First, ask yourself if you need to do this. Most original springs are
better than replacements. Are you wanting to simply replace the
bushes on the rear hanger? If so, the job is really easy. If you want
to replace the rubber pads that sit between the spring, damper plate,
and axle, that is next in order of difficulty. In my experience, it
is really, really difficult to replace the front bushes. I've never
been able to do that. In fact, if you're replacing a broken spring
with a used one, try to get one that already has the front hanger on
the spring. Much easier.
As always, check the manual. This is not a tough job, but is messy
and a bit physically frustrating and a slightly dangerous if you
don't think ahead - you're under the car, springs have energy, etc.
Jack up the rear, put jack stands under the rear bulkhead, away from
the front spring hanger boxes. Leave the floor jack under the
differential housing, holding up the axle so that the springs take an
unstressed curve. You don't want the springs springing on you when
you unbolt them.
Spray a good penetrating oil (NOT WD40) on the bolts of the front
hangers and nuts on the rear hangers. The front hangers have two
bolts with heads under the car, easily seen, and two bolts with heads
on the cockpit floor, under the carpet, between the back of the seat
bottom and the rear vertical bulkhead. The rear hanger has a vertical
bracket with two studs pressed in on one side. The other side has a
vertical plate held on by two nuts screwed onto the studs threaded
ends. Under the axle is a damper plate with four nuts securing two
U-bolts around the axle housing. Spray the four nuts on the U-bolts
that hold the springs to the axle housing.
Replace one side at a time.
For removal, I usually start at the front, removing the four bolts of
the front hanger. I do the ones on the bottom first, then the ones in
the cockpit. That way, if there is a little spring in the spring, I
don't have my face a couple of inches away. Clean the threads of the
captive nuts really well (copious amounts of brake cleaner or
somesuch). Chase the threads on the bolts. Make it all good as new.
Then, unscrew the four nuts on the two U-bolts. Take them off evenly,
turning a few turns, then going to the next nut, a few turns, next
nut, etc. There is a little curved piece of metal that sits on top of
the axle housing and is clamped into place under the U-bolt top bows.
Don't lose this and try not to booger it up. It helps locate the
U-bolts at reassembly. Clean nuts, chase threads, etc.; make them as
clean as new.
Next, remove the nuts at the rear hanger bracket. Note the direction
that the studs run. You'll probably need to push/pull/wiggle the
bracket out of the bushes in the hanger and the rear spring eye. You
may even have to unbolt the hangers themselves, especially on the
driver's side, as sometimes the studs run from the car's centerline
towards the outside. If this is the case, then there will not be
enough room between the hanger and the fuel tank to get the bracket
out of the hanger - the studs are too long. If memory serves, the 3
bolts holding the hanger on run up into the boot floor and the nuts
on the boot floor are NOT captive, so you have to reach into the boot
with a wrench to turn while holding the bolt underneath with another
wrench. For the life of me I can't figure out why you would install
the hanger bracket with the studs pointing out, maybe someone on the
list knows.
Reassembly is NOT the reverse. I usually find it easier to hang the
spring at the rear somewhat loosely, then at the front, somewhat
loosely, then do the U-bolts on the axle housing. You should use new
bushings at the rear, and lube them with maybe never-seize or
something similar. You can use new rubber pads at the axle/damper
plate, but I don't know if it's a must. The hardest part for me is
getting the U-bolts through the various plates and pads. Just get a
nut started on one side of the U-bolt, then get the other nut onto
the other side. Then do the other bolt. Then, evenly tighten them a
few turns at a time. Don't tighten them completely. Thus, everything
is now fairly tight fore, aft, and in between, but not completely
tightened. Now tighten the front hanger bolts, then the rear (there
is no torque value for this that I'm aware of), then the U-bolt nuts
(not super tight yet for those).
Do the other spring.
Lower the car, maybe drive it around the block. Raise it again,
tighten the U-bolt nuts some more. Lower the car, drive it a bit. If
the car jerks side to side when you accelerate or lift off, probably
the U-bolt nuts are not tight enough.
Some people do the final tightening of the U-bolt nuts with the
weight of the car on tires (i.e., not jacked up).
Hope this helps. Once you're under the car, it will all be pretty
obvious. The U-bolts are the PITA of the whole project, and they're
not the end of the world.
If anyone does it differently, let us know!
Jeff
>Hi Jeff
>I just got back to work and I am heading home Yes if you have some helpful
>tips I would like the help.
>I only have use of a computer at work so if you could make a list of what
>I should do I would really appreciate it.
>Thanks
>Jason
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__________________________________________________
Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
Assistant Professor, Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, GA
Senior Editor, Molecular Vision
<http://www.molvis.org/molvis>
<mailto: jboatri@emory.edu>
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