Too close for comfort

chromebumpers

chromebumpers

solid fixture here in the forum
Staff member
I don't know how or why but I noticed this as I was cleaning things up on my barn-find. The ends of the leaf springs are very close to the wheels on both sides. I would bet good money nothing on the rear suspension was ever touched aside from the shocks. How can this be corrected to make some room. I do plan on replacing shocks and rubber bushings as well as the rear seals.


 
This on your 1969 White C3 Vette Rich ?
The rear leaf spring bushings are tired originals.
I think my 87 C4 does the same on a lift off the ground.
Rear fiberglass leaf spring is just unloaded relaxed.
On the ground with new bushings & shocks rechechk clearance to inside tire sidewalls.
Looks like you have 255/60R15 tires.
They bulge out some when mounted on 7 inch wide rims.
 
Your C3 has the multileaf steel spring of course.
Make sure main spring & other leafs not cracked anywhere.
 
What happened to the Lucas oil stop seal additive Rich ?
Replacing stub shaft differential oil seals not to bad of a job.
Grumpy & me can both guide you through it.
 
87vette81big said:
Looks like you have 255/60R15 tires.
They bulge out some when mounted on 7 inch wide rims.
Click to expand...

Brian, it's funny but they're 235/60 nearly new, meant to go on my 71 (which came with 255/60s) and I am actually swapping out 255/60s from my other vette tomorrow. This car was found with white wall F-70s (I believe they were original, They had flat spots otherwise I would have kept them on the car) They're too large but I don't want to put out any more money I wont recover, remember I am selling this car right now and I would love to break even.
This is a '72 and the leaf spring is steel. I figure it will be easier to sell if I can eliminate the oil leaks and get rid of the dry-rotted rubber. I hopping I don't find anymore problems.
 
87vette81big said:
What happened to the Lucas oil stop seal additive Rich ?
Replacing stub shaft differential oil seals not to bad of a job.
Grumpy & me can both guide you through it.
Click to expand...

My assumption is I don't see how an additive in the diff. could possibly work. Perhaps if the oil/fluid was circulating like in the motor the additive could work. Even if it could work I would still inform the buyer what I did. The real leaker is the pinion seal. It made a big mess in the rear area. I'm not worried about doing the job, it's just that I don't want to find any significant wear problems when I take off the diff cover and remove the clips. I haven't done this job in many years so I just have to think out the order of disassembly. It should be easy working on a lift and I have a large 4 ft. tall table. When I am ready to drop the rear I'll just lower the car so that the rear is just an inch or so off the table so when I break the corrosion seal it will just drop on the table and I can lift the car back up again.
 
Smart thinking Rich.
Lets see in morning what Grumpy has to say.
They have seemed to improved suspension bushings come the C4 era.
Ok on my car still.
Goodnight my friend.

BR
 
viewtopic.php?f=71&t=9654&p=35827#p35827

well from the pictures its obvious the bushings need replacement and I might be wrong but the rims and tires don,t seem to be the original size and offset?


btw its very common for most of the rear suspension bolts to be rather badly rusted so Id suggest repeated sprays of several different penetrating oils on damn near any bolts you see several times, a day over several days before attempting to remove, adjust or replacement
and yes obviously bushings need to be replaced

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