Front suspension - how to assemble it?

[joaonar]

Hello to you all.

I need to assemble my front suspension, to take the bus out to the paint shop (finally).
However, I'm not sure how to do it .
My axle beam it's still a stock one and right now it's totally disassembled.

I'm finding it very hard to put the trailing arms in place and also to put the ball joints into the spindles. The trainling arms don't want to go over the bumpstops and that's understandable since it's made to function with almost a ton over it... :?
I've already made a "search" in this forum, but I didn't find any information about this (please, do correct me if I'm wrong ).
I've been trying to find (Google) a totourial about assembling them, but untill now I didn't find one... I also have both haynes and bentley books but there's nothing about this matter in them. They only show how do remove it from the bus.
Can anyone show me how to do it or point me in the right direction?
Thanks.
Cheers.
João.

 

[rockandrollcamper]

If I was you and just after a quick fix then I'd try and source an end to end complete set up or, take your parts to a local garage and get them to 'bench build' . It's not a difficult job if your 'that' unsure I'd leave it to someone who knows what they're doing.

Nigel

 

[rallye dale]

Have a look through my gallery thread, theres a few pics in there of it together

 

[joaonar]

Thanks to you both.

Nigel, that's my plan too... after I get all parts I need to do a new setting (welding adjusters for instance). But for now, I just want to assemble it as it is, to take the bus to the paint shop.

rallye dale: thanks. I saw your thread here but my issue is not how to assemble it or where do parts go...
I'm no expert but I took all parts out and I'm pretty sure I can put them back in (so I hope :mrgreen: ) ... however, I just can't figure out, how can I manage to place the trailing arms above the bumpstops cause when the trailing arms have the leaf springs fitted (or almost fitted) and they are already secured in place with the center bolt, the angle that the trailing arms make with the beam, places them already below the bumpstops. I guess I need to find the correct way to do this, since I need to push the trailing arms up (forcing the leaf springs to bend) while pushing them to the correct place within the axle tubes.
I know there's a correct order and method to do this... I just don't know what it is

 

[67panel]

best way is to fit the beam as is to the bus and then fit the torsion bars.then put the trailing arms in leave the bump stops of and fit them when its all asembled.this way it will give you something to lever/work against with the body weight .fit lower arms then put spindle on and jack bottom arm up till you can get top joint in .simples.

 

[joaonar]

thanks 67panel
I'll try your method next weekend.
Cheers.
João.