Dropping the rear of my 64, what to use.

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Dodgenut64

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OK, I want to drop the rear of my 64 dart but dont want to accidently drop it too low or lower then my front can go. How can I make sure this doesnt happen? Im gonna be using 17x7 wheels. Im running the Alterktion up front so I can lower the front of the car with the coil overs, but im gonna use leaf springs for the rear. If I get 2" de-arched springs, or 2" lowering blocks and Im using 17 inch rims will my rear still be higher then my front?

I was thinking if i got the measurements from a stock 64 tire and rim combo and the measurements of a 17" tire and rim combo I might be able to figure out the difference between the height of the two tire and rim combos, and that would tell me how far my call will be either raised or dropped from the stock ride height. Is there an easier way to do this or is it safe to say 17" tires and rims are taller then a stock 64 darts tire and rim?

Also, I have a convertible, which i think may have normally had an extra leaf in the springs, do i need to get six leaf leaf springs or will 5 leaf be ok sense i want my car lower in the rear anyway? I am also wondering, should i pay the extra money and get de-arched springs or get the cheaper springs and lowering blocks?
 
Based on my experiance I think its safe to say that your 17" tire will probably be 1 to 2" taller than the stock 13" tires. If you have springs already I would just us lowering blocks they are cheap and easy to install and uninstall if you don't like them. They also come in many sizes.

Keep in mind with the 64 dart the car will look lower just by installing 17" wheels. The top lip of the wheel will now be 2" higher probably even with the fender or up under the fender a little.

Last you might want to make sure nobody added a overload helper spring to your car that might be easly removed for lowering the back of the car.
 
zhandfull said:
Based on my experiance I think its safe to say that your 17" tire will probably be 1 to 2" taller than the stock 13" tires. If you have springs already I would just us lowering blocks they are cheap and easy to install and uninstall if you don't like them. They also come in many sizes.

Keep in mind with the 64 dart the car will look lower just by installing 17" wheels. The top lip of the wheel will now be 2" higher probably even with the fender or up under the fender a little.

Last you might want to make sure nobody added a overload helper spring to your car that might be easly removed for lowering the back of the car.
Click to expand...

I no longer have the rear suspension, none of it. I gave the setup to a friend, so im starting from scratch. I think the stock ride height of the early A bodies is almost perfect, they sit abit lower then some cars. Im not sure but i think the following cars may have factory springs (no lowering blocks), but with the torssion bars turned down and with smaller tires making the car lower then with the tall factory wheels and tires.
I want the ride height of these cars below, but with the 17s. With the 17s do you think id need a 3" drop? If so, I could get 2"s from lowering blocks and 1" from the leaf spring hanger or if i did de-arched springs i think i could get 3" drop springs.

Valiant%20001%20%28Large%29.jpg


Valiant%20006%20%28Large%29.jpg


9d13_12.jpg


9e91_12.jpg


64DartRagtop032.jpg


64DartRagtop033.jpg
 
I messed with these photos to mimic what 17s might look like on this 65 and 64 (the wheels on the 64 might be abit bigger, but i was shooting for 17s)

17s-ish.jpg


2drop2.jpg
 
Hey Dodgenut64 thats a nice yellow convert in your post (lol,just kidding its mine)......just thought I'd let ya know my car has 1" spacers to drop it down where it is,and the springs have pretty good arch in them,they would be six leafs.Wheels as you can probably tell are 14"s. Lots of people tell me I need new leafs.....cars is sagging in the back....I have to tell them no it was built to look like this,and the car sits level. Not sure how much but the front torsion suspension has been dialed down to match. I may take the spacers out at some point just to see if I like the looks without. Downside to it being so low is dam speed bumps....my pipes are pretty bashed up,some nasty speed bumps around my area!! Do you know are the six leaf springs stock on converts or is five stock??
 
Dodgenut64 said:
I messed with these photos to mimic what 17s might look like on this 65 and 64 (the wheels on the 64 might be abit bigger, but i was shooting for 17s)
Click to expand...

Oh no, you just Pimped my car!!lol....my son just saw your photo shop pic, he's gonna try to get me out shopping for wheels...he likes it!!ha,ha
 
I Agree, With The 17 Inchers, It Will Look Lower Then It Really Is,,plus The Rear Wheel Openings On Those Cars Are Low To Begin With,, Ide Go With Stock Type Leafs,, You Can Get Them Thru J.c. Whitney. Several Guys On This Site Have Them Encluding A Friend Of Mine,,they Have 2 To Choose From Stock,and 2 Inch Lift, Ide Get The Stock,,pick Up A Set Of 2 Inch Lowering Blocks And Longer " U "
Bolts,, You Can Always Cut The 2 Inch Blocks In Half If Its Too Much,,im Sure 2 Inch Will Be All That You Want,unless You Are Moving In Your Rear Springs And Using An Off Set Rim,,
 
macadoo1961 said:
Oh no, you just Pimped my car!!lol....my son just saw your photo shop pic, he's gonna try to get me out shopping for wheels...he likes it!!ha,ha
Click to expand...

Sorry for "pimping your ride". I think 17s would look awesome on your car.
Maybe if you and your son get some wheels before me i can follow your lead on back spacing and such.
Also, i think 6 leafs were common for convertibles because of the extra weight from the top. The rearend i gave to my friend had 6 leafs (my 64s a convertible).
 
fstfish66 said:
I Agree, With The 17 Inchers, It Will Look Lower Then It Really Is,,plus The Rear Wheel Openings On Those Cars Are Low To Begin With,, Ide Go With Stock Type Leafs,, You Can Get Them Thru J.c. Whitney. Several Guys On This Site Have Them Encluding A Friend Of Mine,,they Have 2 To Choose From Stock,and 2 Inch Lift, Ide Get The Stock,,pick Up A Set Of 2 Inch Lowering Blocks And Longer " U "
Bolts,, You Can Always Cut The 2 Inch Blocks In Half If Its Too Much,,im Sure 2 Inch Will Be All That You Want,unless You Are Moving In Your Rear Springs And Using An Off Set Rim,,
Click to expand...


I am gonna go with 4.0 to 4.5 back space rims so that should bring them in abit. Here is a pic of my 64 with my neon's wheels on it and they have alot of back space. I think they are 16x6.5" wide, with most of that in back space.
Looking at the pic you can see that the neon wheels with all that back space comes a little close to the springs, but with a 17x7 rim with less back space then the neon wheels, it should bring the wheel back out a touch towards the fender. It looks like i need maybe a half inch back the other way to clear the spring nicely. With a 17x7 which is .5"s wider then my neons 16x6.5", I think a 4.0-4.5" back space would clear both the fender and springs.
Looking at this pic, though, it looks like there is only 5 springs, Hmmmmmmmmmm. I wonder, did i count 6 leafs after all or was it 5?

neonwheel4.jpg


neonwheel5.jpg


neonwheel7.jpg


neonwheel6.jpg


neonwheel.jpg


neonwheel3.jpg


neonwheel2.jpg
 
Dodgenut64 said:
OK, I want to drop the rear of my 64 dart but dont want to accidently drop it too low or lower then my front can go. How can I make sure this doesnt happen? Im gonna be using 17x7 wheels. Im running the Alterktion up front so I can lower the front of the car with the coil overs, but im gonna use leaf springs for the rear. If I get 2" de-arched springs, or 2" lowering blocks and Im using 17 inch rims will my rear still be higher then my front?

I was thinking if i got the measurements from a stock 64 tire and rim combo and the measurements of a 17" tire and rim combo I might be able to figure out the difference between the height of the two tire and rim combos, and that would tell me how far my call will be either raised or dropped from the stock ride height. Is there an easier way to do this or is it safe to say 17" tires and rims are taller then a stock 64 darts tire and rim?

Also, I have a convertible, which i think may have normally had an extra leaf in the springs, do i need to get six leaf leaf springs or will 5 leaf be ok sense i want my car lower in the rear anyway? I am also wondering, should i pay the extra money and get de-arched springs or get the cheaper springs and lowering blocks?
Click to expand...

if you junked the rear shackles and use sliders that will lower the car 3-4". if thats too low then a spacer can be added between the slider and the frame.

cuda rr slider.JPG
 
Sliders are nice I don't think I have ever seen those before. I would think that would drop the car only half the difference between the slider and shackle maybe an 1.5"

Where do you find those at?
 
3" blocks would probably be to much even with new springs and lowering the front. I think the back would look lower than the front. I like a little rake with the early a body.
 
maybe i did not look hard enough, but i could not find the drop blocks that fit the small 7 1/4 rear. the 8 3/4 u bolts and plates are larger and i found a pair of blocks at every local parts store. now i am starting to like the idea of the sliders. will that give less wheel hop?
 
i have never seen a slider before either im guessing its for wheel hop or preload??? im sure the lowering block you seen at thre parts store will work on your 7 1/4, you may have a hard time finding longer U bolts
 
I just found a guy on ebay selling alot of the rear suspension spring related stuff i need. Im getting the spring brakets and shock plates from him, but i found another guy on ebay who had the spring hangers with the 1" drop option hole (just incase a 2" drop from springs or blocks isnt enough). The hangers eye holes are big enough for a 5/8 bolt, which means when I buy my bushings, i need the bushings that will be large enough to fit the 5/8 bolt hole right? I assume all the basic leaf springs have the same size hole where the bushings press into?
I also found Summits store on ebay and asked them if they had QA1 single adjustable shocks for my year car. Im sure they can get them, but i havent heard back yet. Does anyone have these on the rear of thier cars?
After i get everything spring related, Im going after the differential, then brakes. After that ill have all my suspension pieces....oops almost forgot i still need a rear sway bar. Id like a front sway bar but Bill at RMS doesnt carrier one for early A's, so ill have to have a custom one made (alterktion up front). Bill told me not to get too thick of a bar up front, because the alterktion was abit stiffer then the factory K frame (at least i think thats what he said). He went ahead and welded on the pieces where a sway bar could mount to though, so i wouldnt have to do it later (nice guy). I figure maybe later when my cars on the road, i can drive it to a shop who makes them and they can take the measurements and make me one to fit.
 
Hey i got my spring hangers in today. They were supposed to be black, but they came with the yellow coating on them. I thought maybe they were the wrongs ones, but they fit in the holes correctly. This set came with the studs in place, another set i was looking at didnt have the studs at all or the second eyelet for lowering the car. I might not need the lowering hole, but it doesnt hurt to have it and it was cheaper then the regular hangers without it.

lsphanger.jpg
 
I run 18s on a 64. if you want to see that look check out my pix. Also, for ride height adjustability you should look at an air ride set up in the back with the 4 link. RMS makes a 4 link that bolts in but not sure if it will work with the air ride set up. The triangular 4 link I use comes from air ride but requires fab work on install.
 
Thanks for the links. I talked to the guy who sent my hangers and he said his supplier sends whatever color parts depending apoun which side of the bed he wakes up on. Im cool with these hangers instead of the black ones, I was actually wanting them in this yellow, but the seller never had any up for bid for A-bodies like this. Im not complaining, but if i ordered them in this yellow and i got black id be a little mad.

I also saved the link to the leaf spring tech. thanks
 
fwaugh said:
I run 18s on a 64. if you want to see that look check out my pix. Also, for ride height adjustability you should look at an air ride set up in the back with the 4 link. RMS makes a 4 link that bolts in but not sure if it will work with the air ride set up. The triangular 4 link I use comes from air ride but requires fab work on install.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links. Cool valiant by the way. I think I saw it on ebay a year or two back, did you buy it or did you just never sell it? I gotta say its the most exotic 64 valiant Ive ever seen.
 
hkeller said:
I used the hangers from firm feel and used the lowered set of holes that gave the car a 1.5 inch drop in the rear.
Click to expand...


Cool, thanks. Now i have an idea what my car will look like with 17s. I guess ill really have to go with the 4.5 back space so that the front of the car can be lowered without my wheel rubbing.

Heres a questions. If i lower my car another inch or two then the 1.5 inch drop you have, do you think the wheel will clear the springs and fender nicely with 4.5 backspace and with tires the same size as your front tires? Im trying to get my car to sit at about the ride height as the car below (maybe a touch higher), but I dont know how much ill need to lower it up front to meet the rear drop to get this look. My concern i guess, is i worry that lowering the front low enough to meet the rear drop, may cuase my front tire to rub.
With 17s, how many more inches do you think i need to drop the car to get it at the ride height below? I have the 1.5" drop option on the spring hanger, how much more drop do you think i need, 2 or 3 inches+the hangers 1.5 drop?

64DartRagtop032.jpg
 
One more thing to consider is mini-tubbing the rear wheel wells. It pretty simple and can be done over a weekend. This will give you a ton of room and a more flexibility on your tire and rim choices.
 
I found someone who makes springs and sells them on ebay. IM going to get de-arched springs for way less then alot of the other places out there,$160.
His shackles are alot less then some others also, only $24 for both. I think he goes by springking on ebay if anyones interested.
The two inches should get me back down where I want my car, but Ill always have the 1.5" with the hangers if I need to drop it further.
I have a desire to keep all the wheels and tires the same , 17x7 with 4.5 backspace. If the tires come too close to the springs, I think i can get a spacer to move them back out away a touch.
 
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