I am replacing my open 10 bolt 2.56 (lousy acceleration but awesome 1 wheel burnouts) with a 10 bolt 3.55 posi. The removal seems straight forward but replacing the rear seems more complicated with juggling the springs, control arms and shocks. I am hoping that the collective experience in this illustrious forum can give some tips and procedures. Do you preinstall the control arms? Which end first? How do you line up the rear - with jackstands and jack? Will I need a couple of my beer swilling buddies to help? What's the sequence with the arms , shocks and springs. I want to accomplish this without injury and minimal swearing, so some guidance would be appreciated.

First ,connect the arms to the chassis, then connect the arms to the axle. Install the springs and then attach the shocks. If you place the axle on a roll around type of jack, it will go pretty easily. Then jack up the axle and install the propeller shaft. If the axle is hanging way down , the shaft will seem too long. Oh yeah, do not forget the brake piping. This looks like a job for a wrestler, but it really goes pretty easily.

Yuri,
It's fairly simple.
If your'e doing this at home, jackstands and a floor jack will work fine. Get the car up on stands, make sure it is secure.
Unbolt the shocks at the rear end and let em hang. then unbolt the controll arms at the rear end. Make sure ther is a floor jack under the rear end.Un do the rear brake hose.
If you have a swaybar, remove it. Once everything is unbolted, lower the jack and drag it all out, leaving the shocks and controll arms in the car.
The coil springs will drop out when you lower the jack. The hardest part is unbolting the control arms, you may have to heat em up. Then put everything back the way you took it out, Don't forget to bleed the brakes.

Good luck, hope this helps


Jeff

As an added note, I have had good luck when installing it by attaching the rearend to the upper arms first (leave all four control arms attached to the vehicle) and then jack up and attach the lower arms. When installing the springs, the first will go in easy but the opposite side may require moving the jack to one side (the one with the spring) and lifting it up.
With a floor jack and two good stands, you can do by yourself in a couple of hours. Spray the bolts & nuts with some penetrating oil a couple of days in advance and repeat daily.

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[This message has been edited by Tom Kordick (edited 01-10-2000).]

Yuri,

It's basically a matter of reversing the removal process. Should be a "piece of cake".



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Bob (Pa.)

1963 Impala 283
1966 Chevelle SS 409
1969 Malibu 307
1972 Malibu 307
1969 Chevy stepside 350

Bob's 409 Chevy Page

http://members.spree.com/entertainment/mr409/bob_s_409_chevy_page_index.html

Every job goes better with a couple of beer swilling buddies hangin' out. They'll be there if you do need help and for general immoral support.

Cam

The bolts should all be tightened after you have it sitting on the floor with the weight on it.

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Leo Paugh
Maryland Chevelle Club #017
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten.