QuestionI am restoring a bone stock 1952 Cadillac series 62 conv cpe. I want to redo completely the rear suspension. I do have a retired mech who will come to my garage and do the work. But he wants me to buy all the parts ready for him to install. What I need is a grocery list of parts I should buy. Example: is it necessary to replace the spring shackles ? Does a shackle wear out ? Also, how many bushings are req. to do the job ? And how do I know if the leaf spring is worn out and needs replacing. Thanks, Ed
AnswerI answered this one this morning, but somehow it must have gotten lost in the system!
Anyway, what I said was that you have to get yourself a copy of the factory parts book and the factory shop manual for your car. It will show you all the individual parts in exploded view for the whole spring setup, and it will give you quantity and part numbers for each part.
There are probably 6 bushings and they may come in two halves, so there will be 12 parts there. The springs may have sagged over the years - you need the specifications and measurement procedure to do the ride height measurement. If it has sagged less than an inch, I'd leave the springs alone, but if it is like most convertibles (they get overloaded due to parade use, where a bevy of cheerleaders want to sit on the top of the back seat), it will need springs too. Springs have no wear points as long as the shackles and bushings are OK, but they do sag with age.
Also, if you are planning to put radial tires on it, that will lower it another inch or so.
Shackles shouldn't wear out either, but if the bushings are bad, the shackles may be worn too.
It will all have to be taken apart and inspected before you will know what you need to buy.
If you look under the back of the car and see booster springs or air shocks, you can bet the springs have had troubles already.
The manuals you need will be available from any of the auto literature dealers - I use Ed Faxon at www.faxonautolit.com but there are many others in the same business.
Dick
