I followed the service manual and was very grateful for the step by step instructions. So much of what I have done to date hasn't really had that so it felt quite safe, and enjoyable.
Here it is starting to come together.
I was a little worried about the movement of the swivel pin in the suspension arms as it is supposed to be easy, in reality it is smooth but it is not easy. I was also a little troubled by the number of washers needed for the swivel pin and found that I went for a repeat of the original set up. Everything else went well.
Then I got to the spring, gulp. I remember as a kid working at my Dad's yard that removing springs was a very tricky project unless you have really good quality spring clamps and here am I looking at the service manual which says that one should use two 3/8 x 4" bolts. I didn't have 4" bolts but I did have a length of 8mm studding which I cut up into three 6" pieces. I took a photo before I started as I wasn't at all convinced that this would work.
But, you know, it did work. And it worked very well. I am really pleased about this.
Here is the finished suspension. However, I realise that I have the wrong anti-roll bar mount on, it should have been the one from the other side, donut. I couldn't actually find a photo of it in the service manual and I couldn't be bothered to come in from the garage and go through my photos on the computer to check so I had a punt, and got it wrong. However, when I was planning this stage of the rebuild I was also not sure how long the bolts should be and ordered 2.25" 3/8 UNF bolts and matching locking nuts but when it was all done up there isn't quiet enough thread pocking through on the side with the roll- bar mount so I need to remove them and replace them with longer ones.
I feel very happy with it though. I appreciate that I need to fit the brakes up but it still feels like a visible step has been taken.
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