Rear H/D springs - good advice

[Ja1983]

should you need to change your rear leaf springs on your hilux...

a) Get some other poor fool to do it

b) If a not possible (SWMBO/Wallet/"busy" garages) then sell vehicle

c) If a) & b) get you no-where, prepare for several hours of frustration, pain, disbelief, and prolonged bouts of swearing

 - jack up rear end on level[/] and preferably smooth ground, not the hardcore lightly graded rear drive like i did.

- do one side at a time....please, i cannot stress enough!

- Get SWMBO to put kettle on - make the most of it because flow rate thinned after the first few hours

- remove wheel place jack under axle not under the u-bolt mounting plate schoolboy error, much self loathing.

- keep a close eye on the axle position... I didnt, and at this point, with the rear end sinking down due to a broken block in the jacking plinth, on the gravel (i know.) the whole axle crept back... out dropped mr propshaft, and there went my will to live.

- if u-bolts are not been spanner friendly ~(or even mildy co-operative) get the grinder out. note: neighbours get  cross if the time is later than 11pm
take great care not to nip the brake pipe just behind the axle (unbelieveably i did not sufer this!)
after much beating/swearing/cigs/cups of tea, you should have finally teased the spring (or remains of) from under the handbrake cable..

take a breather

- the old bushes will just knock out from the mounts with a large screwy, and good old brute force & ignorance.

CLEAN & GREASE THE HOLES - particularly if replacing with poly bushes

- feed new spring in, trying not to get snarled up in it, knock your head repeatidly on the truck.

- an adapted g-clamp or press is the only way you will get the hanger bolt through the polybushed holes... big hammer results in bodywork damage, and neighbour irritation

tighten up, do otherside, roll around, re-tighten, drive up and down street a few times, re-tighten.... leave a week, re-tighten....

and if your not locked up in a padded room, your ready to break another spring!


*mutter mutter*