Each day I think I'm almost done, then another delay turns up.
In this case it's installing rear shackles. While I had the rear end out, I removed the previous late spring and replaced it with the correct type of tapered spring. Lining up the U-joint, shoving it in, and bolting the ball caps wasn't a problem.
But when I started to install the shackles, I found the spring is too far back to line up with the perches. I suppose I'll take the spring off and turn it around. If that doesn't help, I don't know what the next step will be.
Had the same problem when I installed the new Ruckstell rear end in my '26 touring last week. The spring on one side went in just fine, no so with the other. So I grabbed one of those winch style tie down straps, hooked one part to the frame, and the other to the spring. Gave a couple or cranks and everything lined up nicely. Once it was released, everything lined up fine.
Steve, I had a similar problem on the front the other day. I found once I loosend the spring clamp plate everything lined up. Maybe try lossening the rear spring u-bolts might help.
Chad has the right idea Steve. Nothing gets done up tight until all is hooked up. Then, when you do firm it all up it will sit where it needs to.
Hope it goes well from here on.
Allan from down under.
Steve I had the same problem. I hooked up one side then used a good sized C clamp and pulled the other side in line. The shakel went in just fine. Yours looks no further off than mine was.
Steve, it is because you have the rear end hanging down so far. Put the wheels on and let the car down to where the shackles will hook up and it will all match up. When the rear end hangs down like that it shortens the distance relative to the spring. Or just jack the rear end up until the shackles will go in. It will all fit once you get the weight of the car on it and the angle right.
Big C clamps.
It is the triangle made by the driveshaft, the frame and the spring. As you lower the frame, the driveshaft will move farther back. You might need to have someone sit in the car or add some other form of weight to the back of the body. Another fix would be to loosen the bolts at the U joint and then put in the shackles. However, you should not tighten them until you have weight on the frame or you might strip the threads trying to pull up the driveshaft with those bolts.
Norm
With the spring loosened, one end was close enough for the Peterson method to work. A big C clamp squeezed the shackle halves together. The other end wasn't close enough for that. A wooden pry bar (a two-foot piece of 2x2) fixed that. Mission accomplished.
Was it really a 2X2? Or a 1 3/4 X 1 3/4? Must be careful what we say these days. Oh, you are not in Califunny. Never mind.