Rear spring help
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Rear spring help
Hi guys, I’m in the middle of going through troubleshooting my rear suspension noises on my 67 Cutlass. So far I’ve changed out dead air shocks and replaced all the body mounts. I also temporarily removed a sway bar that was missing a bolt. A random banging noise has been eliminated but there is a TON of annoying squeaking! You literally cannot drive the car over 25 mph without going insane. I bought an original chassis manual but the section is not showing me everything. I see that the springs have NO rubber isolater top or bottom. I want to address this, but can someone please tell me WTF is going on in my trunk? What is up with the spring mounting and how is it supposed to be? I can take pics from underneath if needed. Thanks
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From: Poteau, Ok
There are rubber isolators that go on top of the springs.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/m.../model/cutlass
Been a while since I did my body mounts, what does the bolt in the trunk holes attach to?
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/m.../model/cutlass
Been a while since I did my body mounts, what does the bolt in the trunk holes attach to?
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 159
There are rubber isolators that go on top of the springs.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/m.../model/cutlass
Been a while since I did my body mounts, what does the bolt in the trunk holes attach to?
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/m.../model/cutlass
Been a while since I did my body mounts, what does the bolt in the trunk holes attach to?
It looks like the bolt in each hole is holding the top of each coil spring to the car. I think there was a large nut and washer, but I didn’t see any rubber pad. When I did the shocks, the rear end lowered down with the shock bolts removed. The springs stayed attached at the top. I did every body mount, not a single one gave me any trouble. The car used the entire kit PLUS the extra 2 “supplement” ones and I did not have to remove these 2 large bolts. All bolts I removed were from underneath the car, except the ones by the radiator. The chassis is incredibly dry, and I don’t see any signs of accident. There looks to be the “type O” 12 bolt cover rear end and and normal control arm setup. Were there studs that snapped off and someone replaced with bolts? You can see these bolts are next to the wheel wells where, at least I think, the coils are supposed to sit on top of the axle.
Last edited by 1967Supreeeme; Dec 29, 2017 at 02:51 PM.
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Hey Joe, I am going to tackle them next. I just wanted to go after obvious hacks and missing rubber isolators first. It’s nice having the manual now before I tear stuff apart.
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Posts: 1,589
From: Texas
Like Eric said there are no bolts or clamps that hold the springs in in a 67. You have to set the springs in, raise the rearend up, attach the shocks, and this usually is enough to hold the springs until it is lowered to the ground. The springs need to be clocked properly while up and easy to turn. I think its so the end of the pigtail is parallel with the axle if I remember correctly.
Good luck
Good luck
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Like Eric said there are no bolts or clamps that hold the springs in in a 67. You have to set the springs in, raise the rearend up, attach the shocks, and this usually is enough to hold the springs until it is lowered to the ground. The springs need to be clocked properly while up and easy to turn. I think its so the end of the pigtail is parallel with the axle if I remember correctly.
Good luck
Good luck
Ok, this makes sense. When I removed the old air shocks, I compared them to the new stock replacements. The air shocks were several inches longer at extended length. Maybe someone was going for that super raked look and with the *** end way in the air, this was the “fix” to keep the springs from falling out. Once I got the new shocks in place, there was hardly any slop where the springs sit on the axle.I’m picking up new isolators tomorrow, I’ll report back once I unbolt the springs and get some rubber back up there.
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So, once I removed the nuts and bolts, I was able to pull the springs out with the shocks still attached. I took pics showing the lower mount too, just a cup that the spring sits on. Looks to be correct for a 67?
Both springs were the same length, about 12 5/8”. Seems pretty short. Are these the wrong springs? Or have they been heated to lower the car?
Both springs were the same length, about 12 5/8”. Seems pretty short. Are these the wrong springs? Or have they been heated to lower the car?
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: elkhart indiana
those look like Moog cargo coils, the ones listed for a 67 cutlass are CC501
I ordered a set of those for my 66 by mistake and they look just like the ones you have.
12.63 inch free height
8 inch compressed height
http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com...il_springs.asp
I ordered a set of those for my 66 by mistake and they look just like the ones you have.
12.63 inch free height
8 inch compressed height
http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com...il_springs.asp
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 42,386
From: Poteau, Ok
This is a great reference chart of all Moog coil springs. You can do some quick measurements to determine which spring you have. You'll find that a lot of the repro places reference the Moog pn's.
http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com...il_springs.asp
http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com...il_springs.asp
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https://www.summitracing.com/parts/gab-81514
Here’s the shocks I’m running, seems to fit like I would expect. They only need to be compressed a little to line up the lower bolt to the mounting hole.
Here’s the shocks I’m running, seems to fit like I would expect. They only need to be compressed a little to line up the lower bolt to the mounting hole.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 159
those look like Moog cargo coils, the ones listed for a 67 cutlass are CC501
I ordered a set of those for my 66 by mistake and they look just like the ones you have.
12.63 inch free height
8 inch compressed height
http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com...il_springs.asp
I ordered a set of those for my 66 by mistake and they look just like the ones you have.
12.63 inch free height
8 inch compressed height
http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com...il_springs.asp
Yeah, Moog sells stock replacement at 14.29 inches free height (6321). This sounds about right. If someone has a nice used set I’d be willing to buy them, you can shoot me a message. Probably put up a want ad
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 42,386
From: Poteau, Ok
You can get a brand new pair through rockauto for $49.79.
http://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/moo...il+spring,7512
http://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/moo...il+spring,7512
Thread Starter
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Posts: 159
Got the new springs installed and the car rides WAY better. There’s still some noise going on, but not as bad. I’ll be checking out the control arm bushings and maybe exhaust rattling at high speed when I put my foot in it. Thanks guys
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After looking it all over I think I figured out what was going on.
One owner had air shocks installed, or dealer maybe...
One owner had air shocks installed, or dealer maybe...
Someone then added a sway bar (don’t see factory boxed control arms....
Then, some asshat decided they wanted it lowered, left the dead, super long air shocks in place. Heated the springs at the axle end ( on closer inspection they look darker at the bottom and coils are too close together compared to the replacements)
Since they didn’t realize the spring length is CRITICAL to keeping the rear end on the ground, they attempted to “fix” the situation by bolting the springs in place.
Running it like this (with a loose sway bar too) probably destroyed the control arm bushings. No doubt, they are probably f**ked.
Then, some asshat decided they wanted it lowered, left the dead, super long air shocks in place. Heated the springs at the axle end ( on closer inspection they look darker at the bottom and coils are too close together compared to the replacements)
Since they didn’t realize the spring length is CRITICAL to keeping the rear end on the ground, they attempted to “fix” the situation by bolting the springs in place.
Running it like this (with a loose sway bar too) probably destroyed the control arm bushings. No doubt, they are probably f**ked.
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