Can't get half-shafts lined up to bolt onto rear wheel assmbly

[tp1gbw]

Help - I am replacing my springs and struts all around, I am working on the rears. I took the old springs out w/o removing the spindle pin, i just dropped them down as was recommended.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26144&highlight=rear+strut

This worked great - My problem is in putting it all back together. I can't seem to get the halfshaft plates with 4 bolts lined up on the rear wheel assembly before I put the rear strut up into the wheel well. Every time I get the strut up to attach it with the 3 interior nuts - the halfshaft plates are too long to fit on the assembly. Is this just a matter of more hands and more wiggling or what ? do the halfshafts slide into towards the pumpkin ?

Help ! I am so close......

[Sailor Bob]

They are a little telescopic - push the bolted end toward the diff, it should slide back on a spline. It did with mine anyway.

Good luck

[Nissanman]

As he said.

BUT, if they were stretched in length when you dissembled the rear, they may have jammed at full length.

You should be able to free them up by gentle compression either with the strut attached or just by a swift belt with a rubber mallet:nervous:

[beandip]

First Install the springs-struts up in the ''tunnel'' , then install the half shafts. As was stated the half shafts have some length movement, and they apparently are extended some. Just compress them until they fit and bolt them up.

[tp1gbw]

I see about 1" or so of play that I wasn't aware of before - thanks guys I will give it try and post results for the next guy.

[BRE-240Z]

It helped me to get a jack under the trailing arm to 'lift' the entire assembly up just a bit. That gave me a little more room. Let us know how it goes.....

[tp1gbw]

Problem solved - I just had to push them up higher into the tunnel. Don't know why I got more clearance as they moved up. And oh yea - I needed to use a long persuader bar to start them up and a jack to move them into place.

Thanks all - Here's a feature I didn't read about.

There is significant friction on the Spindle pin and I had to push down on the brake drum with my foot to get the strut to drop. The first one popped out, flew out of the tunnel and swung down so fast it bent the fender lip outwards. Not a big deal -easily fixed with pliers, but later I sat on my butt and used one foot on the drum and one on the spring to control the assmbly.

Thanks again.

[beandip]

If you use a spring compressor there would not have been this problem. Anyone replacing either Spindle pin bushing or inner control bushings . The factory says to torque them down when the car is resting on the wheels and under load . When I did mine I only put about a 100 lbs in the back as this was all I had. Gary