I have replaced the entire steering rack assembly on my '73 wagon, as well as both front and rear shocks. I would like to rebuild the entire suspension, and with a lot of searching have found most of the parts. But one part I cannot find anywhere is the rubber isolators that goes between the rear leaf springs and the axle. Mine are still holding together, but they are badly cracked. Anybody know if these are available anywhere, or should I just use those as long as they last, then try to fabricate something? Thanks, Jerry.

Wow thanks. They have pretty much everything I found a piece at a time on several different sites. Unfortunately they do not list what they call "axle pads" for a '73 model. They do list them from '74 up. I guess there must be a difference. I also had a problem finding the '73 specific steering rack, seems it was different that one year. If it comes down to it, I believe I can fabricate something out of pieces cut from an industrial conveyor belt. It's about 3/4" thick rubber and heavily reinforced. Jerry.

The pads are more shaped to the metal plate that bolts around the leaf spring. By that I mean...

'73 and earlier plates use a round hole that the rubber pad sticks through, and the plate welded to the axle sits on. It keeps everything lined up and straightened out when everything is together, so the axle doesn't slide on the metal plates.

'74 and up pads/plates use an oval shaped hole on the plate, and the pad sticks through that, finally with the axle resting on top of it all, keeping it all straight just like the 73 and earlier ones, just a different shape hole for the axle mounting.


I know this because I put a '73 axle on my '78 sedan but I couldn't make the oval shaped pad and plate fit against the axle's round hole mounting plate. Since the situation was only temporary (until I got the 8"), I bought a set of top plates and pads from Fred, and used my '78's bottom plates with the correct shock mount. I never had any problem with things setup that way either.

You may be able to modify the '74 and up pads to fit your axle/spring plates.

It should be just fine. I was going to do that with the oval pads I had but I was planning to use them when I got my 8", as I did. I have a decent but not perfect set of round hole ones for my station wagon when I lift the axle in the future.