Rear Shocks & Springs; UJ's

[bitterandy]

Hi,
I'm about to put the rear springs on the shocks, and then mount them to the wishbone. Can anyone tell me which spring is mounted ahead of the wishbone and which to the rear - there are two pairs, one marked 200 and the other 225. I'm guessing this is the spring stiffness (Newtons per metre?), but I can't figure out a good reason for whichever way around they go.

Also, in terms of installing the universal joints to the driveshaft components, does anybody have any tips on how to get them in easily? They're obviously an interference fit - do I need a press to do them?

Cheers,
Andy Rawlinson

[CobraMat]

Hi Andy

The springs can go either way. When I bought my springs from Dax, I didn't realise they were different ratings. It was only while queueing up at their stores the next time that I heard them tell the guy in front of me to "make sure he fitted one of each rating to each side" that I realised! A quick count up of the coils when I got home and I realised they were different (there were no ratings on the springs, and no obvious visual difference until I looked again!) I fitted the stronger spring on the back, although there was no reason for this, the other way around would achieve the same results.

As for the UJ's, what you need is a big vice and something to push against the bearing cup, like a socket from a socket set. If you've got to remove the old bearing cups, then you'd use a slightly smaller socket to push the old cup out on one side, and a larger socket on the other side for the old cup to push into. If you're just fitting new UJ's, then just use the socket which is slightly smaller than the bearing cup outside diameter to push them in position, carefully tightening up the vice to push them in position. If you haven't got a large enough vice, a 6" G-cramp would do I guess.....

...And make sure all those tiny rollers are in position, it's easy for one to get knocked out of place and end up in the bottom of the cup!

HTH

Mat


Current progress: 383 Chev being built in the USA, Tremec TKO in a box, big order from Summit now in, so loads of bits on the shelf!

[CobraMat]

..One other thing...

When you fit the shocks to the lower wishbone, remember there's a spacer that fits between the wishbone and the front shock lower mounting point. You may or may not have got this spacer, depending on where you got your suspension from. If you omit this spacer, the front and rear shocks won't be parallel to each other.

I made sure I kept everything when I reconditioned my suspension, and this was one of the things that was definitely needed, but easy to forget/misplace!

Mat

Current progress: 383 Chev being built in the USA, Tremec TKO in a box, big order from Summit now in, so loads of bits on the shelf!

[bitterandy]

Cheers,
I've already managed to bend two g-cramps trying - they twisted off their correct line. I guess that's what you get with cheap(ish) clamps. A vice will be ideal, so I'll find one from somewhere.

The spacer won't be a problem - I kept all the original parts bagged and tagged. Though I'll admit I bought complete new shock shafts from Ward's because I was fed up with cleaning greasy, oily crap off these bits!

Thanks for your help,
Andy

[Mark Cooper]

I remember putting my springs on at work. I bodged together a v block clamped to a pedestal drill at the bottom, and another one welded into a sleeve at the top. I then used the spindle to push down on the spring. It was very dodgy i can tell you. If I had thought about it more I wouldn't have done it. One slip and I would have either broken my wrist or had a face full of spring and shock.

It did work, but I wouldn't try it again. Our maintenance department never did figure out why the drill went out of whack that week!


Regards
___________________________
Mark E. Cooper
Impulse Books UK
08707517412 (Fax)
http://www.impulsebooks.co.uk
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