Chassis Guy/gals that understand SS Spring....Help!

[j par]

280 pounds of bell bar weights is what will be in there for my weight, but will have to borrow them from a buddy that think he need a gymnasium in his garage.

As far as setting the weight up to set the ride height, i use a tape measure and my smartphone on cam mode.
that's how i knew the driver side when down 1-1/8" and the passenger side only when down 7/16 of a inch.

Good Lord you must share the same belt size as Pittsburgh.. equator..lol.....

 

[Duane]

When I built My Dana I was 1200 into it with mostly new parts and the same with my 8 3/4 that I blew up in 20 passes LOL..

I have installed a transbrake and a bigger motor since the car was built 20 years ago.
Gonna do the strange s60 deal. Already bought new or very little used parts. Strange yoke,4:88 pro gears, will use the 35 spline strange axles from 8 3/4, believe it or not pro form makes a very nice support cover for the Dana and it got red lettering to match my car lol. Just gotta get the s60 housing.

 

[Cudafever]

Good Lord you must share the same belt size as Pittsburgh.. equator..lol.....

yup was waiting for that one

 

[RustyRatRod]

When your a single man race team it a little difficult to sit in the car and measure at the same time.
When i set it up with the old SS Spring (when it was new) i set it up so that both torsion bars were equal "tension" and that gave me the 2 inch lower on the drivers side LF.
I asked if this is how you do it........you said yes and a couple agreed.
Others have said to load up that LF torsion bar to get the Front End more level.
And that is where i'm going to start out this time.

A good story teller or Speller for that matter I'm NOT! Sorry for any hartburn i gave you.

No problem at all. I am trying to spare you heartburn from having to come back and readjust so many times. It's just what worked for "me". Good luck.

 

[j par]

^^^when was than? Somewhere near the beginning of time...lol...

 

[68dodge]

One thing you need to remember is the S/S springs , like the 002 And 003 are made for cars that are 3000# or lighter. If your car weighs more, your need the S/S spring designed for that weight. If you put on the wrong springs, they will not work they way they were designed too. Plus you need to find the right shock to work with you set up. My Scamp has S/S springs, my front suspension sits a half inch off the bump stops even on both sides. Launches straight. I also use Competition engineering adjustable shocks. Best thing to do is get pictures or video off the line to see what the car is doing.

 

[famous bob]

One thing you need to remember is the S/S springs , like the 002 And 003 are made for cars that are 3000# or lighter. If your car weighs more, your need the S/S spring designed for that weight. If you put on the wrong springs, they will not work they way they were designed too. Plus you need to find the right shock to work with you set up. My Scamp has S/S springs, my front suspension sits a half inch off the bump stops even on both sides. Launches straight. I also use Competition engineering adjustable shocks. Best thing to do is get pictures or video off the line to see what the car is doing.

View attachment 1715510419

View attachment 1715510420

Not so , my fine feathered friend: we ran the 002-003 springs on this car for 14 years, we did replace them once tho during that time .
Used 14 and 16'' slicks with them , will about work on anything , w/ the back half unclamped .------------------------------------

It was a fight to get this car down to legal nhra class weight too !

 

[Cudafever]

Thanks you both.
Mine is a E body and i choose the spring for my vehicles weight.
If i ever put it on a diet this could be a problem. 3800 SS Spring.

 

[Cudafever]

Burn out with old SS Spring.

Launch with new SS Springs and Rims and 90/10s up front

We will see how that look with my new "binding free suspension". when the track opens up this year.

 

[Mattax]

I assume you've gone through the D.C. Bulletins to glean some guidance on the SS spring package.
If not. Here's one. Moparts on the Web - Main Index
I know there's more in other bulletins.
This early version of the rear suspension bulletin is a little different than the version in the books.

 

[Cudafever]

I have read this all many time before........but this time i got a few more things out of it.
I purchased the 3600 pound E body springs before and this time around a when with the 3800 pound spring.
I also when out and measured the back half of my leaf spring.
I never measured the original SS Spring, but i had to remove the rear valance so spring/shackle would clear or could be installed.
I know that these new SS Springs i still could not install my rear valance without some surgery to it to clear the shackles.
So it's not like they screwed up the spring rear segment.......or they did! 20+years ago, and still havent fix it! Either way i will just deal with it.
Interesting just the same.

@famous bob I can see why it work well even in a heavy car like yours (02-03 springs) look at the lb/in rate.
Everybody love the 02-03 on there A Body........but there intended for a stick only.

Says shackles should be no longer then 8-1/2" long for handling reason.......Mine are 3-1/2" long

 

[famous bob]

I have read this all many time before........but this time i got a few more things out of it.
I purchased the 3600 pound E body springs before and this time around a when with the 3800 pound spring.
I also when out and measured the back half of my leaf spring.
I never measured the original SS Spring, but i had to remove the rear valance so spring/shackle would clear or could be installed.
I know that these new SS Springs i still could not install my rear valance without some surgery to it to clear the shackles.
So it's not like they screwed up the spring rear segment.......or they did! 20+years ago, and still havent fix it! Either way i will just deal with it.
Interesting just the same.

View attachment 1715510776

@famous bob I can see why it work well even in a heavy car like yours (02-03 springs) look at the lb/in rate.
Everybody love the 02-03 on there A Body........but there intended for a stick only.

Says shackles should be no longer then 8-1/2" long for handling reason.......Mine are 3-1/2" long

Long shackles will kill a set of springs in a little time . the 002-003 springs will move ur rear end forward about 2'' too , in a B body , /more weight on the rear .

 

[68dodge]

Not so , my fine feathered friend: we ran the 002-003 springs on this car for 14 years, we did replace them once tho during that time .
Used 14 and 16'' slicks with them , will about work on anything , w/ the back half unclamped .------------------------------------View attachment 1715510476
It was a fight to get this car down to legal nhra class weight too !

Thanks Bob good to know. Now did you move the springs in and keep the axle at stock centerline?

 

[Cudafever]

All SS Springs have a 20" front segment. all but A bodys have to have longer brackets to make up for it
same wheel base
EDIT:
All but A bodys have to have longer front spring brackets to fit.
tubs would have to be modified other wise.
The A Body is the only one with a 20" front segment.
That why i wrote 20 on that graph above because that the front and rear length of my SS Spring
Compared to factory spec's

 

[Cudafever]

Long shackles will kill any rear leaf spring
Had some vary long one on my first mopar(72 Demon) keep lowering the spring to the next lower bolt hole until there were no more bolt holes and the shackles hit every curb i when over..........fix that with air shocks

 

[famous bob]

Thanks Bob good to know. Now did you move the springs in and keep the axle at stock centerline?

Springs were moved in completly inside the frame , had room for about anything . left the 2'' shorter set up , reworked the front of the fender wells to the inner structure ----
like this

still has the stock curvature , and not noticeable to most people that aren1t in the know .

 

[Cudafever]

Woops
1962-1963 B body also had a 20" front segment.

 

[famous bob]

Woops
1962-1963 B body also had a 20" front segment.

Didnt know that !

 

[Cudafever]

Didnt know that !

My boss told me that any day I learn something NEW! I could go home early!..........
I must have not learned a thing there, because he Never let me leave early Except the day he had a Pink Slip in his hand. Just kidding

 

[Duane]

Springs were moved in completly inside the frame , had room for about anything . left the 2'' shorter set up , reworked the front of the fender wells to the inner structure ----
like this
View attachment 1715511563 still has the stock curvature , and not noticeable to most people that aren1t in the know .

I had to modify mine as well. Took a good 3 inches out to clear my 14x32 slicks. Spend lots of time on the body work there and like yours no one can tell.
I fabricated up new rear frame rails completely, and put the top of the shackle into the frame rail.

 

[Cudafever]

I will post this up in my other thread but it's as relevant here as there.
Front end is level with me in it(right front is 3/8 of a inch higher, good enough until i get it on the alignment machine)...........ironically the Gangster Lean that i have always had in no longer there. Left to Right Rear is only 3/8" of a inch different with me in it. Favoring the RR of course.
Also lower the front another inch, still off the lower bump stops.
Car look completely different.
LEFT T-BAR NUT.vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

RIGHT T-BAR BOLT. vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

 

[Duane]

I will post this up in my other thread but it's as relevant here as there.
Front end is level with me in it(right front is 3/8 of a inch higher, good enough until i get it on the alignment machine)...........ironically the Gangster Lean that i have always had in no longer there. Left to Right Rear is only 3/8" of a inch different with me in it. Favoring the RR of course.
Also lower the front another inch, still off the lower bump stops.
Car look completely different.
LEFT T-BAR NUT.vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
View attachment 1715512071
RIGHT T-BAR BOLT. vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
View attachment 1715512072

Yep that's how mine is, just make sure the right has at least some tension.

 

[famous bob]

Yep that's how mine is, just make sure the right has at least some tension.

Speaking of tension, I got a chance to drive one of my best sponsers car one time , it was the same car as mine , but a little faster. He had the front wheels pulled out of square , for a starting line advantage /staggered wheels , I almost couldn`t keep it in my lane , he didn`t warn me about it either .--one of the old tricks .