Rear Spring disassembly (70)

[Juliet P.]

What's the trick to getting the nut off the bolt which holds the rear springs together? The top side is a nice round button, not something you can put a wrench on. I've tried locking vice grips on the button and an wrench on the nut. I also tried an impact wrench on the other side thinking it might break it free. No dice. All I'm doing in gnarling up the button. Thanks, ~Juliet

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[Jerry Clark]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Hi Juliet
Hot Wrench
jer

[Jerry Clark]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Hi Juliet
Hot Wrench
jer

[Juliet P.]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Thanks Jerry, but I gave up on the torch. Greg broke out the sawsall for me instead. That worked! Now to order a new bolt. ~Juliet

[Juliet P.]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Thanks Jerry, but I gave up on the torch. Greg broke out the sawsall for me instead. That worked! Now to order a new bolt. ~Juliet

[Gary S.]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Two things: use a Dremel or file and make two squared off flanges for a wrench or use the Wondertool, vice grips. I have used the grips on the last three springs I have taken apart. When you put it back together, the marks are invisible.
Gary

[Gary S.]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Two things: use a Dremel or file and make two squared off flanges for a wrench or use the Wondertool, vice grips. I have used the grips on the last three springs I have taken apart. When you put it back together, the marks are invisible.
Gary

[Joe L.]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Juliet------

The center bolt nuts are often difficult to remove. That's because the bolt was originally much longer (as you'll see when you get your replacement bolt)and the bolt was cut off at the manufacturing plant after the spring was assembled. I think they used some kind of a "cleaver" type tool to cut off the excess and it usually deforms the bolt end. However, I've always been able to get them off by holding the round head with vise grip pliars and using a breaker bar and socket on the nut. The trick is that the vice-grips have to be applied TIGHTLY.

Now for another tip: save the old bolt and measure the thickness of the round head. When you get a new bolt, it will likely have a much thicker head than the old bolt. The currently available GM #3723010 does. You ABSOLUTELY MUST grind off the new bolt head to match the old. The thicker head will not fit completely into the recess drilled for it in the differential cover. If one tries to torque down the 4 spring retaining bolts and the top leaf is "held off" from seating by the head of the center bolt "bottoming" in the cavity, then one is very likely to break one of the ears off the cover or otherwise crack the cover. I think that this little "foible" has caused more broken covers than any other reason, including failure to de-arch the spring prior to torquing the spring retaining bolts.

[Joe L.]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Juliet------

The center bolt nuts are often difficult to remove. That's because the bolt was originally much longer (as you'll see when you get your replacement bolt)and the bolt was cut off at the manufacturing plant after the spring was assembled. I think they used some kind of a "cleaver" type tool to cut off the excess and it usually deforms the bolt end. However, I've always been able to get them off by holding the round head with vise grip pliars and using a breaker bar and socket on the nut. The trick is that the vice-grips have to be applied TIGHTLY.

Now for another tip: save the old bolt and measure the thickness of the round head. When you get a new bolt, it will likely have a much thicker head than the old bolt. The currently available GM #3723010 does. You ABSOLUTELY MUST grind off the new bolt head to match the old. The thicker head will not fit completely into the recess drilled for it in the differential cover. If one tries to torque down the 4 spring retaining bolts and the top leaf is "held off" from seating by the head of the center bolt "bottoming" in the cavity, then one is very likely to break one of the ears off the cover or otherwise crack the cover. I think that this little "foible" has caused more broken covers than any other reason, including failure to de-arch the spring prior to torquing the spring retaining bolts.

[Jerry Clark]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

SAWZALL GREG should be able to cut just that nut off by now
jer

[Jerry Clark]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

SAWZALL GREG should be able to cut just that nut off by now
jer

[Joe C.]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Juliet:

Be sure to, as Joe said, make sure that the bolt "head" fits completely inside the recess in the diff. cover. I used a conventional grade 8 hex head bolt, and rounded the head to make it fit into the recess. After the spring is assembled, and the bolt is tightened, be sure to deform the threaded end to prevent the nut from backing out.

Joe

[Joe C.]

Re: Rear Spring disassembly (70)

Juliet:

Be sure to, as Joe said, make sure that the bolt "head" fits completely inside the recess in the diff. cover. I used a conventional grade 8 hex head bolt, and rounded the head to make it fit into the recess. After the spring is assembled, and the bolt is tightened, be sure to deform the threaded end to prevent the nut from backing out.

Joe

[Juliet P.]

Liner skipped where? + Repro liner differences

Thanks everyone. It's apart, cleaned up, wire brushed and painted and now drying.

Now, I can't tell from my before digital pics, but where does the liner NOT go? There are 7 liners, and 9 spring leaves. Does the top (shortest leaf) and the next one down (larger) not have a liner between them? The liners on the original one are pretty gnarled up and torn so I'm not even quite sure of lengths.

Also, FWIW I noticed that the notch in the replacement liners in the center section are 7" wide. The notch in the center section on the original spring is only 6" wide. By notch I mean the section where the X-section of the liner is not an I, but rather a | without the little lip on it. Rats. Plus the side of the original one on the top of the I has a seam line in it. The repro liners has more of a curved shape -D instead of -| like the original. (That's looking at one edge of the cross seciton of the liner sideways.) I'll have to try to capture some of this with the camera if I can. ~Juliet

http://www.1970corvetteregistry.ORG

[Juliet P.]

Liner skipped where? + Repro liner differences

Thanks everyone. It's apart, cleaned up, wire brushed and painted and now drying.

Now, I can't tell from my before digital pics, but where does the liner NOT go? There are 7 liners, and 9 spring leaves. Does the top (shortest leaf) and the next one down (larger) not have a liner between them? The liners on the original one are pretty gnarled up and torn so I'm not even quite sure of lengths.

Also, FWIW I noticed that the notch in the replacement liners in the center section are 7" wide. The notch in the center section on the original spring is only 6" wide. By notch I mean the section where the X-section of the liner is not an I, but rather a | without the little lip on it. Rats. Plus the side of the original one on the top of the I has a seam line in it. The repro liners has more of a curved shape -D instead of -| like the original. (That's looking at one edge of the cross seciton of the liner sideways.) I'll have to try to capture some of this with the camera if I can. ~Juliet

http://www.1970corvetteregistry.ORG