Replacing trunk floors...

wareagle · 01-16-2013, 04:43 PM

Okay, here we go. Started on this Saturday. Already have the taillight panel and rear trunk support out. A little ways in I remember LynneBob's pictures showing the rear part of the leaf spring was not attached. So, I went to detach mine. left side went find, right side got all hung up on the center leaf spring brace... So... I removed the right rear tire to get to that last little nut with my impact wrench. Finally got it off and all was good, except for the fact that the rear left tire is still on (btw, the rear is up on jack stands)... I noticed that the left side of the axle was not in contact with the jack stand while the right side was. My immediate thought was that it was because my dumb-*** left the left side rear tire on... I go to remove it and you guessed it... Without the support of the leaf spring I cannot get that mother ****er off..

Question... Is the extra weight on the left side the reason why that side of the axle is not touching the jack stand?

22GT · 01-16-2013, 06:28 PM

Hmmm... I'm trying to picture this. Are you using an air wrench on the wheel nuts?

The car should be supported at the rear torque boxes, and at the rear end of the frame rails. The axle should be lowered onto jack stands. The tires need not be removed, your choice.

dzahm · 01-16-2013, 07:03 PM

Yeah I am trying to visualize this one. Maybe I am thinking wrong- but the trunk floor I replaced was the pass side- I didn't remove the leaf springs, I too have the rear on jack stands. I can generally remove lugs with an impact whether in the air or not (now with a lug wrench is a diff story, or if you're removing say an f250 tire where the torque is about 165ft lbs) I assume you want the tire off- can you use a crow bar between the lugs on the opposite wheel to hold it still? Can you pull the emerg brake cable (I know your handle is removed) with vice grips or something? Or lastly put a floor jack under the wheel in question and apply a little pressure (not enough to make the car unstable- just a little rise on the rear end should be enough

LynnBob 65 Mustang · 01-16-2013, 07:11 PM

You don't have to take the springs out, but it makes it easier to work on if they are. I had my back end of the body on jack stands supported by the rear torque boxes.

I had the rear end out entirely as I was replacing and I put the rear springs in for something to do before I took these pics.

Before doing anymore with the rear springs the way it is I would take and get the back body on jack stands supported by the rear torque boxes and then jack up the rear end to get the weight off the rear end that is on the lone jack stand and then take off your spring if that is what your trying to do to make room to work.
Lynn

wareagle · 01-17-2013, 08:13 AM

Sorry, wasn't clear enough. I was able to get the lug nuts off with my impact, just couldn't get the tire off because of clearance (left side leaf spring is not supporting the vehicle).

I have both of the rear leaf spring mounts unbolted.

Franks68coupe · 01-17-2013, 08:58 AM

As long as the car is safe (not teatering) I would just keep going. Double check your measurements to make sure theres no flexing going on, and just get it done and back together.

Klutch · 01-17-2013, 12:01 PM

You'd be amazed as how flexible the rear frame rails are when the trunk pan is removed. When I tried to install a new taillight panel, I discovered my left rear frame rail was bent up over an inch. The new taillight panel would not line up with the trunk pan on the left side.

I took my car to a frame shop. The very experienced old-timer there told me he could not fix the frame rail unless the trunk pan was removed. Then he said once I removed the trunk pan, I could probably fix it myself. This really surprised me, but he was right. I followed his instructions by removing the trunk pan, then supporting the car under the rear torque boxes. By golly, the frame rail came down over 1/2 all on it's own! I was able to bend it down the rest of the way using a pry bar.

The moral of the story is to check those frame rails before you weld the trunk pans on. Make sure they are even!

wareagle · 01-17-2013, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klutch

You'd be amazed as how flexible the rear frame rails are when the trunk pan is removed. When I tried to install a new taillight panel, I discovered my left rear frame rail was bent up over an inch. The new taillight panel would not line up with the trunk pan on the left side.

I took my car to a frame shop. The very experienced old-timer there told me he could not fix the frame rail unless the trunk pan was removed. Then he said once I removed the trunk pan, I could probably fix it myself. This really surprised me, but he was right. I followed his instructions by removing the trunk pan, then supporting the car under the rear torque boxes. By golly, the frame rail came down over 1/2 all on it's own! I was able to bend it down the rest of the way using a pry bar.

The moral of the story is to check those frame rails before you weld the trunk pans on. Make sure they are even!

Okay, this is gonna sound dumb, but can someone with a 66 coupe send me a picture of where the torque boxes are on the rear

wareagle · 01-17-2013, 03:57 PM

I knew it was a dumb question

Shaun · 01-17-2013, 04:29 PM

Its the piece forward of the front leaf spring bracket.

wareagle · 01-17-2013, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun

Its the piece forward of the front leaf spring bracket.

Think I know now... And I just put my jack stands right under them and lower
the jack down? The torque boxes will support the weight of the vehicle?

Okay, lemme ask this. Should I go ahead and put in my sub-frame connectors, or just wait till later. Was gonna bolt them in first, then come back and weld the **** out of em...

Shaun · 01-17-2013, 04:47 PM

I would get all the original metal replaced and in the right spot before you weld in any extra stuff.

If your rear torque boxes are ok it would be a good spot for the jack stands.

dzahm · 01-17-2013, 06:46 PM

IIRC his torque boxes are solid- The body is a shell, w/o motor/tranny/etc so its very light at this point

Wiz998 · 01-17-2013, 10:00 PM

Link to how I did mines. Nightmare project - Page 4 - 1969 Mustang Supersite Web Forums

wareagle · 01-18-2013, 08:15 AM

Thanks guys. Wiz, I noticed you also had jack stands under your rear axles. Any reason for that?

Oh, and should I put a piece of 2x6/8 between the jack stands and the torque boxes?