Is this rear suspension part bent?

[bavarian06]

i think someone jacked up the car from that part. they were better off lifting it by the differential (although i wouldnt).

[geezer]

rscottm - The pics you put up are of a R180. What remains to be determined is if it was modified at all from the mounting position that your car originally had. The change to the new rearward position was announced for the 1972 model year starting with HLS30-46001 but we know that there was sometimes a bit of a grey area surrounding the actual implementation of some changes. Anyhow, I dug up some info to help you determine what you have. 40 years down the road, anything is possible.

Edited January 6, 2011 by geezer

[rscottm]

I have never driven the car. It was not drivable when I got it due to structure rust. It does not appear to me that any other of the rear suspension parts are damaged (except the torque strap is missing). It could have been bent when the previous owner trailered it to his house. He only had it for a few months and never drove it either.

How can I, or who can tell me for sure, if it is a R180? From just photos I have seen, it does not look like the R200 to me based on the style and location of the drain plugs. Are their ways to tell if it is R180 but in the later rearward location other than if a straight cross member hits the back of the diff or if I reinstall everything and see that the half shafts are perpendicular to the diff?

This car also has a straight or flat mustache bar mounting to the diff cover.

[geezer]

How can I, or who can tell me for sure, if it is a R180?

rscottm - OK, this thread is a little confusing and more complicated than it needs to be.

In post #4 Jim posted a couple of excellent before and after resto pics of his R180. This is the same as your car came equipt from the factory. The differential you posted pics of is also a R180. I'm pretty sure LeonV just looked at the wrong pic or something and he actually knows the difference.

You did not provide a pic of anything other than the differential assembly and the rear transverse member, so that leaves us to speculate what happened to the transverse member. Just compare with Jim's pics and forget about anything to do with a R200. cygnus1 posted a great pic of his '72 factory modified/corrected mounting so you can see the difference between the two versions.

Hope that helps.

Edited January 6, 2011 by geezer

[LeonV]

Whoops! The second pic didn't load for me when I posted. The first photo looked like an R200 to me, but the drain plugs tell the whole story. Sorry about the confusion.

[cygnusx1]

I have never driven the car. It was not drivable when I got it due to structure rust. It does not appear to me that any other of the rear suspension parts are damaged (except the torque strap is missing). It could have been bent when the previous owner trailered it to his house. He only had it for a few months and never drove it either.

How can I, or who can tell me for sure, if it is a R180? From just photos I have seen, it does not look like the R200 to me based on the style and location of the drain plugs. Are their ways to tell if it is R180 but in the later rearward location other than if a straight cross member hits the back of the diff or if I reinstall everything and see that the half shafts are perpendicular to the diff?

This car also has a straight or flat mustache bar mounting to the diff cover.

Interesting, it had crossed my mind to ask of the car had the limiter strap over the diff, and if it was broken. I, for a moment, suspected that the front diff mount might have failed at some point, slamming the diff back into the cross bar. Not sure that's even possible, but it crossed my mind when I first saw the picture.

Edited January 7, 2011 by cygnusx1

[rscottm]

Thanks to all. I get the picture now. Everything I see about this car is new to me and you guys are good to get on here and try to patiently help those that don't have their cars sorted out yet.

[geezer]

I borrowed this pic from the classified ads, in case you didn't see it. The components are shown from another viewpoint.

[rscottm]

Geezer, yes it does. I wish my parts looked that good - maybe in time. I did find that I do have the limiting strap and mounts so I think everything is there and only the bent member needs work. There is a broken piece of a bracket or something that was mounted to the front cross member. I will have to get a photo and see what it is.

[cygnusx1]

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=349273&postcount=18

^ Starting to sound more and more like this scenario had happened in the past..

[SSuspect]

Geezer, yes it does. I wish my parts looked that good - maybe in time. I did find that I do have the limiting strap and mounts so I think everything is there and only the bent member needs work. There is a broken piece of a bracket or something that was mounted to the front cross member. I will have to get a photo and see what it is.

Can't remember exactly, but there was an exhaust hanger on my front x-member. This may be your broken piece that you are talking about. You can see it on the left side near the jack head on the attached picture. Not sure what else might have been mounted in the area.

FYI - I have one of these R180 brackets (dirty, but straight - pic attached) that I just pulled from my car. I may have a set of good bushings too. Let me know if you are interested.

Thanks,

Tim