Installing Rear End... Help!!!

[bogdonj]

Well everything has gone smoothly in pulling the rear end and rebuilding the transmission and even re installing the tranny in the car. I'm stuck on hooking up the rear end into the car.

I lubed the U joint all up and installed the gasket and put the inner plate on and followed that up with the other gasket. Put a floor jack under the rear end and rolled it under the car. Got the spline to enter the u joint and got it almost all the way in. the bottom is 100% there and the top is about 95%. I then jacked up the rear end to get a better angle hoping that it would take up the 5% but find the SPRING bottoms out on the back U bolts. Lowered it back down a bit and tried pushing it in more but doesn't want to go. (don't want to push to hard to knock the car off the jack stands) Looking for any advice to help get my rear end in.

I thought about using some leverage and pulling the spring forward in order to clear the bolts and thinking once that happens it will give me the angle I need to finish the last 5% on the top and can then continue to have it go up in its position.

My only problem is I don't like messing around with the spring or forcing it to do anything that it doesn't want to do. hahaha I"m still learning every step of the way and looking for some advice!


Justin

[fordfixer]

You are on the right track. You will need to use a pry bar to gently persuade the spring forward past the u bolts. Then finish raising the spring up into the crossmember, and it should all line up very nicely. Just don't beat on it or slam it with anything. Jon

[ford1]

maybe i dont really understand the problem, but can you lower the back of the trans a little or jack the body up higher ?

[b ramsey]

the hardest problem i have with this is getting the spring center bolt into the hole. cant see it. i drilled a hole in the floor to verify if it was in. what do you guys do?

[pat in Santa Cruz]

I've done it both ways, but I prefer to install the spring first. Its easier to find the center bolt hole, and using a spring spreader to line up the shackles works fine. You are not struggling with an un clamped, loaded spring either.

[b ramsey]

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and, if using spring liners, the spring wont fit into the crossmember, unless you shave off the outside lip of the liner with a razor blade.

[hardtimes]

Without pics of your situation(using your words as mental pics)it sounds as tho you are only a step away from installation.
With you hydraulic floor jack under the rear center section, jack it up to within half inch of bottom of ubolts. Then with a large 'prybar' , place it behind the spring(at the center) and up into the rear cross member. Use your foot (or arm if strong enough) and push forward on the bar....as you jack the spring up quickly into the cross member. The spring will follow/slide up the crowbar and into the cross member. The idea is to have just enough bar on the crossmember to let the spring enter past the tip.
BTW- before you do the above noted process, take a chalk and look up into the rear cross member and see the centerbolt hole. Chalk the outside (rearside)of the crossmember. Now, chalk the rear face of the rear spring also...where the center bolt is located. Now when you enter the spring into the rear cross member...just line up the chalk lines. This way, your centerbolt head will go right into crossmember hole.
Oh, and don't forget to place the piece of frame welt (I glue it)on top of spring...with hole generously cut out for centerbolt...no squeeky sounds,eh!

Note: If the spring shackles are properly secured...don't worry about the spring being abused, as this is the way it has always been done, IMO.

[larrys40]

Justin,
Jon is correct, if you take a pry bar and gently put pressure forcing the spring forward while jacking up the rear axle it will go into place. Make sure your center bolt lines up. sometimes you have to puch the axle down on one side or the other to slip it in. No big deal.... I've done a lot of them. Just be careful, be safe, make sure the car is secure.

Larry S,
St. Charles, MO

[Tom Wesenberg]

I grease the center section of the spring to help it slip into place and to make it easier to slide side to side to find the center hole.

[bogdonj]

Originally Posted by hardtimes

Without pics of your situation(using your words as mental pics)it sounds as tho you are only a step away from installation.
With you hydraulic floor jack under the rear center section, jack it up to within half inch of bottom of ubolts. Then with a large 'prybar' , place it behind the spring(at the center) and up into the rear cross member. Use your foot (or arm if strong enough) and push forward on the bar....as you jack the spring up quickly into the cross member. The spring will follow/slide up the crowbar and into the cross member. The idea is to have just enough bar on the crossmember to let the spring enter past the tip.
BTW- before you do the above noted process, take a chalk and look up into the rear cross member and see the centerbolt hole. Chalk the outside (rearside)of the crossmember. Now, chalk the rear face of the rear spring also...where the center bolt is located. Now when you enter the spring into the rear cross member...just line up the chalk lines. This way, your centerbolt head will go right into crossmember hole.
Oh, and don't forget to place the piece of frame welt (I glue it)on top of spring...with hole generously cut out for centerbolt...no squeeky sounds,eh!

Note: If the spring shackles are properly secured...don't worry about the spring being abused, as this is the way it has always been done, IMO.

Thanks guys! I was going to try this and I did mark the center hole... But wanted to make sure before I messed with the spring!

[bogdonj]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I grease the center section of the spring to help it slip into place and to make it easier to slide side to side to find the center hole.

Thanks Tom, I made sure to give the U JOINT good grease and had the spring greased as well.

If I understand correctly the drive shaft cone only runs half way up on the inner plate and not fully right up to the back of the tranny right? Then the two clam shells clamp all the way around? I"m just making sure the U JOINT and drive shaft are all the way in and I can see were it use to sit on the inner plate but just want to be sure.

[bogdonj]

UPDATE- Got the rear end in and wow that was easy... used a pry bar on the spring and it fit like a glove! Now to take the car for a test drive... Thanks everyone for the help...If i didn't have Fordbarn I would still be staring at my car to figure things out!


Much appreciated

Justin