I've got nearly all my rear end installed. Here's some of my lessons learned.

TA Shims
For some reason (because I'm dumb) , I thought I needed to wait on installing the Trailing arm shims until I got it to the alignment shop (evidently not true) So on my right trailing arm, I didn't install shims, and instead installed my half shaft, strut rod, shocks. After reading the forum threads again, I realized that I need to install the shims and THEN take to alignment shop. Well, once everything is installed, the lateral movement of the TA is severly restricted ad getting the shims in was tight because I lacked that freedom of movement.

When I originally installed the shims, I put my 2 x thick ones inside, and the smaller ones to the outside, thinnking I could work them easier. yes and no - I found out. Yes it's easier to work on the outside but you can't hammer in the thin shims...they bend. Even when you put the thinnest in between thicker ones.

What I ended up doing. I put my thin shims sandwiched between the medium shims and put the number I wanted on the inside. Then I took my two larger shims and sandwiched them together and hammered them in from the outside. Much stronger target for the hammer.

On my left TA I installed the shims before I installed the half shafts, strut rod and shocks. Gave me slightly more room to wiggle and work the shims in. Still had to hammer with the larger shims to the outside.

All in all, my first attempt, I had 4 x thin shims left over - unable to install. When I re-did it with the above technique, I only had 1 x thin shim left over on the right side.

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Torque settings.
I am NOT a mechanic, just a dumb flyer. Hence, in my assemly manual, I did not catch the difference between N/m and Ft/Lbs. If you look on the opposite side of your torque wrench you'll see those settings. Do this before you split a bolt......(did I mention I'm not a mechanic).

My other books, shop manual, chiltons, haynes all read in Ft/Lbs. although I have also seen Ft/in. don't know what those are used for.

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Rear spring.
I found when I reassembled my springs (after sandblasting, painting), the leaves fit together a certain way, i.e. if you have one flipped opposite direction, it just doesn't look like a good fit.

Just eyeballing it, I couldn't tell any difference. But once under pressure and the bolt installed, I had a couple leaves that just seemed to stick out 1/8 inch or so too much. Often only on one side. When I disassembled and flipped those two leaves, the whole spring looks uniform. I think over 27 years, the leaf's just warped slightly in one direction.

Doesn't sound like a big deal, but after this much work, I got real nit picky.

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Upper mount for shock absorber.
This one still confuses me. The assembly manual, and shop manual indicate that you put the bolt in from the outside, with the lock washer on the bolt head side and nothing on the inside, nut side.

I've always been of the mind that you put the lock washer to lock the nut. nothing to do with the bolt head. but the pictures show otherwise...so thats what I did. Anyone out there with better gouge?

Thanks to all you good folks who share your knowledge and experience. I started my intro to corvette forum with the question "Think I can do this?" you all made it happen. Because of you, I was able to avoid becoming "The fourth worthless thing!"

If I can figure out the pic's part, I'll add pics.

Swede

 

Sounds like you learned quite a bit about the rear suspension during this. Now you have the satisfaction of saying that you did it yourself. Congrats to you and thanks for posting the tips.

 

Congrats!

 

Thanks for your experience. I am getting ready to tear into my rear suspension to repair the damage from an accident, so this will be real helpful.

 

Great job Swede! You don't have to be a mechanic to try, you just have to have the desire. I'd even bet many of the people on this forum are not "mechanics" by trade. After this success, you will gain confidence to do more. You'll always heve the great people here to assist you if you get stuck!

So what is next? Build a 383 stroker?

 

I could always get a crate moter from Blueprint engines........

 

On the upper shock mount - I think they do this style bolt/washer/nut stack up is this way the bolt pin will clear your inside wheel well. I think I saw that on Van Steels video, His video covered all those process's you had trouble with and showed a t/a pre alignment (with shims) to get you to the alignment shop, I followed it and my rear was dead on at the shop

 

Ft-Lbs (foot-pounds, and sometimes you'll see Lb-Ft) is measured in the English system. N-m (Newton-meters) is a metric measurement. In-Lbs (inch-pounds) is used for small torques. And as you may have guessed 12 In-Lbs = 1 Ft-Lb.

An easy explanation torque is say the spec for a certain bolt is 40 Ft-Lbs. If you grab your ratchet one foot down the handle you will have to apply 40 pounds of force. If you were to grab it 6 inches down the handle you'd have to apply 80 pounds of force.