Load Leveling Shocks?
- Thread starter TF360
- Start date
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I tried a set on my Dart Sport when I bought it, and they rubbed the lip on the gas tank.
Rode like a truck too.
They should fit fine. Load levelers were used on all our Mopars back in the day.
I lost my tank over a set of railroad tracks in my 65 Dart way back when. I wouldn't advise it. Contact ESPO for some new springs if the rear is sagging. Fix it once, fix it right!
That ^^
If you haven't bought them I would look at springs instead. As mentioned ESPO, fairly reasonable.
They didn't rub by much, but it was too close for me.
Same thing I tried, lol. IIRC they were like 90 bucks apiece or something like that.
A pair of load levelers on the back and worn out shocks on the front. I didn't care about comfort at the time, still don't. It was all about tuning the suspension for traction. load levelers helped with stock springs
They are just Band-aids masking the real problem. Need new springs OR Hel-wig makes an add a leaf helper spring that is adjustable and requires no mods to the car.
Yep, I used those as well, except it was the coil springs that slid over the shocks, had the clamp top and bottom, old school stuff right there, lol..
Those Monroes he's speaking of are much larger in diameter, heavy springs incorporated onto the shock..
Nigel Hely
64DartDownUnder
Bad idea... They were popular here in Australia in the 1970's for people towing caravans. Shock absorbers are designed to damp the action of the spring packs against rebounding. All 'Load Levellers" do is transfer the sprung load from the springs (which are designed to support the load) to some other part of the car (shock absorber mounts) which is not designed to support the load. Can end up punching a hole through the floor of your car...
65wgn440
Well-Known Member
Got them on a '71 Valiant right now, no problems. Sits perfect. Not every car is a rotisserie restoration.
MileHighDart
Well-Known Member
In my neck of the woods everyone used Gabriel Hijackers -air shocks.
The Mopar rear suspension is made in such a way as to make the rear end of the body lift, because the suspension pushes down on the rear axle and tires, causing an increase in traction. When you put load levelers, or air shocks on the rear, this takes away any rise action of the body, which also removes the down force on the rear axle, thereby decreasing traction. Load levelers or air shocks are a big step down from a good working Mopar leaf spring rear suspension. That said, plenty of both have been used in the past, although certainly not correct suspension for a Mopar.
Eventually all of the guys that say " I've been doing this or that for years and no problems " So it must be ok. Just listen how smart that sounds. It must be ok since I haven't died yet, but someday I will and then can't say that anymore. Just because you get away with doing something wrong does not mean that eventually your luck won't run out. What does a "rotisserie mean." If it means that you not keep it stock and should beef up the upper shock mount structure since the factory engineers didn't design it for load carrying on the upper mounts, than you are correct and should definitely do it to be safe.
pishta
I know I'm right....
Those kept the 10" tires from rubbing on the fender lips of my 65 Barracuda when I loaded a couple fat chicks in the back. they made a terrible sound when they hyperextended, sounded like the floor was gonna come out.
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