Buick LeSabre 1965 Service Manual page 453

7 - 2 6 SERVICE PROCEDURES CHASSIS SUSPENSION
c. Rear Coil Spring Removal
and Installation
Removal 45, 46, 48, 49000 Series
1. Raise rear end of car and
support on frame stands.
2. Mark universal joint and pinion
companion flange for correct re-
installation. This maintains the
balance between these two parts
as installed during original as-
sembly. Disconnect by removing
U-bolt clamps at pinion flange
(4 bolts on 49000 Series).
3. Slide propeller shaft forward
on slip spline far enough to clear
rear companion flange. Wire or
otherwise suitably support pro-
peller shaft up out of the way to
prevent damage to constant ve-
locity universal joint center ball
by allowing it to bend to the end
of its travel.
4. Remove bolt attaching brake
line bracket to rear suspension
cross member to provide slack
in brake line.
5. Position jack under control
arm below axle housing and raise
jack slightly to relieve tension on
shock absorber.
6. Disconnect shock absorber at
axle bracket by removing nut and
bolt.
7. On 49000 remove nut from low-
er spring clamp bolt and carefully
lower jack to fully extend spring.
Remove bolt and spring clamp
from lower control arm. Upper
spring clamp can now be removed.
On 45, 46, 4800 Series, lower
jack after disconnecting shock
only, and remove spring.
CAUTION: Do not c o m p l e t e l y
lower jack as this will cause
strain on brake hose.
Installation 49000 Series
1. Assemble upper insulators on
stud between frame and top of
spring. Position top of spring up
against insulator and assemble
spring clamp, clamp insulator,
Figure 7-29-Wooden Block Behind
Rear Spring - 49000
flat washer, lock washer and nut
on stud. Do not tighten at this
time.
2. Place a short piece of 2 x 4
between lower end of spring and
axle housing. See Figure 7-29.
This assembly aid h o l d s the
spring forward on the lower con-
trol arm to facilitate attachment
of the spring to the lower control
arm.
3. Raise control arm to contact
spring and slip spring between
spring and control arm.
4. Insert a long tapered punch
through the control arm bolt hole
from the bottom to maintain
alignment of the control arm and
spring seat hole.
5. Slip spring clamp over punch
and position s t r a i g h t side of
clamp along s t r a i g h t end of
spring.
6. Rotate spring if necessary to
locate s p r i n g end at top as
follows:
Left - top spring end towards
rear of car
Right - top spring end towards
front of car
Tighten upper spring clamp nut
to 18 ft. lbs.
stalled. Torque lower s p r i n g
clamp nut to 25 ft. lbs.
Install lower c o n t r o l arm to
bracket on rear axle, install bolt,
washer and nut and torque nut to
75 ft. lbs.
8. Reattach shock absorber to
axle bracket and remove short
piece of 2 x 4 behind spring.
Torque lower shock attaching nut
to a minimum of 35 ft. lbs.
9. Attach propeller shaft to rear
companion flange by aligning
alignment marks made at disas-
sembly and then torqueing (4) four
attaching bolts evenly to 85 ft. lbs.
10. Reinstall brake line bracket
to rear suspension cross member
bolt.
11. Remove car stands and lower
car.
Installation 45, 46, 48000
1. Install insulator on top of
spring and position spring so that
end with identification code tape
is at bottom of the spring seat.
2. Raise rear axle and connect
shock absorber. Tighten to 45 ft.
lbs.
3. Carefully attach the propeller
shaft to the rear companion
flange observing the following
precautions:
a. Compress the bearing cups
using a 4" C-clamp to assure that
the snap rings do not gouge the
companion flange when seating.
b. Do not use the U-bolts to draw
the b e a r i n g cups into place.
U-bolts should be seated and the
nuts drawn up evenly.
Use Torque Wrench Adapter
J-9113 to torque U-bolt nuts to
15-18 ft. lbs.
4. Reinstall brake line bracket to
rear suspension cross member.
7. Raise control arm until lower 5. Remove car stands and lower
spring clamp bolt can be in- car.