Rear spring to trailing arm bushings

[Robert B.]

Need to replace the rubber bushings in the rear spring to trailing arm linkage - would appreciate any tips - do's or don'ts. My 67 has a rear stabilizer which makes it a little more challenging.

Thanks, Bob

[Michael M.]

Re: Rear spring to trailing arm bushings

Are you referring to the bushings on the long spring bolt attaching the spring to the trailing arm? If so, it is fairly straight forward. First disconnect the rear sway bar linkage (the cross bolt holding the dogbone link with the bushings, then the bolts that go through the trailing arm and into the plate inside the end of the trailing arm). Put a vice grip at toward the end of the spring and clamp it on tight. Use a floor or bottle jack and rest it against the inside of the vice grips and proceed to raise one end of the spring until tension is released. Then proceed to remove the nut from the spring bolt, then remove the bolt completely from the trailing arm from the top. Replace the bushings and washers with new ones, tighten the nut at the end of the spring bolt (before disaasembling you should measure the distance from the top of the spring bolt to the bottom of the nut) and ensure the same measurement. Go to the other side and repeat. Job done.