[67gtospud]

After removing the body from my frame I put all new bushings in everything. Upon reassembling the rear suspension it sits too high. I reused the old springs and had them glass bead blasted and painted. With the body back on the frame and some weight in the trunk the rear suspension is still at max raised height. The shocks are 100% extended. I double checked that the springs are correctly sitting in the pockets and the are. I currently have all 8 rear control arm bolts loose so there is no tension from the bushings. I even looked at pictures from before separated the body and frame and there is a clear difference. What else could be wrong that the rear suspension is maxed out?

[72LuxuryLeMansLa.]

Originally Posted by 67gtospud

After removing the body from my frame I put all new bushings in everything. Upon reassembling the rear suspension it sits too high. I reused the old springs and had them glass bead blasted and painted. With the body back on the frame and some weight in the trunk the rear suspension is still at max raised height. The shocks are 100% extended. I double checked that the springs are correctly sitting in the pockets and the are. I currently have all 8 rear control arm bolts loose so there is no tension from the bushings. I even looked at pictures from before separated the body and frame and there is a clear difference. What else could be wrong that the rear suspension is maxed out?

You need to post pictures or there is no way for someone to help with this.

[ho428]

Take the springs back out and see if the rear will go up and down through it's full travel, with and without shocks attached.

[1968firebird455]

The trailing link bolts need to be tighted while the cars weight is loaded on the rear end. Chances are the bolts were torqued prior to having the cars weight on them. REmove the shocks, Loosen all 8 bolts,make sure the springs are seated have the full weight of the car on them, bounce the back end to make sure nothing is sticking and binding. Torque all 8 bolts to spec and install shocks.

[TheCirque]

Im not being a wise a$$... Did front springs get confused with rear. It may not even be possible due to size differences but if it's possible, it's something I would do.

If multiple spring sets were being bead blasted, maybe something got mixed up.

[RAM YAK II]

Gas shocks I bet. Try disconnecting the rear shocks before loading and torquing the control arm bolts...might solve your problem. Doug

[428goat]

Do you still have the old shocks, if so compare them fully extended to the new shocks fully extended. I had a problem with new KYB gas shocks that did not extend as much as the shocks that I took off. I went to their web site and bought the next longer shocks for Pontiac A body. If the new shocks almost fit then have someone sit on the rear of the frame and see if the frame goes down enough to mount them.

[67gtospud]

The rear end does move through its full length of travel with the springs out, and no the springs didn't get messed up; they even got put back into their original spots. Also I blasted the springs at work and only did my set so no confusion there. The new shocks are the same length extended as the originals and the same length compressed as well. And yes they are gas shocks. I didn't torque the control arm bolts yet because even with all the weight on the rear suspension it stayed fully extended. And I assembled everything and did not tighten the bolts prior to setting the weight back on the car.

[fasterfiero]

Is the slip yoke binding in the transmission ?

[67gtospud]

Originally Posted by fasterfiero

Is the slip yoke binding in the transmission ?

Nope, driveshaft isn't installed but even when it was there was no binding.

[David Jones]

Exactly how much of your car is put back together? Those springs have a very limited sweet spot.

[Blued and Painted]

Has the trunk lid, bumper, and fuel tank been installed? That would be a lot to weight times 3 feet behind the axle.

[chrisp]

dementia ?

[67gtospud]

I have had everything installed on the car minus the glass, trim and interior, but I also have ALL the new sheet metal in the trunk also. Being; new trunk pans, trunk braces, tail light panel, both left and right inner and outer rear wheel houses, front end filler kit, left and right quarter panel skins, and left and right quarter panel patches. Even with all the extra pieces and assembled and my 165lbs bouncing in the trunk still no rear suspension flex. The rear tires bounced a little but the springs did not give at all.

[pggto]

It's my understanding that your rear suspension is stuck fully extended with the springs and shocks installed? Can you move the suspension through the full motion without the springs and shocks? Can you move it with the springs only? Can you move it with the shocks only? Was there glass beads in the blast cabinet or sand? Blasting may have created heat changing the spring rate? Do you have a spring compressor to try to compress the springs? Are the rear shocks damaged where they lock up going through there travel? Where in WI do you live I have a set of springs you could try. Does the car have it's original rear end? Can you post some pictures of the rear suspension? What do you have on the car for wheels and tires? Is the wheel interfering with something? Just a thought.

[67gtospud]

Originally Posted by pggto

It's my understanding that your rear suspension is stuck fully extended with the springs and shocks installed? Can you move the suspension through the full motion without the springs and shocks? Can you move it with the springs only? Can you move it with the shocks only? Was there glass beads in the blast cabinet or sand? Blasting may have created heat changing the spring rate? Do you have a spring compressor to try to compress the springs? Are the rear shocks damaged where they lock up going through there travel? Where in WI do you live I have a set of springs you could try. Does the car have it's original rear end? Can you post some pictures of the rear suspension? What do you have on the car for wheels and tires? Is the wheel interfering with something? Just a thought.

Yes, stuck fully extended. It moves through its full range with only shocks and without springs or shocks installed. I used glass bead when I blasted them and I blasted the front springs at the same time and they work/function correctly. I do not have a spring compressor, we used a come along to compress the rear suspension when we installed the rear springs and shocks and they compressed fairly easily. I live in Green Bay Wi. Yes has the original rear end dated late 67. I will try to get pictures this weekend. Right now it just has a set of 14" steel wheels and some junk tires but they are the same rims/tires that were on there before hand.

[pggto]

Hmmmm, this thing doesn't move at all? I know my 66 sat high and was pretty stiff in the rear with a lot of the rear parts missing. I'll just throw some more ideas out. Did you try adding some more weight to the rear besides you just pushing on it and the parts in the trunk? The suspension moves ok without the springs and shocks so it doesn't appear to be binding. How did the rear of the car sit before you took it a part? Are the new body bushings making it look like its sitting a lot higher? Do you have another pair of shocks you could try? If the control arms are not binding it sure sounds like a bad shock if there is no bounce in the rear. Not that this matters but does this car have the springs that bolt to the rear end or are located by the boss on the spring perch? I think they changed designs in 66 or 67.

[mrennie]

Originally Posted by 67gtospud

I do not have a spring compressor, we used a come along to compress the rear suspension when we installed the rear springs and shocks and they compressed fairly easily. I live in Green Bay Wi. Yes has the original rear end dated late 67. I will try to get pictures this weekend. Right now it just has a set of 14" steel wheels and some junk tires but they are the same rims/tires that were on there before hand.

This confuses me...why would you need a come-a-long to install rear springs? All you should need to do is unbolt the lower shock mount and lower the axle, pull out old springs and install new, then raise axle and re-attach the shocks??

You said your new shocks are gas, what brand/model are they?

[Blued and Painted]

Originally Posted by 67gtospud

I have had everything installed on the car minus the glass, trim and interior, but I also have ALL the new sheet metal in the trunk also. Being; new trunk pans, trunk braces, tail light panel, both left and right inner and outer rear wheel houses, front end filler kit, left and right quarter panel skins, and left and right quarter panel patches. Even with all the extra pieces and assembled and my 165lbs bouncing in the trunk still no rear suspension flex. The rear tires bounced a little but the springs did not give at all.

Either the upper or lower spring purch has been moved or the wrong springs have been installed.
The only other time i've seen this problem was on a leaf spring car where the rear shackle sprung forward when loaded rather than rearward.
X2 mrennie. With shock removed and axle hanging, you should be able to remove and install the springs by hand.

[2002Z4CSS]

Originally Posted by 1968firebird455

The trailing link bolts need to be tighted while the cars weight is loaded on the rear end. Chances are the bolts were torqued prior to having the cars weight on them. REmove the shocks, Loosen all 8 bolts,make sure the springs are seated have the full weight of the car on them, bounce the back end to make sure nothing is sticking and binding. Torque all 8 bolts to spec and install shocks.

Ditto what he said!