Are there C-clips in the rear of a '72?

[Psychoholic]

I'm trying to put in my new studs (Thanks Beladona_13!) and I can't tell if I need to open up the diff and pull a c-clip or not. The gas tank is damned near touching the rear end (ok, a few inches, but close enough to make it a pain in the ass) and my jack is failing me, so lifting the entire rear is proving to be somewhat problematic.

[Psychoholic]

Should you ever need to know- no, there are not.

Take the wheel off, spacer, drum, brakes, plate behind the axle, use a slide hammer with attachment (I used 2 prybars instead) and the axle will pop right out.

[Creepy Cruiser]

I'm just curious, as to why you would need to remove the axles to change the studs. Is there not enough room or not a hole in the backing plate to just pound them out and pull the new ones back in using a lug nut? (that's the way I've always done it). I've never done a '72 though.

[Psychoholic]

I had hoped that to be the case, but alas I was not so lucky. The ridge on the brake backing plate made it so that you couldn't get them in anywhere, had to pop the axle off and put the new studs in (I only pulled them out about 6 inches, put the studs in, stacked 3 x 5/8 wrench ends on there and ran an acorn nut onto it to pull it snug).

IMG_6576.jpg

[northgahearse]

what about the axle seal now you going to try to reuse it?

[travlinman]

I thought the same thing Creepy did, done it many times. That sucks.

[Creepy Cruiser]

Bummer, lol, I've never run into that before, but now I know. Thanks.

[Psychoholic]

Trust me, I TRIED like crazy to get them in without pulling the axle. Every angle I could, rotated to find a spot it would work, nada.

[chestypuller]

i think changing the rear axle to a 14bolt or something might be a good idea. i think if you had bagged it you would have changed the rear axle to something other then stock creepy got any build pictures of your setup creepy?

[Creepy Cruiser]

Unfortunately, they all got lost in a hard drive crash. (I had to learn the hard way about backups, lol). I use the rear end from a 79 Seville. It's almost 8" narrower, but the same bolt pattern. Of coarse, you have to build all new suspension to go with it, lol. because the leafs won't work anymore. I have 10" wide wheels all the way around on mine. I narrowed the front as well. I also have 4 wheel disk brakes.

[chestypuller]

i was checking out that link in your signature but just pics of body and interior.. nothing mechanical really that i wanted to see anyhow. wonder if a guy could just use the arms and coils off a limo of the same year.. then replace the coils with bags and put some good shocks on .

[mr x]

Why would a limo, have a different suspention form a hearse of the same year? They were built on the same chassie .

[chestypuller]

well theres a limo the guy had i got my hearse from same year, adn it had coils. said it was factory, he tried to get me to buy both.

[Creepy Cruiser]

Depending on the year, the frames and rear suspension on the limo and the hearse are completly different. 4 link and coils vs leafs. They are not bolt on interchangable though. Lots of fab work has to be done. I built my entire rear suspension from scratch, all the way down to Polyurethane bushings.

[chestypuller]

hey creepy does the limo have the xframe also?