'72 510 Goon hatch torsion spring replacement.....help needed

[Rays74]

So I got a nice new pair of spring-torsion rods for my '72 510 wagon since I had one bust on me and while ago (looooong while.....'99 or so).

I trot out to toss these new ones in there and soon find out just HOW MUCH tension these dudes are under......open or closed hatch!! So I get the one good one unbolted (hatch supported by jack handle...:)) and upon running out the last thread of the last bolt the mount springs out and about hits me (laying in the cargo area, whoa baby) in the mug!!!! damn.

OK fastforward to me scratching my head wondering if there's a sequence to putting this mech back together?

Goon builders, please lemme know :D

 

--Ray

 

 

[Ratwagon1600]

Ray.

 

This is a Cnut of a job.

 

From memory, I used two big shifting spanners to provide sufficient leverag on the springs to twist them into place

 

I have the hatch off my Goon and can post pics of the springs insitu if it's of any help

 

Cheers

 

Jason

[Rays74]

Thanks Jason,

A shifting spanner is this?   \/ \/

 

[Ratwagon1600]

Yep, like that

 

I'll try and get some pics up shortly.

[datzenmike]

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/43990-help-a-lady-outmy-goon-hatch-wont-stay-up-torsion-bar-issue-please-help/

 

The manuals recommend a length of strong pipe. Slip over end of torsion bar and pry into or out of place. Support the tailgate weight!

[Ratwagon1600]

Ok.

 

Pics aren't brillian but hopefully they'll give you some idea

 

I've labelled them for LHD i.e. what I call passenger side is your drivers side (I'm sure you'll work it out)

 

 

 

Centre

 

 

 

 

Drivers side with spanner on torsion bar

 

 

 

 

 

Centre from back of car

 

 

 

 

 

Drivers side without spanner

 

 

 

 

Passenger side

 

 

 

 

Passenger side 2

 

 

 

 

Drivers side 2

 

[Rays74]

Thanks Mike and Jason........that gives me hope!

The pics are super helpful btw........thanks for doing that ;)

 

--Ray

[datzenmike]

I know there was a drawing of a homemade 'tool' for this but couldn't find it. Might have been on the Realm?

[datsunwizard]

I made this tool from the factory drawing and did an article in The Dime Quarterly, volume 12 issue 3. Using a Crescent wrench as shown above is very dangerous, if the wrench slips off ,your in big Sh...

 

[Ratwagon1600]

I made this tool from the factory drawing and did an article in The Dime Quarterly, volume 12 issue 3. Using a Crescent wrench as shown above is very dangerous, if the wrench slips off ,your in big Sh...

 

[img=http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg236/datsunwizard/file_zpsebbc7c00.jpg]

 

Yeh, have to admit the wrench idea isn't the best, but sometimes you have to improvise

 

Thanks for the heads up on the article

 

Assuming its online this tool is now on my list of things to make

 

Cheers

[datsunwizard]

All the DQ articles are on Google now, plus a lot more.

 

https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0ByCvxnHNk90SMzIxZWIwYWYtYzljNy00ZGU2LWI3ODctYzRjMmE0MGY3NTA1/edit?hl=en&docId=0ByCvxnHNk90SN2E4ZjM2NGMtMmYzNi00N2QzLTlhYTQtNTI5M2RjMGU5MjUz

[Angela]

Thanks for this post. I nearly took my eye out & luckily only split open my thumb trying to do this job myself when I 1st got my 'goon & wasn't yet a member of this forum. Very dangerous!

 

That special tool MUST be made available..

Please?

 

I never wanna go through that again!

[Duncan]

I made the tool, also.  Even with the tool, it's a bit difficult to muscle the bar into place with one hand, and start the bolts with the other.  

[Duncan]