Cadillac 60 Series 1963 Shop Manual page 27

4-4
CHASSIS SUSPENSION
is designed to take all side thrust forces resulting
from the car's turning or cornering.
The rear shock absorbers are mounted at their
upper ends in frame brackets to the rear of the
axle center line. The lower ends are attached to
the lower control link mounting brackets on the
axle housing.
Steel coil springs are mounted with the lower
ends seated on the lower control links and the
upper ends seated in tower brackets welded to
the frame side bars just forward of the rear axle
stops.
Rear Suspension System
(Commerical Chassis On!y)
The rear springs are of the semi-elliptical mul-
tiple leaf type. They have nine leaves 2-1/2 inches
wide with polyethylene full length liners between
them to provide correct interleaf friction and pre-
vent squeaks. The spring eyes are cushioned at
each end by rubber bushings and at the spring seats
on the axle housing by rubber insulating pads.
Direct acting type rear shock absorbers are
connected at the bottom to the rear spring "U"
bolt plates and at the top to brackets welded to
the rear intermediate frame cross member. This
type rear shock absorber mounting provides min-
imum transverse roll along with dampening of
road shocks.
SERVICE INFORMATION
1. Towing Instructions
1963 Cadillac cars cannot be started by towing
or pushing. If a car cannot be started normally,
or by the use of jumper cables, it will be neces-
sary to tow it to the nearest service facility.
It is possible to tow or push 1963 cars without
disconnecting the propeller shaft or raising the
rear end of the car. The transmission, if operat-
ing properly, will not be damaged by towing. The
car can be towed at speeds up to 30 MPH for
distances up to 50 miles. Always tow the car with
the transmission selector lever in "neutral"
position.
If a car is towed with rear wheels raised off the
ground, it should be raised as little as possible,
and the towing speed kept below 30 MPH. Failure
to follow these precautions may result in front
wheel shimmy, which could seriously overstress
the steering gear and linkage.
2. Hoist Recommendations
Lifting equipment of the type that engages the
suspension, axle, or wheels is preferred when
lifting 1963 Cadillac cars.
Hoist support plates are provided on the under-
side of the lower front suspension arms for use
with lifting equipment that engages the suspension
system. When using lifting equipment of this type,
make certain that the car is properly centered
over the hoist and that the hoist arms are posi-
tioned near, but outboard of the support plates on
the lower arms, Fig. 4-3. If the hoist arms are
not properly positioned in relation to the support
plates, a safety hazard may result if the car
shifts on the raised hoist.
A frame contact hoist may be used only on 60
and 62 series cars when certain precautions are
Fig. 4-3 Positioning Car on Hoist
observed. Due to the tubular center X-frame
construction, special adapters must be used on the
hoist rails to assure engagement with the car
frame at the locations indicated by the shaded
areas, Fig. 4-4.
Extreme care should be taken in positioning the
front hoist adapters to prevent contact with any
part of the number 2 body brackets as this would
cause distortion to exceed allowable limits. To as-
sure safety, contact at the rear should be made at
the outer end of each number 4 body bracket. Do
not allow hoist: to contact rear lower control link
front mounting bracket. In no case should the rear
contact points be less than 32-1/2 inches apart.
Do not use a frame contact hoist to raise
Seventy-Five series cars or commercial chassis.
Excessive frame or body distortion will result
due to the increased weight and extended body
length on these series cars.
CAUTION: The shock absorbers act as re-
bound stops for the rear suspension. Under no
circumstances should rear end of car ever be
raised so that rear suspension is in rebound
position while disconnecting shock absorbers.