I got a late start tonight but decided to try and get started putting the rear suspension back together again.
First step is to put the new spring bushings in. I rigged up a puller with some threaded rod, washers, a bit socket, and a lawnmower blade. On the front springs I was able to use my vice to press the bushings in. The rear springs are wider and the vice does not open up far enough. But this should work.
Or maybe this will. On the front springs I learned that for whatever reason the bushings start easier from one side. I could not get the bushing to start from the top. So I flipped it over and tried it the other way. That worked.
Nice. On to the other side.
This time I got smarter and just put the spring in the vice sideways. Here you can also see the metal ring I put on under the lawnmower blade for more clearance.
Back under the car I bolted the parking brake cable back on to the frame. I am not reusing any hardware here. Not worth it.
I had taken the bump stops off to paint so those needed to go back on.
I am running out of time but I decided to mount the rear spring shackle brackets back on the frame. New grade 8 hardware throughout.
The two brackets look identical. I hope they are because I totally lost track of which one was which. But both are bolted in and I am out of time for tonight.