13.7.1. Removing and installing leaf springs
- Place the rear of the car on stands and place a roller jack under the middle of the rear axle. Remove the wheel.
- Unscrew the shock absorber mount from the rear axle.
- Loosen the handbrake cable clamp.
- Using a socket, unscrew the nuts of the spring brackets and remove the spring plate, as well as the rubber inserts. Carefully knock out the bracket bolts without damaging their threads.
- Raise the rear axle with a jack until it is free from the springs and remove the parts located above the spring.
- Remove the nuts and washers securing the spring bars from the rear side of the spring, knock out the pin and lower the spring until it rests on the axle. Carefully! After removing the pin, the spring may fall.
- Release the spring pin from the other end of the spring. The pin must turn from the inside, since the nut on the outside is locked from turning.
- Have an assistant hold the spring and knock out the spring pin. Pull out the spring.
- Individual spring leaves cannot be removed, that is, if one leaf is broken, the entire spring must be replaced. Installation is in the reverse order. When driving in the bracket bolts, do not damage their threads. If they cannot be inserted into the holes, the pin can be held in a vise and, using a piece of pipe, slightly straightened or compressed. The front spring pins and bracket suspension should be tightened when the car is on the ground. Rock the car several times so that the springs settle before tightening the nuts of the bracket bolts and shock absorber with the torques indicated in the table of dimensions and adjustments (from the bottom), front spring pins and two spring bar suspension nuts. Tighten the wheel nuts.