Thread: And more questions: Front suspension & clearance

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I'm not real familiar with the SBC, but don't you have to be careful in swapping harmonic dampeners due to differing balance/balance weight situations as well as the timing marks can be a mismatch to the timing pointer?

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RE: Front spring disassembly and assembly.

I'll just add that I like to use the appropriate size Phillips screwdriver to align leaf spring holes when assembling the spring.

It helps to have a couple of spring center bolts on hand.
They don't cost much, a little over a buck each last time I bought some.

Once the spring is clamped, slide the Phillips head screwdrive out and most times the spring center bolt slides right in.
In any event, don't pound the center bolt in with a hammer, you'll just screw up the threads.

If you have the spring off the axle and disassembled, it's easy to put the main leaf on by itself, shackles connected etc. and then assemble the leafs to the main spring.

I've made changes to spring packs simply by removing the four nuts to the spring crossmember clamp, unbolting one end of the shocks and then letting the axle/spring combo down with a jack.
Of course, the car is up on sturdy jackstands prior to starting.

Be careful you don't drop the axle down so far the hydraulic brake lines get damaged.

Once changes are complete and the spring is back together it's easy to slip the spring back into the crossmember.
None of the 4 bar, split bones or radius rod adjustments have to be disturbed.