Need help with Strut Rods And Bearings

[matthud]

I am in the process of reinstalling my rear wheel bearing assemblies. I have installed the bearing carrier and the parking brake. I am trying to get the strut rods back into the carriers in order to install the shock mount. My problem is that is seems that there is too much of an angle on the strut rod. With the bushings installed and the cam put into the top of the strut rod, the other end doesnt come that close to fitting in the carrier. I have the trailing arm jacked up as far as it will go. It just seems like the entire trailing arm is further forward than it should be, even my spring mounts seem to be a little angled even with the spring compressed. Because the strut rod is angled I can't get the rod into the carrier assembly enough to push the shock mount in. Here is a picture of the strut rod cnnected at the top and forced into the carrier at the bottom.

Shouldn't the strut rod be parallel to the spring.
You can see from this direct picture that the close end of the strut rod is quite a ways forward.

Does anyone have an idea why this isn't aligning correctly?

 

[JohnZ]

The trailing arm wants to be at normal ride height, not "up as far as it will go"; at normal ride height, it will align.

 

[The73vetteman]

I'm in the process of doing the same job. The trailing arm swings in an arc so as JohnZ says, you need it at typical road height position. That said, even then I think there is a degree of twist that makes reassembly kinda awkward. I put a jack under the end of the strut rod and eased it up into position that way.


By the way, could you post some bigger pictures? I couldn't quite make out the details.
:L

John.

 

[matthud]

Next time I will, those were scaled down.

Figured why post some tiny picture that no one can see.