Note: All self-locking nuts and spring washers must be renewed on reassembly.

Removal
1 Chock the front wheels, jack up the rear of the vehicle and support on axle stands placed under the side members. Note that a loaded vehicle must not be jacked under the differential casing.

2 Support the relevant side of the rear axle with a jack, using an interposed block of wood under the axle tube to spread the load.

3 Unscrew the nuts, and remove the two U-bolts on each side of the vehicle which secure the axle to the leaf springs (see illustration). Note that there is no need to disconnect the shock absorber from the U-bolt counterplate.

19.3 Unscrew the nuts (arrowed) from the rear axle-to-leaf spring U-bolts

4 Unbolt the leaf spring from the front bracket on the underbody (see illustration).

19.4 Leaf spring front bracket

5 Loosen the spring shackle-to-underbody bolt, then unbolt the leaf spring from the spring shackle and remove the spring (see illustration).

19.5 Leaf spring shackle

Refitting
6 Refitting is a reversal of removal, bearing in mind the following points.

7 Do not fully tighten the leaf spring mounting bolts or the spring shackle-to-underbody bolt until the weight of the vehicle is resting on its roadwheels.

8 Renew all self-locking nuts and spring washers.

9 Align the axle on the leaf spring so that the locating pin on the spring engages with the corresponding hole in the axle. Similarly ensure that the U-bolt counterplate engages with the locating pin on the leaf spring.

Rear suspension leaf spring shackle (P100 models) - removal and refitting

Note: All self-locking nuts and spring washers must be renewed on reassembly.

Removal
1 Chock the front wheels, jack up the rear of the vehicle and support on axle stands placed under the side members. Note that a loaded vehicle must not be jacked under the differential casing.

2 Support the relevant side of the rear axle with a jack, using an interposed block of wood under the axle tube to spread the load.

3 Unscrew and remove the spring shackle-to-underbody bolt and the leaf spring-to-spring shackle bolt, and remove the shackle components.

4 Examine the components for wear and damage and renew as necessary.

Refitting
5 Refitting is a reversal of removal, but renew all self-locking nuts and spring washers, and do not fully tighten the bolts until the weight of the vehicle is resting on its roadwheels.

Rear suspension leaf spring bush (P100 models) - renewal

Note: All self-locking nuts and spring washers must be renewed on reassembly.

1 Proceed as described in Section 19, paragraphs 1 to 3 inclusive.

2 Unbolt the relevant end of the leaf spring, and lower it to gain access to the bush. Note that if the shackle end of the spring is unbolted, the shackle-to-underbody bolt should be loosened in order to aid refitting.

3 The bush can be removed using a long bolt with nut, washers and a suitable metal tube.

4 Lubricate the new bush with soapy water and fit using the bolt, nut, washers and tube.

5 Proceed as described in Section 19, paragraphs 6 to 9 inclusive.