bit of soap/water solution also helps slide the bolt thru the rubber cushions.
I can't get over how many posts have been made here since my original post. Sure is one busy sight.
When I went out to take the photo I discovered my new spring is a 9 leaf and not a 9 leaf. That creates a little dilemma. I do for sure
have new F41 coil springs for the front. I don't know why I bought a 9 leaf spring.
Any way the trailing arm is lifted high enough so you can see it with the spring better. I have the spring as far as it goes because the car is off the
jack stand a couple inches. But you can see the trailing arm bolt doesn't line up with the spring. When you lower the trailing arm it is even more out
of alignment. I've tried everything with multiple jacks. I have two bottle jacks and a floor jack. And that's some dangerous work.
Frankie I see you have wood c-clamped to your spring. Brilliant! That's to stop your jack from slipping!! Mine has popped out multiple times.
Now I have to think about which spring I'm going to use.
Weird. Since the trailing arm and spring should be perpendicular either the arm is too short or the spring is installed incorrectly. I see no other explanation. What does the other side look like ?
Weird. Since the trailing arm and spring should be perpendicular either the arm is too short or the spring is installed incorrectly. I see no other explanation. What does the other side look like ?
It too was off on an angle but not as bad. It still took several hours to install. It then straightened out. Now this side is much worse.The angle is so bad on this side I had no luck trying to even
pound it in with lube. I ruined two bushings trying to get it installed so I ordered two new bushings. Here I thought a I had a 7 leaf and it's a 9. I'm going to order a 7 leaf spring and am
worried it is only going to be harder. The alignment is all based on your diff and My diff hasn't changed. I even loosened the diff mounting block to help with the installation. No luck.
My car is apart, it is also a 1966, I have the 9 leaf factory spring, a 7 leaf that came with a 4.11 I purchased and the car came with a TRW mono leaf Spring new in the box when I bought the car which I have never installed.
When I asked for advice most on this forum advised staying with the factory 9 leaf spring. What is your intent, I am curious why you want the 7 leaf?
Did you bolt the spring up tight to the differential cover? I believe the mount bolts should be left loose till you have the car back on the ground with full weight on the car.
Having them loose might give you the flexibility to move the spring where you need it to be.
1. Main spring should have the metal cups for the rubber cushions "peened" to it prior to spring installation.
2. Does you spring have any metal bands or strapping holding the spring leafs together?? If so, cut them off and throw them away. This may help in the final alignment.
3. Many of us (me included) use the main floor jack to push the spring up into position. Not a small bottle jack. The floor jack saddle has a lot more area for contact. Use the c-clamp arrangement like Frankie shows, and wrap a towel around the spring if you don't want to scratch it.
4. If the car wants to lift on the frame jack stands, add more weight to the car. Have wife or girlfriend sit in the rear section (but don't tell them why Or add some heavy steel weight from someplace in your shop or home or workplace where you can find it. May need additional few hundred pounds weight to keep car from lifting.
Larry
PS: I know this job seems like a major task, but many of us can do both sides in about 20-30 minutes total max. It really is not hard...........but you also need to be safe.
My car is apart, it is also a 1966, I have the 9 leaf factory spring, a 7 leaf that came with a 4.11 I purchased and the car came with a TRW mono leaf Spring new in the box when I bought the car which I have never installed.
When I asked for advice most on this forum advised staying with the factory 9 leaf spring. What is your intent, I am curious why you want the 7 leaf?
Did you bolt the spring up tight to the differential cover? I believe the mount bolts should be left loose till you have the car back on the ground with full weight on the car.
Having them loose might give you the flexibility to move the spring where you need it to be.
Westlotorn I wanted to stiffen my suspension and hopefully raise it a little. I didn't like the soft ride or how low it sat. But I had the original spring in it I guess and that could have been
the problem. I did just order Koni's good shocks.
It's almost like this spring is warped. One thing I didn't do yet is take the two bands off that are on the spring. I first started working on the spring with it bolted down to the diff cover.
I loosened it up pretty good. I thought of even removing the two bolts closest to the engine. There is a lip that holds that side of the spring in place. I thought of popping it over the
lip and if it worked I could hammer the spring back in place. Two things worry me though. Using jacks on this spring and the fear of knocking the car off the jack stands.
Maybe I'll stay with this spring. That way I don't have to install the F41 springs. But I'm sure the front coils are worn out also.
1. Main spring should have the metal cups for the rubber cushions "peened" to it prior to spring installation.
2. Does you spring have any metal bands or strapping holding the spring leafs together?? If so, cut them off and throw them away. This may help in the final alignment.
3. Many of us (me included) use the main floor jack to push the spring up into position. Not a small bottle jack. The floor jack saddle has a lot more area for contact. Use the c-clamp arrangement like Frankie shows, and wrap a towel around the spring if you don't want to scratch it.
4. If the car wants to lift on the frame jack stands, add more weight to the car. Have wife or girlfriend sit in the rear section (but don't tell them why Or add some heavy steel weight from someplace in your shop or home or workplace where you can find it. May need additional few hundred pounds weight to keep car from lifting.
Larry
PS: I know this job seems like a major task, but many of us can do both sides in about 20-30 minutes total max. It really is not hard...........but you also need to be safe.
Larry, number one confuses me. All I have are the holes in the spring. Are you saying the metal cups should be installed permanently?
And yes I still have the bands on. I was wondering if those bands are the problem.
I've been using a floor jack and a bottle jock. It's pretty scary using these jacks around springs.
My floor jack weighs 110 lbs and my wife weighs 105 lbs. She's gonna say use the jack!!
Larry, number one confuses me. All I have are the holes in the spring. Are you saying the metal cups should be installed permanently?
And yes I still have the bands on. I was wondering if those bands are the problem.
I've been using a floor jack and a bottle jock. It's pretty scary using these jacks around springs.
My floor jack weighs 110 lbs and my wife weighs 105 lbs. She's gonna say use the jack!!
Thanks for your insight!!
Butch
S. Jersey
Butch:
YES, the metal end cups are permanently attached to the spring. Same for the trailing arms. That is the way the factory did it..............although many folks have just put the cups in place without peening over the end. But it is not correct.
I think the 7-leaf spring will have car sit slightly lower than with the standard suspension. Let's see if others agree.
Borrow a couple of the neighbor kids for weight if necessary..............but use the big floor jack for lifting the spring into position.
YES, the metal end cups are permanently attached to the spring. Same for the trailing arms. That is the way the factory did it..............although many folks have just put the cups in place without peening over the end. But it is not correct.
I think the 7-leaf spring will have car sit slightly lower than with the standard suspension. Let's see if others agree.
Borrow a couple of the neighbor kids for weight if necessary..............but use the big floor jack for lifting the spring into position.
Larry
Thanks Larry. At least peening the cups on gives me one less item to hold on to. So I'll attach them. I'm really hoping that taking those two bands off make a difference. Hope
it loosens the leafs up to give them some wiggle room because right now I don't have any wiggle room.
Thanks.
Posts 9 & 10 bring up good points and advice to follow.
The other concern I see in the photo is the camber rod is disconnected, and it should be installed on both ends before loading the spring to install the spring end bolts. The camber rod keeps the trailing arm end from spreading out, the potential problem you may be having with misalignment.
Get the camber rod in place, use a jack/clamp/block system on the spring inboard of the end, and a jack to position the trailing arm/backing plate. The spring end bolt is the last part to be assembled, and should line up with weight on the spring.
The last bolts to fully tighten are the four bolts holding the center of the spring under the pumpkin's rear cover because the weight of the car should be on the spring and wheels, to help flatten the spring center to prevent breaking the diff cover mounting pad as these bolts are torqued to spec. When you get the assembly together you can go back and release & torque every other bolt and nut individually to the factory spec.
Posts 9 & 10 bring up good points and advice to follow.
The other concern I see in the photo is the camber rod is disconnected, and it should be installed on both ends before loading the spring to install the spring end bolts. The camber rod keeps the trailing arm end from spreading out, the potential problem you may be having with misalignment.
Get the camber rod in place, use a jack/clamp/block system on the spring inboard of the end, and a jack to position the trailing arm/backing plate. The spring end bolt is the last part to be assembled, and should line up with weight on the spring.
The last bolts to fully tighten are the four bolts holding the center of the spring under the pumpkin's rear cover because the weight of the car should be on the spring and wheels, to help flatten the spring center to prevent breaking the diff cover mounting pad as these bolts are torqued to spec. When you get the assembly together you can go back and release & torque every other bolt and nut individually to the factory spec.
Welcome to the forum.
Thanks 63 340 hp. Actually I did have the strut rods attached. They threw the trailing arms further off. I do have those strut rods set at the length of the originals. But when I took the first one off I was able to get the
one side attached. By the way they too were way out of alignment when I tried attaching the spring. I'm really hoping that more loosening of the spring mount and cutting off the straps make a difference. I just can't
get to it until Wednesday. Thanks!
My car is apart, it is also a 1966, I have the 9 leaf factory spring, a 7 leaf that came with a 4.11 I purchased and the car came with a TRW mono leaf Spring new in the box when I bought the car which I have never installed.
When I asked for advice most on this forum advised staying with the factory 9 leaf spring. What is your intent, I am curious why you want the 7 leaf?
Did you bolt the spring up tight to the differential cover? I believe the mount bolts should be left loose till you have the car back on the ground with full weight on the car.
Having them loose might give you the flexibility to move the spring where you need it to be.
I'm going to stick with the 9 leaf. Now I have to see what to do with the front. I'm sure they're worn out and original.
Thanks.
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Help with 7 leaf spring installation
