Axle / Leaf Spring Install Help

I am putting the axle / leaf springs back but have a question before I go to much further.

I have the leaf springs attached to the van and axle. I was going to put the jack under the axle and put pressure on the springs to lift spread them out.

Questions:
1. The axle is about 6" forward from where it should be to line up with the shocks, etc. Can I get this much movement / push back by lifting the springs?

2. On the leaf springs, there is a shorter distance from the spring bolt to the ends. I have the shorter end towards the front. This is how the bushings were installed, is this correct?

I just want to make sure the longer end is not supposed to be towards the front. It just doesn't look right.

Thanks,

Well, I think part of the problem is the new leaf springs have the center spring bolt installed 2" more forward than the stock spring.

So it looks like everything is coming back out and I am going to have to drill a new bolt location 2" further back to move the axle back.

Sigh...should have checked it first, but didn't even think this could be a possibility. Hey, what's a wasted day after a month waiting for parts?



You can see how far forward it sits now. It is 5" from the axle to match up to the shock.




So hopefully the 2" is enough to get everything lined up once I raise the springs up.

I guess I need a carbide bit to drill this hard steel?

Is there any chance the springs are backwards?

I thought of that, but the short side always faces the front, and the bushing was installed on the front to. The rear eye was empty slide on the shackle.

I was looking at the invoice, and the girl wrote down a 1961 instead of 1967. I wonder if the 61's were different?

Do you still have your old leafs? can you put your new ones next to the originals and see what's different between them, including the size of the eyes of the springs and so on...As for being the wrong year, I'm thinking it shouldn't matter for length but width may be different. Now I could be wrong on that. I'm still learning on these old girls and I'm thinking that where the spring brackets are welded to the frame under the front should be in the same place from 61 to 67. If I am wrong, someone please correct me.

Call the spring company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bet they made them wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I am starting with them. For almost $1200 including the rears, which I am going to check today in case they are wrong too, I am NOT going to go through all the hassle of drilling.

A new hole two inches apart seems like it would weaken the spring.

We will see tomorrow. Today I have to take it all back off the van. Sigh...

What is the difference between the front and rear leaf springs?

The short end should be the shackle side

Murdock, thanks! I wish I would have known this! Every website, forum and spring shop known to mankind says the short side is ALWAYS the front. This is to prevent wheel hop on hard acceleration.

So Eaton Springs followed that rule and had the bushings installed short side to front.

I can just swap the bushings, but they put a larger diameter bushing on the front than factory, and it will require larger shackle bushings to fit into the large spring eye. I am hoping they make them larger or it won't work.

See the distance between the center bolts on the old vs new spring. It is 5", exactly what I was off.


Closeup of the large spring eye bushing on the new spring. Need a larger diameter shackle bushing.


Small spring eye end. This one I can just find a original size replacement bushing to fit.


So I guess the real question is why doesn't the leaf spring being backwards affect the vans? Maybe with the old 170's wheel hop wasn't an issue?

I commented on that in your other post regarding your bent axle. maybe cancel the other thread, so we're not having this discussion in 2 different threads.

I noted it on the other thread, thanks. I will check today on whether I can get shackle bushings to fit the larger spring eye.

I just reassembled my front end back in February, I'll get some photos for you. I ordered the bushing kit from McVeigh's and put the bushings in where they fit best. Here is a shot from the shop manual, hard to tell which way the spring is facing:

OP: where did you find new sway bar end link bushings?

Can't just buy the bushings that I could find, but the whole bar with bushings is only $12 each.

http://www.carpartsdiscount.com/auto/parts/sway_bars_stabilizers/sway_bar_linkage.html?3593=33938

Part No. 33938

that's the only way I've seen them sold. Probably a better idea to replace it all anyway. There is usually an eBay listing for these as well. I bought out all new and powder coated the links, turned out nice.