Technical AV8 torque tube little too long

Hi all,
Building my AV8, shortened my driveshaft, completed it with my adapter for my 10 spline winters. Length or works fine. I shortened the 1936 torque tube before, welted it and everything and was pretty sure about the length.
Now, when I have taken everything together, I learned the torque tube is a little too long. The leaf spring of the axle will fit in the Crossmember, but I need some force to get it in there, cause assembled all together the spring sits a little behind the crossmember. I have to push the spring forward to get it in the correct position.Will this work with some force on it, or will it make a problem? - which would mean to shorten the torque tube a little more..
Thanks for any opinion.
Michael

 

If have you bolted if to the transmission and rear ?

 

Yes, Jimvette59, I need force to bring it in, when all is bolted together..
I can bring the leaf spring into the groove of the crossmember, but it needs force, cause I have to push the whole thing towards the front of the car...

 

Bolted to the trans and the spring on the rear axle most of the time totally stock I’ve had to muscle the spring forward to fit into the crossmember.

have you pulled the rear and put it back together before doing the quick change? Just wondering how it compares if so

 

How far forward do you have to push the spring to get it into the crossmember groove?

Remember that with weight on the frame and the spring compressed the rear end will move very slightly towards the rear meaning that there will be even more force trying to twist the spring.

 

I overhauled the rear and the quick change diff is a winters part.
I think I habe to push 2-3 inches to the front of the car.
Can do it with a ratch belt.
…

 

3 might be excessive but we’ve pulled them
Forward 2” for sure. And yup used a ratchet strap. Put the axle exactly where it was supposed to be. I put the spring in first and then tried to get the trans attached and it shoved everything funny.

it’s something I’ve maybe seen mentioned in a tardel book but otherwise I’ve never seen it really mentioned online. But almost all of the people I’ve talked to in person say they did that as well.

@Austin kays had to pull his in place as well.

If you figure the suspension travel is very limited on these cars, and in the car under weight the spring is considerably compressed it’s not surprising to think it would be off thst much swinging it up into place.

with the torque tube attached to the trans swing the rear end and spring up til it touches the cross member.

now imagine the spring is half as tall. All of a sudden that 3 inche misalignment is like 1/2”

the tardel book about turning a stock Tudor into a hotrod suggests a shit load of grease on the spring where it goes into the crossmember and a pry bar but I’ve done them dry with a ratchet like
You’re doing

 

Hi all,
Thanks for all the answers.
Even more for the very detailed instructions.
I got the book „how ton built a Hot Rod“.
Have to check the area with the rear axle and torque tube install.

I am very thankful.

Never ever had a bad experience here at the HAMB in all the years!

I will post some pics when assembling again.

Regards!!!

 

Yeah it’s a weird thing to run into.

imagine putting it together with no spring, following the arch of suspension travel I bet the axle lands right where it’s supposed to be

 

I would try reversing the rear spring if you are not happy the way it is.

 

Hi all, I was wrong, it is about one inch, see the photo here. Think this is really ok with ratch strapes.
I will try it now once more.
Will let you know.
Again thanks

 

I would look at the shackle bolts to see if they still look like they are parallel after the spring is in place. If not, the shackle will not travel smoothly I would think

 

Sadly, I think you know what needs to be done. Don't ya hate having to do things twice.

 

Can you remove the spring and lower the frame to ride height and check alignment?

It looks like as the frame comes down things will be more in line.

 

Hi!
Now I build it all together- no big force needed in the end, when I lowered the frame and bring everything aline.
For a test, I jumped on the frame and the spring works fine !
Thanks for all!
…and sorry for confusion..

 

Glad to hear you got it all lined up!