Installing new leaf springs on my 73 Charger

[Echothunder]

Woohoo leaf springs arrived this morning!!!
6 Leaf with 2 1/2" of lift...
Sunday I attack the mission of changing them out.
I have pulled motors, rebuilt carbs, done brakes, changed fuel pumps, water pumps, starters etc... Standard backyard home mechanic stuff...
This will be a first attempt at changing leaf springs, seems obvious and straight forward; however the car being 42 years old I can imagine I am looking forward to having to break stuff off to get the old ones off.
I did purchase new shackles and ubolts so hopefully all will go well.

If any of you have done leaf springs before and have advice or techniques I want to know about please feel free to chime in..

 

[Glenwood]

a cutting torch will be your best friend here!

Good luck

 

[threewood]

X2. If the bolts are rusty you have your work cut out for you.

Cut the old u bolts off. Mine were not rusty and were still a pain in the butt to remove with a ratchet.

Jack the car up by the third member, place jackstands under the rear frame rails and keep the jack under the 3rd member so you can raise and lower the rear when romoving and installing.

Watch your rear brake flex line! If the rear comes down too far without shocks or leafs the weight will stretch this hose!

 

[furryfrog]

Being a 73 you may have the rubber isolator bushings clamped around your existing leafs. If so, the spring perch on your axel, and the shock hanger will have a bigger hole in it. I tossed the rubber isolator bushing setup when I changed mine out, had to do a bit of fabbing to make it work.

 

[MrJLR]

And do your final torquing with the weight on the suspension

 

[Bruzilla]

I just did this, and the biggest hassle I had was with the hangers on the back. There's just no way to get those nuts off. My fix was to use a sawzall and cut them off.

The old U bolt nuts were a pain, but I bought a Dewalt electric impact driver on Craigslist for $50 and that made short work of those.

 

[Echothunder]

Do I want to remove the Ubolts first or the end bokts n shackle bolts?

 

[Glenwood]

personally, I would want to remove the ubolts first and support the axel to take the weight off the springs before the shackles. Make sure it's stable to keep all of your fingers!
Cleaning the threads with a wirewheel, using penetrating oil and heating up the nuts will help.

 

[Echothunder]

Project "Leafspring removal" underway
put in 5 hours yesterday , got one leafspring off.
lots of cheater bar n back n shoulder work out, sawzall, grinding wheel, torch.. you name it I used it..
but by the end of the day I was able to remove the drivers side leaf spring, then wrestle with the hanger bolts to get the hanger off, broke one bolt off.
next weekend I will tackle installing the new leafspring, it is 6 leaf with 2 1/2" lift.. after that is done I will tackle the passenger side..
needless to say, pulling a motor is easier then changing out leaf springs..
And I need to invest in powertools, an air compressor and a impact driver.

 

[Bruzilla]

The electric impact drivers work as well as air tools.

One not of caution. Do your old leaf springs have the same eyes as the new ones? Some 73 cars have the round eyes and some of them have the oval. There's a bot of difference, about 3/4" I think, between the two. You need to use the right front hanger for the respective eyes or your wheel won't center in the well.

 

[Darter6]

When in doubt,remove one side at a time.That way you won't have to ask"Now which way did this come off??"

 

[Echothunder]

Okay I've come across the challenge doing driver side. Got the leaf spring removed installing the new one.I got the hangers mounted on the front But I'm having Trouble Getting the rear Shackle With the Grommet that's new Through the hole in the chassis There's not enough room 2 hammer or pry it .Does this take a special tool Brute Force Something clever like Grease Any suggestions?

 

[Bruzilla]

I just used some spit.