Tips for rearspring installation
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Tips for rearspring installation
hi again,
thanks for all those helpful answers a couple of days ago.
we are going to put in a new rearspring, change the ujoints and shocks in my 79 tomorrow.
guy who is going to do it has been a mechanic for 25 years but has never changed a rearspring in a corvette. (he says no problem but i like to be on the safe side)
any helpfull tricks are greatly appreciated.
have a great weekend
Gerhard
thanks for all those helpful answers a couple of days ago.
we are going to put in a new rearspring, change the ujoints and shocks in my 79 tomorrow.
guy who is going to do it has been a mechanic for 25 years but has never changed a rearspring in a corvette. (he says no problem but i like to be on the safe side)
any helpfull tricks are greatly appreciated.
have a great weekend
Gerhard
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
Hello,
I replaced the spring on my 72, and it was pretty easy. When I asked for advice the best that I got was to put a hydraulic jack under the leaf spring near the 8" or 10" long bolt near the shock absorber. jack up the lear spring on that side to remove the tension to the bolt and take it out. Then slowly let down the jack until you have removed all the tension. I think that there is a lot of tension in that spring, and the possibility of it damaging something after the bolt is removed should be prevented.
Then repeat the same for the other side. When you use the jack to support the spring, it has to far enough to the inside of the spring so that you can remove it after you let down the tension.
After that there is 4 bolts that hold the leaf spring to the differential.
These bolts go through a plate that actually holds the leaf spring in place.
all in all, it was pretty easy and straight forward.
kdf
I replaced the spring on my 72, and it was pretty easy. When I asked for advice the best that I got was to put a hydraulic jack under the leaf spring near the 8" or 10" long bolt near the shock absorber. jack up the lear spring on that side to remove the tension to the bolt and take it out. Then slowly let down the jack until you have removed all the tension. I think that there is a lot of tension in that spring, and the possibility of it damaging something after the bolt is removed should be prevented.
Then repeat the same for the other side. When you use the jack to support the spring, it has to far enough to the inside of the spring so that you can remove it after you let down the tension.
After that there is 4 bolts that hold the leaf spring to the differential.
These bolts go through a plate that actually holds the leaf spring in place.
all in all, it was pretty easy and straight forward.
kdf
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,124
Likes: 3,927
From: Connecticut, USA
I have a 5' pinch bar that I use with a 1.5"x10' pipe to lever the spring end up. I have a helper lift the spring while I remove the link nut. Much faster then a jack and I think safer. If you're doing this on a lift a 2x4 will also work. Get it under the spring and over the strut rod.
Gary
Gary
