T-Arms enough to support weight?

[73vettecollector]

Guys and Gals:

I am (slowly) rebuilding my rear suspension and chassis. I need to pull the leaf spring, strut rods, and half shafts. All this, on both sides, as well as the rear diff.

Q: Can the T-Arms support the weight of the car if I remove all these components? I just need to remove the parts, then push the shark inside. I can jack it up again once inside, but I must remove the parts outside where I have more room (and can make a mess...). My T-Arms have surface rust, but appear solid throughout.

Thanks for your reponses!

David
73 L82 M21

 

[brusso]

No, I don't think that you want to do that. At the most, you may be able to get away with taking out the spring. Everything else you mentioned, keeps the rear wheels from flipping inward/outward. Even if you removed only the spring, I would think that you would have a hard time getting the jack out from under the car. Look at the rear crossmember and picture it being about 4-6 inches lower. For mine, thats the pavement.

 

[tomtom72]

Hi Dave, I agree with Brusso. I would not do it that way. I might have had a similar situation to you, my garage was a narrow one car type & was my parent's. I put down 1/8" fiber-board and covered that with a canvas drop-cloth duct tapped down heavily. I put the car in nose first, but as far back as possible & still close the door and worked with the door open after the car was up on jack stands. It was not fun in the winter, and if it really got cold I couldn't work with the door open for room (made the house too cold). It might work if you had a chassis dolly to put the car on & roll it around with that? JMHO,Tom.

 

[73vettecollector]

Tom, thanks for the advice. I think I'll figure out a way to get the 4-speed back into neutral and push it into the garage. Guess I need to connect the linkage again and mess with it...

David

 

[tomtom72]

Hi Dave, you are welcome. Listen I'm no mechanic! Do a search in the C3 section cause there are people here that have alot of knowledge on the C3 rear suspension & all. Linkage disconnected? Jack it up enough to reach the forks and center all of them and then you should have neutral. Good luck with your project! Tom

 

[73vettecollector]

Tom, thanks

Tom, thanks for the scoop. I gotta get the car back into the garage to get it out of the weather.

I totally disconnected the linkage and prepped for tranny removal. I planned on getting the tranny and rear end rebuilt, but I think it may have to wait until I have the money to do the T Arms, shafts, leaf, and bearings/brakes. Geez, hate it when it all revolves around money....

Thanks a ton!
David

 

[67HEAVEN]

Tom, thanks for the advice. I think I'll figure out a way to get the 4-speed back into neutral and push it into the garage. Guess I need to connect the linkage again and mess with it...

David

David,

No need to connect the linkage. Just be sure that all three levers on the transmission are pointing straight up and down.....then you're in neutral.

 

[tomtom72]

Hi Dave, You are welcome. Boy do I remember that tune,never enough $$$$! Stick to it cause I'll tell you no one will ever get the smile off ya after it's done. They just don't make'm like the old C3's! The smells, sounds, vibrations, and all the PIA quirks; but god they're worth it if you can feel them. I just would say that if you have a GM Overhaul Manual Set, I had a set for my 72, a reasonably talented back-yard wrench can do almost a total mechanical resto. I did my 4 spd, motor, fr & rear suspension, brakes, rear gear & a host of other mechanicals with those GM books and a lot of help from a ASE friend of mine. It took about two winters and about 7K, ofcourse there were things that were not practical for me to do so I just bought new sub-assemblies, like rear control arms with the bearings and spindles assemblied so I could bolt them on and go. It is possible, keep the faith & good luck with your project. Tom

 

[73vettecollector]

Just put all 3 levers in the straight up position...worked like a charm and now the shark is back in the garage. Thanks for the advice, it saved me hours of work!

David

 

[67HEAVEN]

Just put all 3 levers in the straight up position...worked like a charm and now the shark is back in the garage. Thanks for the advice, it saved me hours of work!

David

You're welcome.