8-3/4 rear removal with springs

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pa340dart

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So I'm trying to remove the 8-3/4 rear and springs from my 70 Dart as a unit
Removed bolts from rear hanger no problem hangers dropped
Front hanger removed nuts, ok, now the 1/2 bolt for the spring eye extends into the frame and is preventing the whole assembly from sliding out
It looks like I now have to loosen or remove the u bolts holding the rear to the springs.
Any advice ? Am I on the right track ?
Man I'm getting too old to be doing this crap
I have some advice>> Never like NEVER save a resto for when you retire LOL
Thanks

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Remove the four nuts on the back side of the front spring hangers. The hangers come out with the springs
 
stick a tire iron or pry bar between the leaf and front box and twist the top of the box forward then it can move rearward
 
I sympathize with you- I can't crawl around under them anymore like I used to...
Unbolt the front bracket hanger studs (red arrows) from the front of the frame (blue arrow, backside not seen in pic). Then it'll drop out.
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Oops, misread your post, you already have the hangers unbolted. Like doug 371 said, get in there with a prybar and they'll work out- just don't overstress those HF jackstands...
 
When your ready to put them back in. They should look like this. Might as well get new ones when you've gone this far.

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I'm guessing from your photos and description, that the front hanger thru bolt was installed from outside to inside and thus is partly in the frame rails.

My advice is to put a wrench on the nut and unbolt the thru bolt from the hanger enough allow it to come out
 
@doug 371 Thanks I'll try that tire iron I've pried every way but didn't try to rotate the bracket and I have a dolly under the rear - might be interfering also
but if you notice in my pic, at the frame, that is the 1/2" nut and the bolt protrudes into the frame around 3/4", the other side is the same it seams like i have to spread the left and right spring but the holes in the frame where eye bracket attaches to is not slotted to allow this
@Professor Fate thanks on those jack stands got them 5+ years ago where???
car is also blocked but will check em out
I'm taking the rear out for cleaning and paint
also want to put dollys @ bracket mount to do body work
 
pa340dart said:
but if you notice in my pic, at the frame, that is the 1/2" nut and the bolt protrudes into the frame around 3/4", the other side is the same it seams like i have to spread the left and right spring but the holes in the frame where eye bracket attaches to is not slotted to allow this
Click to expand...

Don't try to remove the spring eye bolt. See posts 2, 3, and 4. Remove the spring eye bracket from the car, leaving the bracket with the front of the springs.
 
@Dana67Dart
You nailed it both sides are like that
Got the nut to turn now for the bolt soaking in Kroil overnight wouldn't budge earlier
Thinking it might be easier to remove u bolts then remove 1 spring
See how sore I am tomorrow LOL and or more Kroil
thanks
 
That sucks that they assembled them backwards...you may have to remove u bolts from one side and swing the leaf out then swing the rear and other leaf out together or try to remove/loosen the eye bolts as mentioned above...
 
Yep that's the plan
see if I can back out the eye bolt if not remove u bolt
I'll reverse them when I reinstall them
I have this car since 1978 so I guess its Factory as I never had the rear out
lol the oil in there must be real good
 
The Eye Bolt is coming off with a cut off wheel only. Sorry for the bad news.
 
you can put a wrench on the nut and an impact on the bolt head and spin it out or cut the nut off with an cut off wheel. about the same amount of work if you have the tools. you'll get it :thumbsup:
 
Springs were replace and installed on the wrong side. Take the U-bolts off easiest way you can use an impact. Us old guys don't like physical work. Pushing that button on an impact seems so much easier.
 
No the factory did not install the springs wrong. That's just how it is. Life sucks sometimes.
 
Thanks Guys Got it out today
I wedged a wrench on the nut against the frame, then with a ratchet & socket on the bolt head I used my floor jack to work the ratchet and break the bolt loose. Kept working it using the jack until the bolt backed out enough to use a tire iron to rotate the hanger free. Then used the jack to break the other side bolt loose. It slid out without too much fuss.
I don't have a lift and ground clearance was minimal > see pic 1
And my homemade dolly worked as planned wheeled that baby out of there
Thanks Again

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Bought the Dart in 1978
Last time my Dart was on the road was 1982
Previous owner installed the shackles
Gotta love them, IIRC Car handled good with 130-150 psi in the Gabriel hi jackers (with shock extenders)
He ran National G60 on 8" x 14" Cragar's on rear, E60 on front. (still have them)
Previous owner also had rear tubes and housing pained white ???
Thinking of starting a Resto Thread stay Tuned
Rear going into #5 for cleaning

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