Cadillac & LaSalle Club Discussion Forum

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Forums => Technical / Authenticity => Topic started by: Hilarius on October 03, 2017, 06:06:20 AM

Title: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Hilarius on October 03, 2017, 06:06:20 AM
Before the 1952-60 Special in question, here, I have only played with older Cadillacs.
The rear springs on these were always installed with the longer end of the spring towards the back.
When I installed the rear axle and springs on this car I also installed the springs with the longer end (longer by about 2 inches) toward the rear.
Now I see that I cannot turn the propeller shaft when I hoist up the car and axle and springs hang down. Instead the shaft presses against the autotrans and is likely to break it when driving.
The slip joint is, of course, also out of action.
The only explanation is that the springs were installed the wrong way around.
This is to make sure that it is so and that no other mistake I might have made and am not aware of, is the reason.
Thanks for any input.
Hilmar.
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Ralph Messina CLC 4937 on October 03, 2017, 08:48:30 PM
Hilmar,

I can't comment on the appropriateness of the long side of the spring. However, with the car in driving stance on the ground measure the center to center distance between the front and rear axle. It should be 130 inches. If it's not, the springs are in backwards or they're the wrong part.

HTH
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Hilarius on October 04, 2017, 10:27:49 AM
Doesn't really anyone know which way around the rear springs are installed in a 1952-60 Special??
Longer end of spring to the rear or vice versa??
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Steve Passmore on October 04, 2017, 11:26:16 AM
That's a good suggestion from Ralph Hilmar. Measure center of front hubcap to center of rear hubcap and you should see your 130" wheelbase'   2" less and they are back to front.
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Jerome506237DX on October 04, 2017, 01:25:05 PM
How are the rear shackles facing? To the front or to the back? If they are facing to the front, the rear axle, and of course the driveshaft will be pushed towards the front of the car... Are your wheels in center of the wheelhousing?

Good luck,

Jérôme
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Hilarius on October 04, 2017, 03:47:37 PM
Trouble is the wheelbase on both sides is exactly 130".
The shackles are facing to the front.
So what now??? Wrong propeller shaft on a car that was restored and nothing changed??
Hilmar
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Steve Passmore on October 04, 2017, 03:50:32 PM
Wow. Could it be that it never had the correct drive shaft on it when you bought it Hilmar?
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Dan LeBlanc on October 04, 2017, 05:51:08 PM
Excuse the mess. This car is a project. These are the rear springs on my 53 60S.

Not sure if this helps or not.
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Hilarius on October 05, 2017, 01:30:03 AM
Jérôme,
the shackles are facing to the front, thus pushing the rear axle forward and the drive shaft against the inside of the trans.
Wheelbase of 130" is dead right on both sides.
How to determine whether the wheels are in the center of the wheel housing, especially when the rear fenders have not yet been installed, I don't know. As it is, everythink looks all right in that area.

Steve,
would you suspect a wrong drive shaft on a car that had been driven by the seller (so he said) and that I personally drove from my home to the workshop which is about a quarter mile without noticing any abnormality?
Shaft was as rusty as the rest of the car, and no recent manipulation visible.

Dan,
thanks for the pictures, but they don't help as the lengths of the fore and aft portions of the springs remain unknown.
If it is not asking too much, could you measure the distance between the hole in the center bracket of the spring ( that is the plate which also holds the bottom of the shock absorber. The plate has a hole in the middle for the spring center bolt ) to the centers of the spring eyes in the front and rear of the spring? These are 25" and 27" for the long and short side.
The question is which end points to the rear. The longer or the shorter one.
Unfortunately, you'd have to get under the car for these measurements
Hilmar.
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Roger Zimmermann on October 05, 2017, 02:14:41 AM
The shackles must face the rear. Take a lever to force them to the rear. Somebody here had already that problem. You may have to loose the shock absorbers if they are installed.
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Jerome506237DX on October 05, 2017, 05:49:21 AM
Quote from: Roger Zimmermann on October 05, 2017, 02:14:41 AM
The shackles must face the rear. Take a lever to force them to the rear. Somebody here had already that problem. You may have to loose the shock absorbers if they are installed.

+1

If you type "rear spring shackle" in the search box, from the search results you'll get the idea...
I hope it will solve your problem!

Once again, good luck!

Jérôme
Title: Re: 1952-60Special - rear spring installation
Post by: Hilarius on October 05, 2017, 08:55:00 AM
Thanks everyone.
I'll put the car on the ground and force the rear shackles back and unscrew the rear universal joint to see if there is enough movement possible in the slip joint. If so the deed is done, but I am still doubtful as on the older cars, even when the shackles were flipped forward, it was still possible to turn the drive shaft by hand. We'll see.
Hilmar