Leaf Spring/Ride Height

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Garys72Duster

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Trying to get the rear ride height up on my 70 Dart/440. I just changed from the 5 leaf springs it came with, to some 6 leaf springs, off a 340 car. That got me 3/8 " NOT ENOUGH. Looking for about 3" of rise from where it is at. It has sagged about an inch below stock, I think. If I add another leaf to the 6 leaf spring pack, would that help? Thinking about adding the 2nd leaf down from the old 5 leaf pack, onto the 6 leaf set up. So I'll have a 7 leaf spring. Has anyone done this? Shouldn't this help the ride height?
 
Re-arching the main spring will lift the cars ride height. ESPO has application and ride height over/under stock spring selections. 65'
 
How low is this thing sitting?

Post a picture. SOunds like you want it to have the classic lifted 4x4 look.
 
No, not that much lift. LOL. Here's a pic
20181008_114736.jpg
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That o'l girls dragging ***, you need new springs! 65'
 
I had the same problem with my dart years ago. I ended up putting new springs in and that didnt help much I used cheap springs from jcwhitney. I ended up using shackles to get it where I wanted it. So if you do new leafs pay the extra money and get good ones. If not your wasting your time and money.
 
Well I just made up a 7 leaf set using the best leafs from a 5 leaf and a 6 leaf set up. Well see how that works. If not, then it's either air shocks or new springs from Espo for $300
 
What tire size are you running? Going from 14s to 15s will make a huge ride height difference also.
 
What tire size are you running? Going from 14s to 15s will make a huge ride height difference also.
That's true. I am going to get the axles redrilled to a 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. Then I will need new wheels, and will get some 15s for it.
 
Here is a comparison from my original size tire to what I'm gonna run now. It's a huge difference it's over 3 inches taller. That will add quite a bit of stance. I'm hoping it will be enough to remove the shackles and go back to original hangers.

Screenshot_20181024-220228_Samsung Internet.jpg


Screenshot_20181024-220219_Samsung Internet.jpg
 
Well I just made up a 7 leaf set using the best leafs from a 5 leaf and a 6 leaf set up. Well see how that works. If not, then it's either air shocks or new springs from Espo for $300

You can add leafs til the cows come home, but you can’t raise the car more than what the free arch of the spring is. As flat as those springs are, you’ll lock out your rear leafs by making them so stiff they don’t move long before you get the ride height you want.

You need new leaf springs. Buy a set of +2” ESPO’s and be done with it.

Air shocks are a terrible idea. The shock mounts aren’t meant to carry the weight of the car, and that’s what you do if you lift the car with air shocks. You’ll end up with a horrible ride and broken shock mounts.
 
Here are the before and after of mine with the new leaf springs it helped alot.

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Wow. Those extra long shackles are also terrible idea. And is that a helper spring stuffed in there too? Good grief.

View attachment 1715239693
View attachment 1715239694

How's that for a "before and after"? Maybe more like cause and effect...
Like I said that was done 15 years ago before I knew better! Even with the shackles it still dont sit high. But this go around I'm doing it right.
 
I just put ESPO +1" on my 69 and they worked great. I have 15" wheels and they put the lip of the fender , center of the wheel, 2 3/4" from the top edge of the wheel rim edge. ( the pics had the old leaves in) Then I raised the front 1" and got the "muscle car" look I wanted.
 
MOPAR SS springs on sliders. (The sliders actually lower the ride height two inch or so.)
With a 29x 10.5 tire.

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Rear view. (That's all people see any way.)
:)

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Some folks dont like the car sitting high on the passenger side so they use two of the same springs but that defeats the purpose of the drag race springs....
 
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I did fold one on the first hit with the slicks but the new spring has been fine. We will see how long they last.

Atho in all fairness to MOPAR the spring I folded was probably 10 years old. The brand new one has taken a few hard launches and is still ok?
 
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