78 New Yorker New Rear springs

[Moseman]

I needed to replace all of the rear wheel studs on my NY'er, so while I had it jacked up, axles pulled, I decided to replace the rear springs. (they had a lot of surface rust, and new bushings would be nice) (sent hangers and leaf spring rubber bushing keepers out to be powder coated) Bought a set of springs from Laura at Espo (no issues here with ESPO), so on the 4th I tried to install the springs. Got the front of the spring in the hanger, put two 1 by 4 pieces in the truck well where the rear of the spring and hanger contacts the wood. Placed my 1 1/2 ton floor jack under the spring at the axle. Started jacking, and jacking, spring flattened out some, but not enough, and then the car started coming off the stand placed under the frame ahead of the front spring hanger. (BTW the rear bumper was removed.) I was still short about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of travel to be able to line up the rear hanger holes and get a bolt started.

So, I dropped back and put the old springs on with the same process.

Do this again with new springs and throw all the weight I can find in the trunk? Any other ideas? The stored energy in any spring gives me pause, so I want all my fingers and face intact.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Did you look at the FSM? I think there is a special tool needed to install new rear springs in formals. I believe that's what the mystery bracket is for that's close to the rear spring hanger. Getting the tool would be impossible, but the procedure in the manual may give you some clues on how to get them in.

Jeff

 

[Moseman]

As they say, when all else fails read the freakin FSM! The procedure I used is similar to the recommendations from Laura at ESPO, with the exception of hanging the rear bumper back on the car, which, I guess, is in the 100 pound range. BTW, YOU DO NOT want to lift the front bumper by yourself with the front absorbers still attached!

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Yes, I'm very familiar with those bumpers. Amazingly heavy!

 

[Moseman]

As they say, when all else fails read the freakin FSM! The procedure I used is similar to the recommendations from Laura at ESPO, with the exception of hanging the rear bumper back on the car, which, I guess, is in the 100 pound range. BTW, YOU DO NOT want to lift the front bumper by yourself with the front absorbers still attached!

Went to the FSM and the procedure is to use a special tool to pull the rear spring hanger into place. I scanned the appropiate page. I think i can make a similar tool from a piece of 3/8 allthread, some 1/4 bar stock and weld a short piece of 1/4 or 1/2 pipe to the allthread, and either run a bolt through the pipe or weld nuts on the ends of the pipe and either use a long bolt through the holes in the hanger or short bolts screwed into the captured bolts in the pipe. A morning's work once I get some materials.

 

[Moseman]

Went to the FSM and the procedure is to use a special tool to pull the rear spring hanger into place. I scanned the appropiate page. I think i can make a similar tool from a piece of 3/8 allthread, some 1/4 bar stock and weld a short piece of 1/4 or 1/2 pipe to the allthread, and either run a bolt through the pipe or weld nuts on the ends of the pipe and either use a long bolt through the holes in the hanger or short bolts screwed into the captured bolts in the pipe. A morning's work once I get some materials.

let me covert the pdf file to jpg.

 

[Moseman]

let me covert the pdf file to jpg.

Here is the page out of the FSM

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Ok, so the tool bolts to the bumper shock, not the mystery bracket. At least my memory was pretty good at needing a special tool, since it was around 1983 that I read through the '78 service manual.

 

[Moseman]

Ok, so the tool bolts to the bumper shock, not the mystery bracket. At least my memory was pretty good at needing a special tool, since it was around 1983 that I read through the '78 service manual.

Yes, the bracket was meant to be shipping tie down.