Rear Springs

Trying to remove the rear springs in the wagon and not having any luck. Is there a trick to this?

I did it by myself in about 5 hours. If you don't have a spring compressor I don't think it's possible without unbolting that little A arm thing at the top. That A arm prevents the axle from dropping low enough to pop the springs out. I think...

Don't forget about the little hold down bolt and washed at the top and bottom of the spring that hold the spring in.

Out of curiosity, where did you buy new springs? Did you find new shocks? I actually found shocks at the local NAPA IN STOCK!!! But they're too short and don't allow enough travel in the suspension.

Good luck on your project!

To get the correct shocks, order them from Ames. Springs aren't too hard to come by. Kanter, Ames, Eaton Detroit Spring, Coil Spring Specialties, and Spring 'n things are a few.

Ames doesn't have rear shocks for '59s. They only sell the front ones. Same with California Pontiac Restoration.

When I ordered my new springs from CPR, $89 for the rear springs, then they called me and said they were out and only had the $189 springs. They called back and hour later and said they found one set of $89 springs left. I'm glad I didn;t have to pay $200 for springs. haha

Ames Part No. PS284 It's what I have on mine and I got them from Ames. So, yes they DO have them.

CPR has them too. Part #C5535580G

What you been smoking man!

WTF! If you search them by part descirption i can't find them. But if I put in the part number they come up.

I know I looked on the KYB site and they did not list any for '59 Pontiac rear shocks about 6 months ago but now I see them. WTF!!!! Maybe I just missed them

Thanks!

I know this isnt a 59 but my 63 bonneville Rear springs are starting to sagg and i bought a set to put in but when i went to remove them they are bolted in the top and the bottom how do i get the springs out with having to drop the frame?

You should be able to get a wrench or a socket in between the coils to loosen up the bolts that hold the coils in. It's kind of a pain in the ass but I did mine by myself in a few hours for both sides, new springs and shocks.

If you can get a buddy to help you life will be easier! haha

i was able to get a socket on the top one but I think there is a nut either in the frame or on top of the frame that keeps spinning and kept that bolt from backing out. I guess the next thing i could do when i get back to the states is to drop the frame just a little bit or have it torched out.

I'll look at mine next time I'm out there. I don't remember if it's a nut or a bolt. It might require a back up wrench on the nut. I can't remember

dont forget this is on my 63 bonneville but dont be afraid to look at your 59 since the rear saggs on that car alot too. Thanks

I'm pretty sure the suspension is the same but I have a '63 Cat that I can check on also. Actually I just sold it so I need to check before the guy picks it up haha

Unlike you all, my springs are not sagging and Id like a 2 or 3 inch drop-any idea how i could do this considering the top and bottom of the coil is bolted in? Has anyone ever tried heating the coils?

By the way thanks for the AMES p/n-this site is great for stuff like this.
Mark

I wouldn't heat them up. I could call a spring company and tell then what you have and what you need

starchief_59 wrote:

I wouldn't heat them up. I could call a spring company and tell then what you have and what you need

X2!

Although I have not messed the coils springs on one of these, I have done many Jeeps that have them. The easiest way to remove and replace them is to loosen all the mounting bolts, it can be done on the floor, but a lift is much easier. After everything is loose, do one side at a time, of course. Place a jack on the opposite side you are working on under the axle as far towards the wheel as possible, jack it up until everything is compressed. This will make removal of one spring very easy ( Do keep a jack positioned on the differential to keep everything from falling at once). Once one spring is out, lower the jack and the other will pretty much fall loose, provided you made sure everything was loosened up to begin with. Re-assembly is the exact reverse. As far as heating the springs, it is not recommended since it will take the temper out of them, in effect making them weaker and perhaps bouncier. I have replaced springs that people have "hot wrenched" with a torch while they were still in the car to lower it. I have seen guys "lift" Jeeps by over extending the suspension and heating the springs to stretch them with almost disasterous results. Alos, those helper devices designed to "lower" or compress the coils will do more harm than good as well, not to mention make for lumber wagon type of ride. Cutting the springs is also a No-No, since it tends to allow the spring to sit in its perch crooked and makes for a choppy ride as well. I agree with the above suggestions of buying lowered springs or having them fabricted to your desired ride height. Stock shocks will not work with a cut springas they will bottom out, you will need to buy shocks like Nitro or Toxic shocks meant for a lowered vehicle...

The spring swap job isn't that hard even on the floor. I did mine in about an hour or 2 by myself. I used an internal spring compressor though. It was trick to fit it inside but I did get it done.

If you want some old spring to fiddle with I'll sell you mine haha

A friend of mine have once heated his coils and streched them (back in the 90ties) - he did not drop them in oil to harden them though. They were ruined forever, and completly lost their spring properties - it is no good. You may get away with it if you re harden them by means of shock cooling (dump in oil or water while hot) - but i guess that is not possible while they are on the car, and if the process is not perfectly executed they may break while in use if they harden too much.

In short i would not recomend it.

If sagging is the problem, and the springs are not broken, you might try to install air lift dampers - i did that, and it works just fine. I specially enjoy that i can adjust the rearend according to load.

okay, thats it- I'm 43, not 18 anymore, so the springs come out and down to my pals at the local auto parts store I go.
I suppose if it is impossible to find a fit I could custom build cans that a cut coil could fit into... I'll let you know

I'm sure you can call a spring company and they can cross reference springs and find one that will work.

So Ive pulled the springs (and everything else for that matter) and found Jamco Suspension to be quite helpful -my only point I'm stuck on-should I do a 2 or 3 inch drop from stock? Has anyone lowered their Pontiac? Any suggestions?

I'll post up some pics soon!

I choppped half a coil on my front springs because they're not tapered like the rear springs. It lowered it maybe .5"-1" I think if the rear end was lowered about the same it would look damn good. I chose to go with the raked look instead. I put new springs in the rear with new isolators and it rides about 2"higher than it did stock and I think it also looks damn good

any pics of said car?

Look how low she sat when I first brought her home!

she's got a nice rake on her now. I love the stance. I need to start working on her again