I am restoring my 67 Malibu and began looking at the rear springs. I noted that I was missing the rubber insulator at the top. I also noted that installed at the top was somethng that looked like an inverted dish, about 6" diamter, inside the spring. There is a bolt going thru it with a nut used to hold the "dish" tight against the top of the spring and the frame. None of my manuals show what this is. After I install the new springs and insulator, do i still need to re-install the 'dish" and bolt, or does the spring stay in place alone? Does anyone know what this is? thanks

Maybe it is different on Malibus, but on my El Caminos the rear coil spring is bolted to the differential using a bolt and a large cupped locataing washer that fits inside the last coil. Also on my ElCaminos there is no upper coil rubber mount - it has a spot that the upper coil pigtail fits right into.

Thomas

Are you sure this is a 67 rear? My understanding was that the spring just sat on top of a raised portion that centers inside the bottom of the last coil with no bolt to hold it in for 67 and later. 66 was the last year for the bolt on spring (from what I've seen).

My 67 also has the "cup" holding the spring in at the bottom, it is a Dec. 66 Canadian built car. Ralph

So do you guys with 67's with the bolt down springs buy 66 springs?

That plate that holds the spring to the rear end can be used with later model springs. I know for sure. I am going to be putting a 65 rear end in a 67 with pig tail end springs. I bought some Moog CC501 springs and that plate fits perfect on the bottom of the spring.

Thanks for the info.
I am positive it is a '67 as I bought the Malibu fromthe original owner and the numbers match (axle, POP, title, etc...) I too since read that 66 had the dish installed at the top. I am planning on ordering new springs from PST for a 67. My plan would be to have the top spring coil fit nicely along the top groove with the insulator; and I guess also re-install the dish holding the spring against the insulator. I am fairly certain the original owner did not do any significant mods to the car, as it is pretty much all original everywhere.

I am restoring my 67 Malibu and began looking at the rear springs. I noted that I was missing the rubber insulator at the top. I also noted that installed at the top was somethng that looked like an inverted dish, about 6" diamter, inside the spring. There is a bolt going thru it with a nut used to hold the "dish" tight against the top of the spring and the frame. None of my manuals show what this is. After I install the new springs and insulator, do i still need to re-install the 'dish" and bolt, or does the spring stay in place alone? Does anyone know what this is? thanks

Max - if you have the illustrated parts maunual you will see a picture of the dish. I will try to post the page tonight. I just bought the CD parts manual on ebay for $9.99.

Click on the attachment below and you should be able to resize it for viewing.


1348

That's the one! interestingly, i looked at my installation again and noted that the pigtail at the top does not sit entirely on the groove, so an insulator would not be of any use (it does not have one installed).

So, it looks like i will now need to get the 66 PST rear springs since I want to keep original look, no insulator, and re-install the dish , or clamp as GM calls it. I guess I should also look at the front and figure out whether I need 66 or 67, there althought I don't suspect there will be any difference.

thanks again!

Max - I'm surprised there is any mounting difference between the two years. Let me know what you end up doing because I intend on ditching my wagon springs this winter in favor of the global west ones.

Use springs meant for whatever year your car's frame is.

64-66 springs have a pigtail on the BOTTOM, and a full-coil on top.
67-72 springs have a pigtail on TOP and BOTTOM.

They did change the mounting to the axle at the same time, but that is irrelevent, as they all had the same size pigtail on the bottom. I have a '66 rear in my '69. I used the '69 springs, and the 64-66 bolt-on retainer to hold them in place on the axle. It works fine.

64-66 springs will fit in a 67-72 frame pocket (ride height may be affected but it will "work") but a '67-72 spring won't fit a 64-66 frame pocket. They all work on any 64-72 axle, as long as the retainer is used on the 64-66s.

I tore off the GM tag off the springs (still original GM 3893389 tag) and looked them up on the Web and they are for a 67 (Code BJ). The thing that bothers me is that if I order 67s, will they sit on the upper groove or not?

It looks like if I they send me springs that press against/sit on the upper groove on the frame, they last upper coil will be larger than the original since the original now installed does not sit against the groove but uses the clamp/dish to hold it in place against the frame.

I guess I could measure idamter of upper coil, take a picture, and then send all the info to PST to make sure i get identicals.

The middle of 67 they went to a rear end with just a spring perch with a ring and the spring sat down over top of this ring and the weight of the car kept the spring pushed down and also the ring kept the spring from sliding out. Before the middle of 67 they had a flat spring perch with a bolt hole and had a spring plate that was formed to the shape of the bottom of the spring. and you bolted the spring to the rear end

The middle of 67 they went to a rear end with just a spring perch with a ring and the spring sat down over top of this ring and the weight of the car kept the spring pushed down and also the ring kept the spring from sliding out. Before the middle of 67 they had a flat spring perch with a bolt hole and had a spring plate that was formed to the shape of the bottom of the spring. and you bolted the spring to the rear end

Not sure what you consider the 'middle' of 67 for such a change but I have an October, 1966 dated rear end from a 67 Malibu and it has the cup at the bottom and not the bolt-on plate.

http://www.chevellestuff.com/cd/etr/rearend/photos/cb1012.jpg

Every 66 rear end I've seen has the bolt/plate on the axle housing like this:

http://www.chevellestuff.com/66velle/images/66chev_und_05.jpg