Rear Suspension Question

[daveh]

I ended up buying longer bolts and fabricating longer sleeves and painted them.  It worked great and now they fit perfect.

[HP2]

Just putting my rear end back together with new springs and I am having the same problem with attaching my rear sway bar.  A lot of weight is still off the car, including engine, trans, interior, etc...   Does anyone know if the car will set down much lower in the rear when these components are back in?  I have included some pictures below including one of the rear shackle.  It is being pulled pretty far forward even with a jack under the axle.  Any help would be appreciated.

It will settle in some more, especially once you get the shackles flipped back the correct way.

[LAA66]

 That finish looks really nice. I know from experience it's a lot of work cleaning up them undercarriage parts.

 You may want to check the leaf clearance to the rear valence while your at it. Pictures can be tough to decipher but that one looks tight. Especially if the load is on the axles already.

 Jon

 

[cwestra]

It will settle in some more, especially once you get the shackles flipped back the correct way.

I'm a bit confused on the shackle flipping advice.  What are you seeing that I am not?

[HP2]

Shackles should point towards the rear of the car, not the front. This is not uncommon when replacing all the parts you've replaced. Once you get it on the ground with the vehicle weight on them they should point back but if they don't, then use a pry bar to flip them back. This will drop the rear height once you do it.

[cwestra]

Shackles should point towards the rear of the car, not the front. This is not uncommon when replacing all the parts you've replaced. Once you get it on the ground with the vehicle weight on them they should point back but if they don't, then use a pry bar to flip them back. This will drop the rear height once you do it.

I guess the thing thats got me a bit confused is how far off I am from being able to connect the sway bar and shocks and angle of the shackles even with the rear end jacked up off the stands.  The only 2 things that I see could be causing it are lack of weight (including engine & trans) or an incorrect acrh on the new springs.  Even with the weight off, should I have this condition?

[brads70]

yes a longer sway bar link will help , energy suspension sells link kits with poly bushings in different lengths

  Looks like you need longer link kits?If the sway bar bracket was mounted to the frame lower I'm wondering if that would solve the problem too?

[LAA66]

Looks like you need longer link kits?If the sway bar bracket was mounted to the frame lower I'm wondering if that would solve the problem too?

 I had heard to fit the end links first, then place the brackets where they match the frame. Mine goes in next week after cleaning it up so if you can wait I'll do the frustration part first. Looks like the over top exhaust pipes might be in the way already.

[Bullitt-]

Me thinks getting ALL the weight ON the rear 1st may make all the difference....