Getting rear spring plates off - grrrr, any tips?
 

OK, this is weird.

Recently reindexed the rear torsion bars and put on Neatrix bushings.

This is a lower mileage, Cal car with no corrosion, and all the original suspension components.

When I first took it apart, everything came apart smoothly. Pulled the torsion plates and bars right out of the car, no problem, they still had all the original grease on them and looked like new. Smooth as can be.

Installed the Neatrix bushings, put a little more grease on the bar ends and reassembled.

Came close to the ride height, but wanted to make a small adjustment.

Now I simply cannot remove the spring plates from the body. I know the torsion bars aren't binding. The problem seems to be the inner Neatrix bushing is such a tight fit (I greased them inside and out, too). I've pulled on them. Wriggled them. Tapped with rubber mallet. Pried with pry bars. They just won't come out.

Any suggestions? Is this common??

This is common. The Netrix bushings are a tight fit. I removed my Netrix-ed plates with a pair of cats-paw. (It's like a small crow bar for pulling nails.) I took my time, and used thin strips of wood to protect the tub.

removal
 

i've had to drill a hoe in the end cap and, using a coarse threaded screw, screwed into the hole to pull the assembly out. Worked once, but I've also pulled the end cap off this way. After doing that, i used a gear puller which worked well. Could not get them off any other way.

regards,

Al

Just did this job last week myself and when I had to pull off the spring plates to reindex the new torsion bars, with new neatrix bushings also, I had a hard time but wiggling the plate back and forth and up and down while prying with a large screwdriver it took a while but they came off. I did use loads of the bushing grease they sell with the bushings and made sure the spring plate sleeves where good and clean from the old origonal bushings and also had to scrape and clean out the tube recepticle on the car (they had a bunch of crud in them also). They do fit tight as you probably had to use the bolts and retaining plate to push the new bushings in. They will come out just keep trying as its not easy.

Knowing how hard these things come apart you would think that it would be recommended to install two push outs by drilling the spring plate on each side and welding on a couple of small nuts over the holes.
Feasible?