>From: "Evangelos G. Makris" <emakris@hol.gr>
>Subject: rear suspension questions
>
>I am about to replace one leaf spring,<.
Why just one? you are probably better off replacing both at the same
time in the hope that your car will sit level afterwards.
>1. What are the torque settings for all (or most) fasteners
>in the rear suspension? - they are not mentioned in my Haynes.
It depends on the size of the fastener and whether or not it is
compressing a rubber bushing. I think Haynes has a table in the front of
the book for torque settings depending on fastener size. If there is a
rubber bushing involved I normally tighten until the bushing expands to
the size of the washer compressing it.
>2. (Naive question): can I replace a gas shock absorber
>(spax conversion) or a lever one with the car standing
>on its wheels on steel ramps? I could provide extra support
>with a jack to prevent the leaf from compressing too much.
Yes on the lever shocks, if it is a pressurized gas shock that expands
on its own it is a little more difficult as it will try to expand but it
can be done.You cannot change the spring this way so if you are changing
the springs you might as well do the shocks at the same time.
>
>3. Regarding the leaf replacement, should I renew all the
>rubber bushes, rubber pads, locknuts, spring washers, etc?
>What else should I renew? (please don't say the whole car!!!)
Bushes - yes they are cheap enough and its an easy job. Pads - only
necessary if worn but since you got it all apart why not. Locknuts etc -
Cheap insurance go ahead and do it.
What else - If someone has overtightened the u-bolts in the past they
may be stretched and warped, also a lot of times they will break when
you twist the nuts off if they are corroded or the threads are damaged
from hitting the ground or from jacks and jackstands being improperly
placed.
Peter.
'59 Bugeye
'71 Midget
'70 MGB
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