moving rear end back

[sweatybetty]

my spring pads have 3 holes in them allowing moving them 1" forward or back of center. im thinking i need to move the rear back for tire clearance. what about the shock plate? do i need to drill a hole in that also or will it be ok where its at? i read a thread on moving the rear but cant find it now. thanks

 

[MoparBrit]

Can't tell you for sure, but I would think, if you did move the rear back you would have to drill the shock plate to match.

Reasoning behind the thought. Just did a rear swap from 7.5 to 8.25. Noticed the three holes in the perch and made sure that I got it in the middle one. On the spring plates I just had a centre hole to align. I would think that if the rear is positioned further back by using the front hole as it were on the perch, then the shock plate would be in the wrong spot to fit flush to the spring and allow the U bolts to bolt up. The shock plate having just the centre hole would not move back far enough.

If you drilled the plate a like distance then you could move it back a like amount and have the U bolts bolt correctly.

No info on this, but I'd wonder what moving the rear back like this (never done it myself) would do to brake hose movement. Would it be too tight to allow suspension travel without damaging the hose? Shock alignment. Would they have clearance operation issues? Drive shaft length? Long enough without weakening the connection at the trans? Spring operation now the pivot point is moved back and angle is different?

Above just things I'd be wondering about with the move. Not interested in doing the move myself, but always interested in learning new things.

Cheers

 

[C130 Chief]

Typically rear ends are moved forward to place more weight behind the axle. But then again tire clearance isn't such a big issue on race cars as the offending sheet metal is summarily removed. The A/FX altered wheelbase cars of the mid sixties took this to extreme.

 

[340mopar]

I did this exact thing on my '65 Valiant. I made my own shock plates because I didn't have any when I put in the 8 3/4. But yes you will need to move them back a like amount. Just drill a new hole int he shock plate. The shocks get real close to hitting the rearend when you move it back. So check and make sure they don't hit the housing if you do the move.

Chuck

 

[flyboy01]

The main reason for moving the rear end back is for tire clearance. Generaly a 28" tire is the max on a dart. Moving it back is a way of gaining clearance.

 

[abodyjoe]

my spring pads have 3 holes in them allowing moving them 1" forward or back of center.

i don't think i would go about it that way.. your better off spacing it where the front of the spring bolts to the body. just make sure you use longer bolts...