Getting power to the ground
One thing that never gets checked is the driveshaft angle in the rear of the car , this can cause big problems & vibrations
the diffs are often swapped either whent he diff has problems or when engine swaps are done & the diff is upgraded to handle more power
the diff needs to be installed with a 4-7* down angle from the driveshaft angle ,
this can be checked with an angle finder guage usually under $10 at a tool store
the problem can be solved by either using shims between the spring seat & leaf spring or by cutting off the spring seats & welding in new seats
New seats are available from Mopar for under $20 part # P4120074
I f you are welding new seats on any way in a situation where the diff is being swapped be sure to correct the pinion angle before welding them into place
If the pinion angle is off there are a few problems related toi this , vibrations in the driveline , poor gas milage , & a car that is very difficult to push [will not easily roll ]
I have seen gains of 1-2 tenths in the 1/4 mile just fixing this
I f you find you h ave a diff that is sitting to high or low you will need to calculate the angle of shim needed
if the nose is equal to the driveshaft angle you would think you would need a 5* shim to correct the angle but in actuallity by dropping the nose of the diff it also increases the driveshaft angle so 3* shim should work to give a 5* angle nose down
Shims can be purchased from most 4x4 shops as they are alkways correcting diff angles with lift kits being installed in trucks
When changing the diff angle the U bolts need to be undone to add the shims , U bolts should not be reused as they are stretched when properly torqued down not to mention that generally you cannot get them off if they have been on for 25+ years
to get more traction out of the leaf spring you need to rduce deflection in the front section of the leaf springs , this is how the Super Stock springs work by making the front section of the spring very stiff while making the rear section softer to allow the front toapply the power to the frame of the car , a trick to better traction is to use a short square top U bolt around the front section of the spring to increase the stiffness , you want to install the U bolt approx midway along the front section of the spring behind the tire sideway , also removing the factory clamp at the rear of the leafs will help as well
Using air shock & coil over shock will dramatically hurt traction , using a coil over spring creates an ocillation in th erear suspension so it will tend to bouce & cycle from hooking to spinning . Air shocks are even worse , they will compress & push the weight back onto the front tires , not ot mention if they are connected to a single air line they will distroy cornering as the air pressure will run away from the Loaded side & push up on the unloaded side just enhancing body roll , I deally you want to use a 50/50 shock, 50% damping upward & 50% damping downward , & use a long length shock to allow the body to rise . Modern Gas shocks are great for both handling & traction
The front end it a different situation , in Drag racing applications you want the front springs to be soft & use a 90?10 shock with 10 % damping upwards & 90 down to allow the weight to transfer quickly & easily to the rear , while handling requires a totally different approach , you want stiffer springs & 50/50 shocks & gas charged work great
torsion bars are available in a variety of diameters
for B & E bodys
.840 dia - drag racing applications
.92 - stock R/T big block cars
.960 - used a great upgrade for street cars with improved handling
1" - road racing bar & autocross, this is harsh on the street
1.12 , 1.16 & 1.22 these are all out race bars for circle track we installed a set of the 1.22 bars in a car & the Only give in the front suspension was the tire side wall even with the bar adjustment backed all the way off !!
For A bodys [ these bars are shorter so a small ber will be as stiuff as a longer bigger diameter bar ]
.810 for drag racing
.870 for 340 cars
.890 for 383/440 A body
.920 for improved street handling
,990 for road arcing /autocross
1.04, 1.09 & 1.14 again these are all out race bars for circle track
using a pinion snubber is often helpful as well , these lever against the body to help transfer weight to the rear tires but are only available for the 8 3/4 & Dana 60 , Mopar has the old style pin through type P3690182 for 8 3/4 & P 3690181 for Dana. American muscle has a better style for both with a threaded snubber for maore accurate adjustment , they can be located at
www.americanmuscle.biz or 877-230-5336 to loacte a dealer , they also carry tools for rebuilding front ends
