Question of leaf spring angle and rear leaf shackles

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DavidLee

DavidLee

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As you can see that the leaf spring shackles are facing forward and not towards the back in the photo below. Will longer rear leaf spring shackles cure this problem and should I just make my own lonter ones with mild steel and some grade 8 bolts?

IMG_0186.jpg
 
Facing forward is ok. As weight gets on suspension, the spring gets longer, pushing the rear of the spring to the rear.....
 
Are these new springs?? Did you buy the car like this?? Have you made any changes that caused this problem?? Need more info.
PS - Looks like the springs haven't settled??
Treblig
 
Treblig said:
Are these new springs?? Did you buy the car like this?? Have you made any changes that caused this problem?? Need more info.
PS - Looks like the springs haven't settled??
Treblig
Click to expand...

Brand new set of caltracs mono-leafs , no engine or transmission.And according to ma Mopar in the racing setup we want either backwards or straight down.

The reason I ask, also is I can not get the bottom track bar in at all. even with the rad ends completely screwed in,
 
After you get the motor and trans in fill the gas tank, basically car road ready. Shim the shakle bracket forward to get the correct forward angle. A lot of aftermarket stuff is not bolt in.
 
Is the rear of the car completely assembled?? Without all the weight on the car you really can't judge whether the rear shackle is in the correct position. Spare tire, Jack, full gas tank, etc

Treblig
 
thanks, this is what it looks like now with 9x30 slicks no weight of course.This is going to have a fuel cell and
IMG_0188.JPG
IMG_0189.JPG
most likely a weighbox in the trunk to meet class weight
 
you're not supposed to tighten the leaf spring rear bushings until all the weight is in the car and the car is at full rest on level ground. This entails crawling under the car to do, or using a four post lift.
 
And it loks like the rear will need to move back over an inch, and that might solve the problem

That looks like a Barracuda; is the back glass in? That window weighs about 200 pounds,lol.Ok not that much, but it is heavy.
And the trunk lid?
and the battery might be 70
 
yellow rose said:
Wrong spring rate. Look how high the back of the car is.
Click to expand...

Theses are the lightest springs made by Caltrac for this setup. And I would have to move the pin to bring the axle back. The rear glass is out but other than the seats the body is bare.

I think this is about 1000 pounds light at this time. without the front and rear glass, no engine or transmission, hood and fenders. ANd after looking at a od photo of my coronet in the same condition, it is riding the same way
 
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DavidLee said:
Theses are the lightest springs made by Caltrac for this setup. And I would have to move the pin to bring the axle back. The rear glass is out but other than the seats the body is bare.

I think this is about 1000 pounds light at this time. without the front and rear glass, no engine or transmission, hood and fenders. ANd after looking at a od photo of my coronet in the same condition, it is riding the same way
Click to expand...
I meant extend the front perches, rearward; that solves 2 issues
 
AJ/FormS said:
I meant extend the front perches, rearward; that solves 2 issues
Click to expand...
I agree. they used to make longer (rearward) front spring perches. Maybe for using a-body springs in b and e bodies?
I think you used to be able to turn the front perches upside down and lower the rear of the car too.
 
I wouldn't change anything until he gets all the weight, including weight box, gas tank, fuel, etc, etc, loaded onto the rear springs. Otherwise he might have to undo what he does to the front hangers.
He doesn't have to actually install everything but simply weigh everything that will be installed and put that much weight over the springs. That's what I do when I install a Mustang II front end on a frame. I get the weight of everything on the front end and use weights to load the front to get an idea of what the ride height will be before I finish welding all the front end suspension parts in place.
Treblig
 
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Treblig said:
I wouldn't change anything until he gets all the weight, including weight box, gas tank, fuel, etc, etc, loaded onto the rear springs. Otherwise he might have to undo what he does to the front hangers.
He doesn't have to actually install everything but simply weight everything that will be installed and put that much weight over the springs. That's what I do when I install a Mustang II front end on a frame. I get the weight of everything on the front end and use weights to load the front to get an idea of what the ride height will be before I finish welding all the front end suspension parts in place.
Treblig
Click to expand...
Agrre w/ getting the weight on it first ! "Forward at the bottom is bad !"
 
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