Stock rear springs: putting them back in... - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**COBALT** · 11-04-2002, 11:49 AM

Has anyone else had one hell of a time getting the stock rear springs bolted back onto the trailing arms and onto the frame???

Man, what a pain. Getting them onto the trailing arms was easy, but once I jacked them up the top pigtail came no where near the hole in the frame. I had to use a bottle jack against the axle to push them far enough, then slowly work the bolt and clamp into place until it was tight....

Anyone know what to torque the bolts to?

boilrman · 11-04-2002, 12:19 PM

Bolt for bottom of spring is 55 Ft lbs, upper bolt is 50 Ft lbs.

I havent done it before, but this is torque specs from my Haynes manual.

*Piston* · 11-04-2002, 02:12 PM

I leave the upper bolt and retainer loose while moving the lower in to place. It's easier to start the nut on the lower bolt then push on the spring while tighting everything down. If you tighten one side down before the bolts installed on the other... its a PITA.

**COBALT** · 11-04-2002, 02:14 PM

I thought about that, but my problem is I'm too much of a neat freak. I painted everything, of course, and I was trying to keep things from getting ripped up. That's really why it was such a PITA.

thanks--

1-PU70 · 11-04-2002, 05:15 PM

I feal your pain. The next time I try that I think I might disconect the pan hhard bar.

**COBALT** · 11-04-2002, 05:21 PM

...well this was with the panhard bar disconnected! Remember this doesn't really have anything to do with the rear axle. It's just a process of wrestling with the trailing arms and rear springs. The axle simply sits in the ends of the trailing arms. I had the axle sitting on jack stands under the truck.

11-04-2002, 11:49 AM	#1
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	Stock rear springs: putting them back in... Has anyone else had one hell of a time getting the stock rear springs bolted back onto the trailing arms and onto the frame??? Man, what a pain. Getting them onto the trailing arms was easy, but once I jacked them up the top pigtail came no where near the hole in the frame. I had to use a bottle jack against the axle to push them far enough, then slowly work the bolt and clamp into place until it was tight.... Anyone know what to torque the bolts to? __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

11-04-2002, 12:19 PM	#2
boilrman 70 Chevy 3/4t Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Kokomo,IN USA Posts: 1,230	Bolt for bottom of spring is 55 Ft lbs, upper bolt is 50 Ft lbs. I havent done it before, but this is torque specs from my Haynes manual. __________________ Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life. 1998 Yamaha V-Star 650 1970 Chevy 3/4t, I6 (rebuilt), 4 speed Kokomo,IN

11-04-2002, 02:14 PM	#4
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	I thought about that, but my problem is I'm too much of a neat freak. I painted everything, of course, and I was trying to keep things from getting ripped up. That's really why it was such a PITA. thanks-- __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

11-04-2002, 05:15 PM	#5
1-PU70 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 1,036	I feal your pain. The next time I try that I think I might disconect the pan hhard bar. __________________ 1970 CST/10 402,700R4,3:73 posi,AC,PS,PB,TLT,PW,Buckets with heaters

11-04-2002, 05:21 PM	#6
COBALT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 5,817	...well this was with the panhard bar disconnected! Remember this doesn't really have anything to do with the rear axle. It's just a process of wrestling with the trailing arms and rear springs. The axle simply sits in the ends of the trailing arms. I had the axle sitting on jack stands under the truck. __________________ '69 3/4 ton C20 2wd-350ci/TH400 '69 3/4 ton Custom 20 2wd-350ci/4sp Manual '99 2wd 5.7 Chevy Tahoe Seattle, WA.

11-04-2002, 02:12 PM	#3
Piston Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Olathe, KS Posts: 2,300	I leave the upper bolt and retainer loose while moving the lower in to place. It's easier to start the nut on the lower bolt then push on the spring while tighting everything down. If you tighten one side down before the bolts installed on the other... its a PITA.



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