Jim,
I'll jump in with just a few remarks, distributed below appropriate paragraphs.
>1) Best source to order correct springs and pieces
>
>2) Lower 1" or not, car will be used on the street not the track. No
>plans at this point for AutoX etc. Bugsy is now shod with 155x80x13
>tires on a SWA body.
The one car I drove with 155x80x13 (these were brand new tires BTW)
handled very poorly compared to a 175x70x13. My opinion is that that
size tire will exacerbate any problems you have. I think when you go
to wider lower profile tires and alloy rims, you will find a
remarkable improvement.
>
>3) Future plans would be Minilite Type Rims with wider tires.
>Potential problems with rubbing?
>
>4) Best method / safest method to support rear end of car when you
>unbolt the springs and unbolt springs from rear end. I'm thinking a
>timber through the wheel well from side to side. What have people
>used to support the timber and get it off of the ground. I'm
>thinking a 4 x 4 supported on each side with an X type arrangement
>with the timber resting in the top of the X. Do a proper support job
>with bottom of X connected to other bottom of X with a 2 x 4 so rig
>can 't topple sideways.
You're making it way more complicated than necessary. A pair of good
jack stands just forward of the front spring hangers will suffice. I
place a 8 to 10 inch square of plywood between the jack stand and he
floor pan to distribute the weight. Place a good floor jack under the
center of the axle to support the weight and control the position.
Removal is quite easy and there aren't any surprises in store. Except
for possible stubborn bolts, you shouldn't have any problems. Also,
if you want to make the job simpler, change one side at a time so you
don't have the whole rear end loose on you.
>
>5) Bolts holding front of spring mounting bracket appear challenging
>to remove. One of bolts has some type of whitish powder that appears
>to be coming out of it. Possibly lock tite or some equivalent. That
>one it looks as if I could flood area and get access to top of bolt
>for application of liquid wrench in advance. Other bolt, DS, outside
>spring plate appears to be OEM / Original bolt that has been in
>there for 35 years. Since there is no access to get at this bolt
>other than from the underside I'm concerned about snapping this one
>off. I'll use liquid wrench and heat in advance of trying to remove
>this bolt but just looking at this one I'm concerned. PS doesn't
>have all original bolts so I'm guessing at some time bolts were
>changed out.
Again, no big deal here. The end at the floor pan has two bolts up
and two down. Both sets are easily accessible should they need to be
drilled out, but by all means, some penetrant a day ahead of time
might spare you some grief. I would avoid heat unless absolutely
necessary. Tighten the bolts a fraction of a turn before loosening.
This will usually help break them free. If they are snug and
stubborn, tighten and loosen as you would when using a tap in a new
hole and use penetrant/lubricant as you progress. My experience is
they are not a lot of trouble, but then California cars are not as
rusted below as Midwest and East cars are.
>
>6) There is an alignment pin that comes from center of spring pad
>and goes up into rear axle. IS this pressed into rear axle? Bolt
>type fitting? It has a nut on it. Does this come as part of the
>spring assembly?
Nope, not pressed in. It will separate rather easily when you remove
the U-bolts. The nut through the center of the spring is only holding
the leaves together.
Gerard
--
One meets his destiny often in the road he takes to avoid it.
~French Proverb
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