50 buick super radius rod removal

5

50supertom

Member
I need some suggestions on removing radius rod on rear end of 50 super? Do you take 3 bolts loose or drive out rod going thru rubber bushing? 70 year old newbie but owned this car 50 years! thanks
 
firstofeight said:
Are you asking about the Panhard bar?

Ben
Click to expand...
hello ben I guess so, my 50-shop manual calls it a radius bar, it looks to be a two-piece bracket with a welded stud going through the rubber bushing with a nut on end of stud. thanks for reply. this is on a 50 super model 52 4 door riviera.
 
Danged if you aren't right!! Been calling that sucker wrong for years.

Are you removing it , replacing bushings? The bushings in mine are still tight.

Ben
 
hello Ben well it all started with bent pushrods last year. I bought this car when i was 20, 50 years ago! I am going to remove engine and std transmission. I am going to remove rearend so i can remove trans and motor. I got the outer bracket off today, but not sure if I should remove radius bar with no weight on it or with full weight of car on it? manual says to put radius bar on last with full weight when you reinstall rearend. Have you ever removed one before? Any info would be appreciated! thanks
 
Well, first off, I remove the engine and transmission with the rear end in place. After removing the radiator. BUT, if removing the rear end, I unbolt the radius rod bracket at the rear end, passenger side, and tie it up out of the way. I have never remover it from the frame, driver side.

Where are you located?

Ben
 
If all you're doing is pulling back the torque tube - there are a couple of YouTube videos that I've seen. Like Del Siegmund's experience with his Roadmaster. Disassembly, and a little bit of Reassembly. You won't have to go as far as he does if you don't intend to fully extract the rear end. There are other YouTube videos with hints (some on later model cars), like using ratchet straps to pull the rear end back.

From what I see, you'll likely want to remove and insert the radius rod bolt with the car in the air, using jacks to wiggle the rear-end around as needed - will likely take some fiddling, and if your car is sitting on its wheels that will be more difficult. But on final reassembly, you should not tighten the radius rod bolt until the weight of the car is supported by the rear axle. That "centers" the radius rod bushing before it gets clamped down, so it will flex as it moves up and down instead of tearing.
 
firstofeight said:
Well, first off, I remove the engine and transmission with the rear end in place. After removing the radiator. BUT, if removing the rear end, I unbolt the radius rod bracket at the rear end, passenger side, and tie it up out of the way. I have never remover it from the frame, driver side.

Where are you located?

Ben
Click to expand...
thanks Ben I like to know something about the job before i get into it and make a mistake. I live just south of nashville tn thanks again. anything else I should look out for once i pull the motor? i removed the radiator and all the bracing and stripped the motor down to bare block.
 
firstofeight said:
Well, first off, I remove the engine and transmission with the rear end in place. After removing the radiator. BUT, if removing the rear end, I unbolt the radius rod bracket at the rear end, passenger side, and tie it up out of the way. I have never remover it from the frame, driver side.

Where are you located?

Ben
Click to expand...
bittmann said:
If all you're doing is pulling back the torque tube - there are a couple of YouTube videos that I've seen. Like Del Siegmund's experience with his Roadmaster. Disassembly, and a little bit of Reassembly. You won't have to go as far as he does if you don't intend to fully extract the rear end. There are other YouTube videos with hints (some on later model cars), like using ratchet straps to pull the rear end back.

From what I see, you'll likely want to remove and insert the radius rod bolt with the car in the air, using jacks to wiggle the rear-end around as needed - will likely take some fiddling, and if your car is sitting on its wheels that will be more difficult. But on final reassembly, you should not tighten the radius rod bolt until the weight of the car is supported by the rear axle. That "centers" the radius rod bushing before it gets clamped down, so it will flex as it moves up and down instead of tearing.
Click to expand...
thanks for information It's always nice to talk to someone who has done this before!
 
firstofeight said:
Well, first off, I remove the engine and transmission with the rear end in place. After removing the radiator. BUT, if removing the rear end, I unbolt the radius rod bracket at the rear end, passenger side, and tie it up out of the way. I have never remover it from the frame, driver side.

Where are you located?

Ben
Click to expand...
hello Ben I am trying to get bell housing off! the clutch and pressure plate are off. My question is should i take the 6 nuts off that are inside the bell housing attached to the flywheel, then remove bearing cap and remove the bolts towards engine to get the flywheel off to get to top bolts on bell housing?
 
50supertom said:
hello Ben I am trying to get bell housing off! the clutch and pressure plate are off. My question is should i take the 6 nuts off that are inside the bell housing attached to the flywheel, then remove bearing cap and remove the bolts towards engine to get the flywheel off to get to top bolts on bell housing?
Click to expand...
50supertom said:
hello Ben I am trying to get bell housing off! the clutch and pressure plate are off. My question is should i take the 6 nuts off that are inside the bell housing attached to the flywheel, then remove bearing cap and remove the bolts towards engine to get the flywheel off to get to top bolts on bell housing?
Click to expand...
disregard last message didn't realize the nuts went to the thru bolts on inside. next step machine shop! yeh!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top