My 71 Duster work in progress

I think a space-time discontinuum is a good description of this package. One minute it's there, the next it's gone forever. It was at a hub in WV, then it re-appeared in Detroit where it started before it quit reporting the location.

It wouldn't surprise me if the software advances the location based on some algorithm until it's scanned out for delivery or the due date has passed.
 
I had a marine service manual that started in Kentucky and then came to Ohio and then to Tennessee then floated around there at a few spots then back to Ohio to NY State to customs and finally to Canada. It mush have cost a fortune over the paid shipping cost on this manual.
 
The shackles are now back in WV at the distro center. I also got a bill of lading email for my rear end. Hopefully they'll be here by the weekend. I start my holiday break next Monday, so I should be able to get it closer to driving soon.
 
Ugh, just read the BOL closely and the shipping was point to point so I get to drive 100 miles round trip to pick it up. Or cough up some more $$ to have it brought to me. We'll see how that goes, it may depend on the weather.
 
Jeez, I'd have thought to-your-door delivery would've been an option at point of purchase, even if it was a few extra bucks.
 
My wife dealt with the guy - it's sort of a christmas present to both of us. He had free shipping in the ad, and nobody thought to ask more than that.

I had been shopping Strange and Moser for a Dana earlier, and was sort of gobsmacked by how much that was going to cost once it was all said and done.
 
.. and now, the shackles are back in USPS purgatory.

There's something fishy about this. Out of millions of packages, they've selected mine to get stuck in the system over and over, and when I contact the vendor to complain, the tracking updates.

They've got until Monday, on Tuesday I'm calling the vendor. There is $100 insurance on this $70 purchase and they can fight it out with USPS. Paypal should just refund my money unless they're out to screw me too :)
 
The shackle discussion brought back the nightmare I had trying to get shackles for my 71 NYer.
Each has an offset piece and a straight piece.
When I ordered a complete leaf spring kit from Easton, I got regular straight shackles. I emailed them with pictures of the originals and the response was, “We sent the right ones for the application.” Fine, can you send me the shackles I want. “They don’t exist. (Paraphrased)”.
To be fair, they do not exist on the market. So, I had to rebuild my old set.
 
dodgechargerfan said:
The shackle discussion brought back the nightmare I had trying to get shackles for my 71 NYer.
Each has an offset piece and a straight piece.
When I ordered a complete leaf spring kit from Easton, I got regular straight shackles. I emailed them with pictures of the originals and the response was, “We sent the right ones for the application.” Fine, can you send me the shackles I want. “They don’t exist. (Paraphrased)”.
To be fair, they do not exist on the market. So, I had to rebuild my old set.
Click to expand...
The place I got shackles from was the last resort of the places I checked. Apparently the factory's shut down or partially so they aren't making parts for old cars. Or something. I don't think they look anything like stock, IIRC, but I don't really care.

The ones on the car have heavy wear from a worn out bushing or something. I might have been able to split and remove the sleeve, then reuse them, but I also banged the hell out of the threaded end on them to get them out of the spring. I thought it would be simple to find and order them like it was 12 years ago the last time I had to buy shackles.

Turning to the rear end - the BOL updated and now it's in FedEx Freight's hands, here in town. The tracking has a delivery delay today due to weather. It's sprinkling rain out. They also show an attempted delivery at 00:01 on the 21st. Today is the 20th. Go figure.
 
Without going and looking, I honestly don't know what stock ones look like. I thought they looked like this and that's what I got for my Challenger, ordered through the local spring shop. I thought I had a set for A-body, too. I might have given those to Stretch, though. We ended up using spring sliders on the Valiant.
 
Factory looks like this
45G13010_Primary__ra_p.jpg


Looking at the ones I bought, they do look at least similar to these. Looks doesn't matter on this car though.
 
OK, so same as the ones I posted. Cool... I wasn't overly concerned with them being correct, but it's a bonus.
 
Parts have arrived. I had to pick it up on the other end of town, but it's 95% interstate so it didn't take long.

IMG_2535.JPG

I ordered it with A-body dimensions, same as the Ford rear end I took out, and 3.91s in a 4.89 pig. I haven't looked real close at it to see if it's a C-body rear cut down to A-body dimensions or not, but it really doesn't matter.

Also, re: shackles: "Your item departed our CHARLESTON WV PROCESSING CENTER destination facility on December 21, 2020 at 11:14 am. The item is currently in transit to the destination."

I really wish it had said Huntington post office instead of the destination, because who knows what the system thinks the destination is. I will not be surprised at all if it goes back to Detroit, but I'm hopeful.
 
The axle looks really good. Nice finish work, no shipping maladies that I can see. Half the battle's won right there. If I may, I'd suggest either some engine clear or Pioneer T58A cast-iron engine paint to keep those drums looking proper.

The USPS is quite the mixed bag of late... on some of my stuff they seem like they're in top form, other packages are standard "f__k up an anvil" protocol. I've a package on which the last real update is 12/15 and the last "Your package is in the USPS system..." update was 12/19. It's almost like the holidays take them by surprise every year. If only we, as a planet, could decide one date on which Christmas would fall every year, perhaps they'd have less issue... :unsure:
 
The USPS got DeJoyed this year.

At least the shackles went the right direction and are out for delivery today.

It's amazing how much a rear end weighs. I'm probably going to end up putting it on jackstands one end at a time, then cutting the pallet apart to get it out of the way. I considered taking it apart for about a half a second. Once I've got it off the pallet I've got a HF transmission jack that should work to get it on the springs, then floor jack the whole thing up and bolt it in.
 
Jackstand each end of the axle long enough to put a wheel/tire on it, then lose the stands let it sit on the tires. Install the front leaf spring bolts in the hangers and the hangers into the car. Roll the axle over the springs, and lift each spring to its pad and bolt it up with the shock plate... snug the U-bolts, don't final torque 'em. Then you can put a regular floor jack under the center of the axle and lift the whole shebang into place to install the shackles. Once it's together, make any adjustments by backing off the U-bolts a little... it shouldn't be necessary if the spring-seat pilot holes are exactly the same diameter as the spring center bolts. If they're not, break out the tape measure, get it straight, and retighten the U-bolts just enough that the spring won't move in relation to the axle. Once the car is back on the ground on its full weight, you can final-torque everything. Install the shock absorbers after the axle's torqued.

That's the easiest way I've found to install a completely disassembled rear suspension, axle & all.
 
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Yeah I know how to do that. The hard part is getting the damned pallet out from under it without breaking out the sawzall which is what I'm going to end up doing.

FWIW you don't have to put the wheels back on the ground, jack stands under the axle housing gives the same effect and more room to get under there to torque things.
 
The pallet might be easier to get out of the way by rolling the axle off it on tires. ;)

As long as the suspension is supporting its full load, it doesn't matter if it's on wheels or jackstands. I just prefer to do it with the car sitting on its tires, loaded exactly as it will be under normal circumstances. Nothing got torqued on the Valiant until the engine was installed. Despite the majority of that weight being at the other end of the car, it still has a dramatic effect on the rear suspension height.
 
I set it on jack stands and cut the pallet. After I took the pallet out and rolled the cart out from under it, I realized that I can't get the wheels/tires on it where it's sitting. So now I have to put the pallet or at least the cart back under it so I can move it somewhere else.

I took time out to paint some stuff and fix my shock plates. Right now they've got a set of slapper bars welded to them. They pretty much fell right under the spring eye, so I'm tempted to leave and use them but it might hurt my feelings if people make fun of me for it. :unsure: :ROFLMAO:

I'm just going to cut it straight across and leave the tube welded to them. Shock plates run about $100 and these will serve the purpose.
 
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