rebuilding rear suspension

L

lunarboy

New Member
My back end is sagging :eek: on my 1970 v8 and I am thinking about rebuilding rather than simply replacing the springs - I have a 2200 tc and wondered if there is a smart way to do it eg can i strip the back end off the 2200 get it rebushed and then swap over or can you rebuild v8 with back end in situ - any help appreciated :)
 
As far as I am aware, the top links and pinion cross member as fitted to the 4 cylinder cars are different to those fitted to the V8 cars.

It will therefore be a case of removing the V8 suspension, take it away for rebushing and then refit.

Ron.
 
Having never had a 2200 I am not too sure but from memory (dodgy as it may be), I am pretty sure that the 2200 and the 3500 shared the same rear end. They were built to use a lot of common parts after all. The V8 has a rear cross member that carries the front of the rear trailing arms, as well as the front of the diff, while the earlier 2000 has the trailing arms mounted to the body and the diff on a stumpy little mount.

Having just rebuilt the rear end of my V8 it is not a difficult job, just ensure that you have a mate to help move bits around. The whole job took me 4 days working part time by myself in my driveway (see my thread in the projects page). I highly recommend polybushes for the new bushes as they help make the car feel tighter.

Have a look at the rear ends and compare how they are put together, the V8 has bent top links to avoid the tyres, while the 2000 has straight links.

A good workshop manual really helps and can tell you if the part numbers are the same, thats a dead giveaway that Rover were saving money by using parts for more than one model!

Hope this is some help and has not confused the issue too much.

Cheers

GUY :p
 
Hello lunarboy,

A pair of car stands, Just a variety of spanners, some sockets and of course the obligitory torque wrench. The latter is MOST important. Be sure that all the nuts and bolts are nice and clean once removed, a little grease (I use EPL2) to the bolts and threads. Oh you will need a screw driver too, possibly two to remove the rear seats so you can drop the shock absorber out.

I use a trolley jack to support the rear of the lower link once the bolt has been removed so as to allow the link to be carefully lowered as the spring extends. Works a treat for refitting too. A smaller jack of your choice to support the pinion extension case so as to allow removal of the front cross member.

I can't think of anything else at the moment,

Ron.
 
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