70 Newport Rear springs

polara71 · Apr 17, 2015

That's the way to do it.
Be careful of those shackle pins. Experience tells me the bolts are soft and stubborn. Work the bushings off by hand. I have tapped a few and boogered up the threads.

70NPORT · Apr 17, 2015

Got it, thanks for the tips. Soon as parts are here the work will begin. Hopefully I don't F this up.

polara71 · Apr 17, 2015

You cant.... take your time. It's a nuts and bolts job. With the tips you've heard here you'll be good.

I did three sets in the driveway before I had a garage, one day each set. It's that simple.....

Good luck and keep us posted. As always I'm 30 minutes away if you need a hand

70NPORT · Apr 17, 2015

polara71 said:
You cant.... take your time. It's a nuts and bolts job. With the tips you've heard here you'll be good.

I did three sets in the driveway before I had a garage, one day each set. It's that simple.....

Good luck and keep us posted. As always I'm 30 minutes away if you need a hand

10-4 on that. Yeah I know your close. Crazy as it seems kinda gives me a little confidence boost another Mopar guy is nearby if I get into a jam I can't get out. Appreciate it.

70NPORT · May 9, 2015

...and so after a few delays, it begins. Everything is soaking in PB blaster for a couple days, got fire wrench at the ready by my side. Gonna see what might feel like loosening up tomorrow.

commando1 · May 9, 2015

Godspeed, my son.

62dodge · May 9, 2015

Funny that this post just reappeared as I am about to reinstall my rear springs on my 70 Newport Convert. The first time the spring shop forgot to rearch the springs. That was good exercise installing lowering than raising and removing the springs. This time better be the last time that I install springs on this car I had an extra leaf installed as the plans are to tow an air stream trailer with this car. I'm also installing the rubber isolaters with this springs That should lower it a tad if it is still too high I will flip the front hangers as I have done on several other Mopars. I will post pix when I complete the install Sunday

70NPORT · May 10, 2015

Perhaps it is just me, BUT potentially having an open flame (torch) in the same general area the gas tank is in...well, kinda gives me the willies. Flashover, bOOm......another crispy Chrysler.....along with matching crispy owner.

Focus on the job at hand, focus on the job at hand....

Big_John · May 10, 2015

I did mine a couple weeks ago. One piece of advice I have is to take the front spring hanger out rather than screwing around with the eye bolts in the car.

Also.. I should have said this in my other post. Don't fully tighten the spring eye bolts ( you did buy new eye bolts..) a little snug, but loose enough to let the hanger pivot. Same with the shackles.

Get the u-bolts good and tight and jack up under the axle until the weight is just off the jack stands. Then tighten the front spring eye and shackles. This lets the car get into the position it will ride at. If you tighten everything with the rear axle hanging, you stress the rubber bushings.

70NPORT · May 10, 2015

Big_John said:
I did mine a couple weeks ago. One piece of advice I have is to take the front spring hanger out rather than screwing around with the eye bolts in the car.

Also.. I should have said this in my other post. Don't fully tighten the spring eye bolts ( you did buy new eye bolts..) a little snug, but loose enough to let the hanger pivot. Same with the shackles.

Get the u-bolts good and tight and jack up under the axle until the weight is just off the jack stands. Then tighten the front spring eye and shackles. This lets the car get into the position it will ride at. If you tighten everything with the rear axle hanging, you stress the rubber bushings.

That makes a lot of sense. I was looking at those last night wondering if I should try that rather than messing with the eye bolts while the spring is still bolted in the car. Yea..all new bolts, rubber, nuts, u bolts...everything but the rear shackles...like Dave mentioned they are not straight and the spring place did not have the correct ones for my car so I'm gonna have to reuse them.

polara71 · May 10, 2015

John is right, drop the front hanger.

I loosened up everything first then unbolted one by one.. When not cleaning up the rear and just replacing I have the car body on stands, the rear on stands and my lone jack under the center of the spring, once everything is disconnected I lower the jack slowly....... I believe all this was said before by John but it bears repeating.

The last set I did I got sloppy and almost lost an arm from being careless and trying to get done.

I used a torch on a few things and the extinguisher was right there